Evening star., 1903-06-30
ON A RUNAWAY MOTOR
wAIrHoun'g EXCITING EXPERT
EncE Al THE COLISEUM.
Saved From Injury and Possibly Worse
by the coSlness Of Champion,
Who Pursued Him.

Bobby Walthour, the crack cyclist, had
thrilling experience this morning at the
Coliseum which but for the presence of
mind and cool courage of Albert Champion
might have resulted fatally.
Walthour, Leander and Butler, who are to
take part in the motor-paced meet tomor-
row night, with Howard Freeman, who Is
making flying visit here, and the pace
makers Champion, Turville and Saunders,
went to the bowl early this morning so as
to put In good morning workout before
the sun began to scorch the wooden track
Champion led the way f1rst, with Leander
following him, and they reeled of five miles
In record time. Champion was mounted on
his wonderful compound cylinder machine,
a very complicated piece of speed mechan-
ism, and requiring an intimate knowledge
Of its parts such as only Champion pos
SeSses In order to operate 1t safely.
When they had finished Champion and
Leander went to the training quarters to
have their rundown. and Champion left his
motor resting against the line of boxes on
the south side of the track. 1t was Wal
thour's next turn at practice and he had
been patiently waiting until Champion An
ished his pacing. His own pace. Turville.
had not yet come up from the quarters. and
Walthour. when the others departed. took
few turns around the bowl and then tir-
ing of the unpaced riding he took his seat
lH lic UOA next tn0 champion IlOlOT dllO
prepared to wait for TurviIle.f
Walthour on Runaway.
Walthour is not a good motorman-few
pace followers are-but needless Of the fact
he took 1T into his IA to take a spin on
the Champion mae. :. He jumped on 1t,
turned the speed lever and started off at
break neck gait around the track. Cham
pion hearing the 'chooing" of the motor.
a prr{z
his own beloved machine, hurried up half
dressed from the quarters. and as Bobby
went flying by he Shouted to Walthour to
stop.
Walthour laughed at the fiery French
man. and believing that he was the master
of the machine. he turned on more speed.
and the big single went around the bowl at
a gait that made Walthour look like
squirrel in a cage. Meantime, the other
riders, not knowing what was happening.
but hearing the shouting. came upon the
track and Joined their voices to Champions.
as they realized that WalthOur was doing
perilous feat.
The haired Bobby, by this time i'm
pressed by the vtger of their warnings, de-
cided to stop the motor and bring it back
to its post. Then 1t was that he manifest
ed his ignorance of the Champion single,
which threatened to cost him his life. The
lever which he supposed controlled the
speed did not respond to his touch. and de-
spite his efforts to slow down the great
motor continued it's flight around the bowl.
1t took several laps to make Champion and
the others comprehend that Walthour could
not not manage ma h !, the Rot9E and that ne was un ano
greatest alarm and excitement Champion
and the others were almost overcome with
CONSERVATION. But the Frenchman regain
ed his wits first. Hold on Tight" he
yelled.
the others feared he would try to jump.
Champion's Hot Pursuit.
Champion rap, to the training quarters,
up in readinesstfor Mats workout. he hur-
ried it out and jumped on. letting out the
speed. - -
Then began O. pursuit race without a
parallel in motor racing. Champion had
determined to Qvertake his own machine
and save Walthour Luckily for the latter
the Champion motor was not going at full
cept by staying -ontil the motor lost its
power, which would not have happened IN
hours, as these fourteen horse-pow sin
giles are charged for a long time.
Around went Walthour, his face pale and
his blonde hair flying In the wind: After
him came Champion. grim and determined.
and gauging the relative speed of the ma
chimes preparatory to the coup he pur-
posed, Around and around they circled.
the Walthour runaway maintaining It's
lead, but Champion. little by little, and
with much caution. increasing the speed OF
the pursuing motor. At first. almost Inn
percepubly, he gained on the other, and
then, giving the motor more lever, he. crept
up faster. By this time they had gone q
number Of miles in their circlfng race and
Walthour was growing dizzy. 1t was
perilous time for him. and he realized II
fully, he admitted afterward. Champion
increased his speed and the two motors
were brought almost side by side. but they
went the circuit many times before Cham
p;on dared to go close enough to the other
to accomplish his intention. Then, when
he was certain that he was going at the
identical speed of the, runaway, he leaned
over to Walthour's motor and pressed the
correct lever. At once the roar of the motor
lessened grew more and more subdued.
and finally, after five or six more laps. the
Walthour machine was brought down to
stop and Walthour was helped off.
Champion was warmly congratulated by
the other riders, and they confessed they
did not know what to do till they saw him
rush out the Butler motor and begin his
pursuit.
Bobby does not mind acknowledging that
he was pretty nervous and at one time on
the verge of becoming ratified.
In speaking of the incident Butler re-
marked: THAT was another piece OF Wal
tbour's luck. He's the luckiest rider in
he world. If 1t had been your uncle Nat.
he would have been picked up in pieces