Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-10-13

saw Grana Contest For Third An
nusI Vanderbilt Cup Race at Mas
~au County Circnit ON Long Island.
French Drivers Tosk First, Third
and Fourth Places, Tie second CO.
ing 10 Italy, with Germany Firth.
Donor OF Trophy snid THAT Coarse
VIII Nvver again Ne used on Ac-
count III Fatalities and Future DAN
ger 10 pubiic.
NEW YORK, Oct. S.-Belchmg rru-
DANES from it's exhaust pipes like some
demon monster of the lower world, the
ITO horsepower Darracq racer, guided
By the master hand of Wagner of the
French team, Numbered across the fin
Ish line at Westbury, N. Y, the winner
Of the third annual Vanderbilt cup race
over the tortuous Nassau county cir
cult.
After the closest and most thrilling
contest ever recorded IA the annals of
automobile road racing Ia this country
or perhaps in any other Wagner snatch
ed the palm Of victory from Lancia of
the Italian team. who piloted 100
horsepower Fiat by the small margin
OF 3 minutes Is % seconds. Iancia in
turn was only Is seconds ahead of Du-
ray OF the French team, who drove
100 horsepower Lorraine Dietrich car.
Fourth to finish was Clement Of the
French team, who piloted 100 horse
power Bayard-C Clement. while fifth
came Jenatzy of the German team in
a 40 horsepower Mercedes. So close
was the finish between these five cars
that a the beginning of the last lap
any one of them had a good chance to
win, -.s-s--rss - s'ss-sss- a., .s9F-sw ~
SXRsner the winner, covered the
29T.1 miles of the course in hours so
minutes 10 % seconds, which was an
average Of % minutes 11-25 seconds
for each lap Of 29.7 miles, or at the
rate of 61.46 miles an hour. This time
is fust a tribe slower than that made
by Hemery last year, when he won the
race in an eighty horsepower Darracq
and averaged 6l.51 miles an hour.
1T was the general opinion, despite |
the strong leaning of the crowd to-
ward LanGia, that Wagner deserved to |
win. From the moment he got away |
and took the lead he held it against .
the field.
Wagner will be remembered as the i
team mate of Hemery In the last Van
1erbilt cup race, which was won by the |
after with Darracq car.
Wagner won the French Chateau
rhiery and Gallon races, which were
run up steady incline, with many
rocks and sharp turns that taxed the |
nerves and skill Of the drivers to the
utmost
During the greater part of the year
1904 Wagner spent his time In the
French army.
Among the five to finish there was
aot one American car. lie Blon, driv- |
ing Thomas, made the best showing. |
II ewas Ne. 3 at the conclusion of the |
cinth lap and was still running when |
the race was called Of. Lawwell was |
dropped from the score bokrd after the
Fourth round.
Ehe race was not without its fatali-
ties. as Shepard, who piloted the 100
Hotchkiss car, the high
est powered racer in the contest, ran
down and killed venturesome spec
tator named Kurt Gruner of Passaic,
N. j., whoswandered out on the course
near Krug's corner, while Weillschott
If 10 80 hn
steep Manhasset hill and, ditchlng and
wrecking his machine, fatally injured
a boy Weillschott and his mechanic,
though badly bruised and stunned, es-
capped as If by miracle.
After the race William X. Wander
bilt, Jr., the donor of the trophy, said:
81 am convinced that 1t is not advisa-
BILE TO hold race of such Importance
as that just completed near large
city unless military protection is fur
nished to keep the crowds back"
Jefferson De Mont Thompson, the
chairman of the racing board, said:
''Mr. Vanderbilt and myself were
both surprised that there was not re-
corded larger number of fatalities
because OF the manner In which the
s crowds behaved. 1t was almost mirac-
ulous that hundreds were not killed.
We are deeply shocked and grieved
over the loss of one life.
THE cup win go to France, that
country having won it three times.
This race will be, / presume, the last
race of like Importance contested
here"
Sheriff Gildersleeve was asked If he
intended TO place Mr. Shepard under
arrest in connection with the killing
OF Gruner, and he answered in the neg
sative
Mr. Thompson said that as far as he
could learn from eyewitnesses three
cars were travelling close together al
the time that Gruner was killed. HI
said he had been Informed that aftel
the first car bad passed Gruner jump
ed out into the road to look at the on'