The San Francisco call., 1904-06-18
THERY OF FRANCE
VICTORIOUS IN
AUTO CUP RACE
International Contest Is
Fought Out on the Road
With Reckless Audacity
DRAMATIC INCIDENTS
Emperor William and Many
NOtableS Witness Finish
of Sensational Struggle
Special Dispatch to The Call.


HAMBURG, June I'm Thery in a
Richard -Brasier won the James Cor
don Bennett international automobile
cup in a magnificent race In doing so
he has gained a double victory, for he
demonstrated both his qualities as
driver and the perfection to which the
automobile industry has been brought
in France.
Rarely has so much tense suspense
been crowded into ten hours. At the
end of the first round NJ Thery was
thirty-one seconds behind NJ. Jenatzy,
the RE dDevil" as Hamburg has
learned to call the winner of last years
race for the cup.
At the second passage Of the two re-
doubtable antagonists before the grand
stand NJ Thery was one minute and
forty seconds ahead, tearing along the
closely guarded road at a speed that
thrashed the spectators into excitement.
The champion of France and the
champion Of Germany contested every
kilometer with bitter determination and
reckless audacity. AS they swept past
the third time NJ. Thery was leading by
nine minutes and thirty-five seconds.
The people did not know the exact fig
ure. All they realized was that NJ.
Thery was widening the gap separating
him from his relentless Dursuer. and
that was enough to bring forth deafen-
ing cheers, that drowned even the
thunder of the passing machines.
Bravo, Thery." ''Vive la France"
and a wild tumult of delight. confidence
and pride showed there was enough of
mighty-lunged French contingent
present, or that the spectators were
mainly Francophile.
Never did a couple of hours seem so
long. Partisans of both men strolled
restlessly about, looked at their watches
every minute, tried to chat and showed
by their indifference to what was said
that their thoughts were riveted upon
some other subject. They were think
ing of one or other of the two men
flying around the racecOurse, the win
ming of which meant peril to life and
limb.
At last the trumpet call announced
the racers were coming. The suspense
at this moment was maddening. NJ.
Jenatzy was about due. Was it NJ.
Jenatzy whose approach was signaled
or had some mishap delayed him?
The warning trumpet call was for
NJ. Jenatzy. His arrival was greeted
with cheers, in which, however, some
anxiety was disceyned. NJ. Thery had
started twenty eight minutes after NJ.
Jenatzy and at the end of the last
circuit but one he was leading by more
than nine minutes. If he passed the
line inside of nineteen minutes he had
won the cup. If he passed twenty
minutes later than his competitor. NJ.
Jenatzy retained the coveted trophy.
Then began the real period of anx-
iety for NJ Thery's we'll wishers. The
Emperor had returned at about half
past four to witness the finish, but
even interest in his movements failed
to make the time pass quickly. Ten
minutes, eleven, were licked off. Have
they been delayed by any cause? Sud
denly the trumpets blare forth. There
is a culver of excitement that swells
into a shout and develops into a crash
ing roar of triumph. NJ. Thery had
won the cup.
AS he flew across the finishing line,
like a bomb skimming the earth, the
grandstands on both sides of the road
were a mass of waving handkerchiefs.
The Emperor took off his cap and
waved it in the air. AS for the French
visitors, their enthusiasm was deliri-
Gus. If NJ Thery had won back
Alsace and Lorraine he could not have
received a more tempestuous ovation
No accident of consequence was re-
ported throughout the race.