The Washington times., 1906-10-07
A French Car Carries Off Vanderbilt Trophy for
Third Time-Shepard Causes Death
of His Best Friend
HOW THE LEADERS FINISHED


NEW YORK. oct. 5.-A sputtering
snorting, light blue streak. breathing
continuous flame. shot across the finish
tape in the Vanderbilt Cup race. shortly
after II o'clock this morning. and Louis
Wagner, IN his French Darracq. had
won Americas most famous automobile
contest.
II was a thrilling struggle but such
toll Of death and injury did the whiz-
zing cars exact that the donor Of the
trophy, William K Vanderbilt. jr., de-
clared his doubt II ever another cup
race would be run.
The battle OF speed produced one trag-
edy as dramatic as it was terrible. FL
lIott F. Shepard, driving his mighty
Hotchkiss car at top speed around
Krug's corner, struck and killed his own
best friend, Bert J.. Gruner, a wealthy
resident OF Passaic, \. J. The victim
was hurled fifty feet. Shepard not
knowing whom he had struck sped on.
Afterward when the truth was told
him, he broke down and Wept
Shepard's car was disabled by the
accident and he was forced 10 quit the
race Immediately afterward. He will
be placed under arrest. according TO the
sheriff Of Nassau county.
Crowd Utterly Reckless.
The crowd which lined the danger
points Of the course seemed utterly
reckless Of its own lives and those OF
tine drivers. Hundreds surged out on
the track repeatedly and many Of the
accidents were directly due 10 this
cause. After the nrst cars finished the
course became overrun and this fact
compelled the calling of OF the race.
Lancia finished q close second; Duray
third. The time Of the winner was four
hours fifty minutes and ten and two
dfths seconds for the 1911 miles.
Before the race was half over one
man had been instantly killed, boy
fatally injured. and half dozen spec
tators bruised or maugled by the IN
ruly cars.
Ralph Baldwin. a youth Of fourteen,
of South Baldwin, Conn, was struck by
Dare Devir' Tracy's American car at
East Norwich and carried dying 10 the
Mineola Hospital. DR.. Weilschott ser
iouslv injured John Creeks. a youth Of
Port Washington, L L. when his car
went into the ditch from the Dip Of
Death"
Race-bound automobiles likewise ex-
acted a terrible price from the general
public Joseph A. Stadler was instantly
killed in Long Island City and dozen
injured on various roads 10 the cup
course.
In Doubt to Last Minute.
The contest was in doubt 70 the very
last minute. Few Of the half million OF
spectators were certain that Wagner
had won the race when he sent his car
over the tape in the last lap and sput-
tered down the course to his quarters
He was cheered as a possible victor
as Vincenzie Lancia, in a 13J-hOTse-
power Italian car had been cheered
when he completed his last round few
minutes previous. The figuring Of
elapsed time gave the victory TO Wagner
by 3 minutes Is z-5 seconds. This is the
third time g French car has won the
race.
Antoine Duray was third, separated
from Lancia by the narrow margin OF
1s seconds. Albert Clement. a youth
with the gold feur de lis Of France on
his blue sweater, was fourth, closely
followed bv JenatZy. who drove a ~
horsepower German car into nfth place
As the leaders completed the last
r5und. the spectators broke ali bounds
and crowded over the hard, oil-coVered
racing nath. The danger 20 the crowds
and 10 the drivers was 50 great that
the other cars were not permitted 70
finish
100000 See Race.
The race was Witnessed BY the great
est crowd ever assembled at q sporting
event IN America. more than $4,000 per-
sons witnessing the contest from one
viewpoint or another. Thousands gath
cred at every turn, especially at the
Hairpin Curve. the DIP OF Death"
and KruS's corner.
They favored the places which prom
ised serious accidents. The racers came
Oft scot free. and the public paid for its
love Of excitement with death and IN
jury.
For miles on either side Of the main
stretch of the course. automobiles or
every kind and description were packed
so closely that their hubs touched. The
owners Campcd i'm ard about their ma
chimes during The night. and awoke just
In time for the sIANllg DCiAtth 0AHA
OF the race. shortly after 6 O'Clock.
1t was a dismal morning, with fog
hanging over the course and the sur
rounding Long Island meadows. It
sprinHIed a little. but evidently the
weatherman thought better Of 1t, for
finaTfv the sun came out.
Cars in Readiness.
All Of the seventeen entries, cars. and
drivers. groomed and ready for the re-
remarkable test OF endurance and
strength, were at the mark in front OF
the big Wostbury grandstand at 81
O'Clock. The officials decided TO wait
fifteen minutes for the fog 10 lift
From the beginning it was evident
that the enormous crowd Of spectators
was going TO cause trouble. on his first
round. Tracy, the most popular Ameri-
can driver. stopped at the grandstand TO
declare that It was almost impossible 10
race under the crowded condition of the
track. His voice was quiveFing with