Riot Over April 1 Joke.

New York Times 100 years ago today, April 2, 1913:
Paper Reported the Descent in France of a German Dirigible.
    RHEIMS, April 1.— A Rheims newspaper startled its readers to-day by the publication of a statement that a German Zeppelin dirigible balloon, after cruising over the fortresses at Toul and Verdun, had come to earth near the Rheims Barracks, having lost both her propellers. Enormous crowds of excited people hurried to the spot indicated, but saw no Zeppelin. Then some one remarked that it was the 1st of April.
    The people took the joke very badly, and large forces of police and gendarmes had to be rushed to the scene to disperse them.
    It is said that the authorities will prosecute the newspaper on the charge of publishing false news likely to cause a breach of the peace.