The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-12
TOURING AUIOISTS INJURED
CiRSO or x. X. OTIS AND r.. y. CLARK
81 ~ERTURNED.
Mr. OTIS and Miss Rollins Ptnned Under
Machine ann Injuries Are serious
Muddy Roads Cause Accidents on Rum
90 South Brnd-Mr. Clark = Ribs Broken


SOUTH BEND. Ind, July 1.-THE second
days run of the 1907 tour OF the American
Automobile Association to-day was marked
by the two most serious accidents that have
ever occurred during the course Of a national
touring contest. In the first mishap Ken
meth r. Otis n me Cleveland Automobile
Club, his wife and her sister were injured.
while in the other case r. j. Clark Of the
Chicago Automobile Club was the UNI
fortunate.
Both accidents were due 10 the slippery
condition Of the roads between Toledo and
this city, which had been made very muddy
by n heavy rainstorm that began just after
midnight and lasted for about ak hours
E MIR. Otis was driving his own six cylinder
Pierce. which had been entered as a con-
testing car for the Glidden torphy az n
representative Of the Cleveland Automobile
Club. Mrs. Otis was in the seat behind
him. and in the tonneau were Miss Tiny
Rollins, Mrs. Otis's sister: James Noonan
MIR. 0tis.s chauffeur, and F.. Ed Spooner Of
New York.
The dry weather Of the preceding days
had left the roads coated with n thick layer
OF dust, which the rain turned into mud.
and practically all Of the cars that started
from lOIeN1D ITlt H1OTnlTR ndI tltT CIldlnt
or non-skid bands fitted to their tires.
Mr.. Otis did not use a regular type Of tire
chain. but fitted the tires with a contriv-
ance Of steel studded leather, made much
on the plan used in making the regular tire
chains.
About three miles away from the put
skirts Of Toledo Mr.. Otis ran up behind the
car Of Philip s. Flinn of the Pittsburg Auto
rooh,lo GLIB He 1xnx,a aIApn hahtnH Mr.
Firms car for a time and then blew his
horn so that Mr.. Finn would move over
to one side Of the road and allow him to
pass. Mr.. Otis was driving at about twenty
miles an hour. according to the estimate
made later by Mr.. Spooner. when he began
driving around Mr.. Films car.
The front left wheel Of the Otis car went
OF on to the grass. but was turned back
on 20 the road before the left rear wheel
rolled on to the grass. Mr.. Spooner was
sitting on the left side OF the tonneau seat
and as the rear wheel over which he was
sitting went or to the grass he could feel il
slipping underneath him and wondered
how far he would be thrown.
Spooner thinks that the front wheel
struck a rock embedded in the road surface.
or that'the wheel slid into a rut SO that the
oar turned over. Spooner was thrown
out of the right side OF the car and Noonan.
the chauffeur, who had been sitting at the
right sid of the tonneau. was pitched out
of the left side of the car. Spooner landed
forty feet away and Noonan twenty feet
away from the overturned machine.
Spooner ran back to the car and found
hat Miss Rollins and MIR. Otis we're both
pinned under the machine. Mrs. Otis had
also been thrown from her seat at her hus-
bands side. but Miss Rollins. who had
been occupying the middle seat in the
tonneau. was under the car when it turned
over.
E.. s. Lea of the Mercer County Auto Club
had been driving ahead of MIR. Finn and
when the Otis car overturned both he and
Mr.. Flinn turned back TO help the injured
ones. Miss Rollins was held under the
edge of the body of the car. which rested
on the bach of her head. she lying face
downward in the mud. Mrs. Finn and
Mrs. Albertson OF Philadelphia, who had
been in the Finn car. dug the mud from
around Miss Rollins'sfaoe 80 that she would
not suff ooate.
Mr.. Otis was also pinned down, as the
edges OF the car were on his legs and head.
He kept his nerve wonderfully, ask ed il
his wife had been hurt and told the rescuers
not to mind him. but to get Miss Rollins
out.
When Mrs. Otis was pitched out one OF
her legs was cut badly and she tainted from
the shock and injury. Miss Rollins was
badly cut. Mr.. Flinn took Mrs. Otis and
Miss Rollins hack to the Boody House at
Toledo in his car and Mr.. Otis was removed
to a hospital in Toledo in Mr.. LEAFS car
When the car was pulled off Mr.. Otis one
OF his legs was badly cut.
Mr.. Clark's mishap occurred near BRYAN.
Ohio, about sixty miles from Toledo. As
he approached a sharp curve in the road
his car skidded of the road into the ditch
at the right hand side. turned bottom
official Red Cross" car was following
close behind the Clark machine and DR..
Andrew Callahan Of Buffalo, one Of the
physicians in the car. jumped out when
he saw the Clark car begin TO skid.
DR.. Callahan reached the Clark, car as
II started on it's last half turn and pulled
Mr.. Clark out Of IL by the collar in time
70 save him from falling. In addition to
Mr. Clark the car had as passengers f. W.
McGookin of Chicago. Peter n. Fehey of
Cleveland and Mr.. Clsrk's chauffeur, George !
Hunt. All of these escaped injury.
Mr.. Clark, however. was badly cut around |
the face and mouth and injured in his
chest. Seven stitches were taken in Mr.,
Clsrk's lips by DR.. Callahan. Two OF his
ribs were broken and his lower jaw frac-
tured.
Some wild reports were circulated to-
night that Mr.. Clark had been killed. but. |
WI IL OohtIdIy ~ tfltpllpne message |
came in here late tonight from the Christ
man Hotel at Bryan. where Mr.. Clark
was taken. that he was resting we'll. A !
specialist was called from Chicago and
reached Bryan late this afternoon.
II had been reported that one of the limited |
trains IL to be stopped at Bryan tonight, !
50 Mr.. Clark can be taken home to Chicago. !
His Packard car was righted and put into
commission again. though the steering
wheel was broken. In spite Of this George
Hunt drove the car into this city tonight
and will continue on to Chicago tomorrow,
where the car will remain.
At Brirnfeld the car was run partly over
the edge Of a high bridge az a right angle
turn. as III could not make the full turn
With the damaged steering wheel. II VAS
pulled on the bridge and driven here with
out further mishap in time 10 allay the
fears OF a number of men who had been
told that Hunt and F.. r. Estep Of Chicago
had been injured, as they were said TO
have been in the car When Il was SMASHED
on it's way In.
TOLEDO. Ohio. July 1.-Two of the
X. X. Otis automobile party We're W rocked
q short distance west OF Toledo this morn
ing and are in bad shape to-niQ hi.