The San Francisco call., 1904-10-09
American Driving d
French Car Leads
bg Narrow Margin
SLIPPING TIRE
COSTS A LIFE
Thousands Cheer as
Eighteen Starters
Flu Around Track

NEW YORK, Oct S.-George Arents
Jr., New York millionaire, lies dy-
ing at a hospital in Long Island, and
his chauffeur, Carl Meusel. is dead as
q result OF the automobile race for the
cup offered by William K. Wander
bilt Jr.
Arents' car was wrecked by tires
slipping. The chauffeur was taken to a
hospital. horribly mangled, where he
died half an hour later. Arents was
also taken TO the hospital, where it was
found he was suffering from a cerebral
hemorrhage, and at an early hour to-
day he was not expected TO live.
His family has been summoned TO
his bedside.
The committee considering the pro-
test lodged by N. Clement disaIlowed
the protest at an early hour this morn
ing. Heath, who finished first, was
declared the winner.
The official time was given out as
follows:
ELAPSED Corrected
Heath --...-.--...---.-..-.-6 -6:56;45 5;26:45
Clement -6:5s:13 5:2s :13
No time was taken for the other con-
testants.
The story Of the race itself is one
OF intense excitement and nerve-ten-
sion. After running for seven hours,
sometimes at a speed of sixty TO nine
~ miles an hour. faster than many
express trains, George Heath, an
American, driving a ninety horsepower
vehicle Of foreign make aud repre-
senting the Automobile Club of
France. finished first in the run of
800 miles, with Albert Clement, repre-
senting the same club and driving an
eighty horsepower machine, also of
foreign make, one minute and twenty
eight seconds behind him.
CLEMENT ENTERS PROTEST..
When the two men flashed by the
judges stand the crowds in the grand
stands rose in q body and cheered, re-
leNing the tension Of nerves that held
the crowd for so many hours. Clement
In d protest declared that he had been
held up in Hampstead over a minute
and half and that if this had been
allowed him he would have won the
race. He said that his gasoline tank
broke in Hampstead and that time was
taken on him while he was repairing
II, contrary TO the conditions Of the
race. He also asserted that his time in
control had been charged against him.
Like all previous races of the kind,
there was a chapter Of accidents and a
fatality The victims were among par
ucipants IN the contest. Fortunately,
none Of the spectators along the course
were hurt.
The man killed was Carl Meusel.
chauffeur, who was driving the car Of
George Arents Of New York The ac-
cident was caused by the tires slipping
and il occurred about o'clock, two
hours after the start. The car was
travelling at a tremendous rate and was
approaching a curve when il suddenly
swerved and turned over MeuseI was
caught beneath the machine, while
Arents was thrown to one side. Both
men were taken 10 a hospital, where
3ieusel died half an hour later Arents'
car was demolished.
The race was started at o'clock. The
course was over a thirty mile triangle,
with turns that were sharp and dan
SerOus. At two places the railroad
crossed the highway at grade and
these places were guarded by signal
men. Twice at these crossings Gabriel,
q French motorist, narrowly missed
being struck by a train, in one in
stance running but two feet ahead of
z locomotive. The starters in the race
were: