Evening star., 1909-08-22
NATIONAL CAR LOSES TIRE;
CRASHES THROUGH FENCE
Mechanician and Two Spectators
Are Instantly Killed.
GRUESOME RACE Is STOPPED
But Not Until the Marmon Car
Hits Post and Driver Keene
Is Very Badly Hurt.

INDIAN APOLIS. Iud.. August I'll
Three mere lives were sacrificed today
in the mad speed carnival which has
fnaugurated the great Indianapolis
motor speedway. Ono mechanictan anil
two spectators paid the penalty of thei-
lives ~ satisfy tho extreme desire for
speed.
The fatal accident came when Ma
tional car driven by Charles Merz. in
the ;:Uo-mile race. lost tire and crashed
through a fence into a group OF specta-
tors spreading death and destruction in
tie wake OF its wild plunge.
the dead:
claude kelIum o. Indianap polls, mecila-
nici4n in the National car.
ora Jo!lcffe. Trafalgar. Ind.
Jane, West ef Indianapolis.
Besides the three deaths, two serious in
surieS resulted during tie day. Henrv
Tapkins of Indianapolis was seriously in
jured in the fatal wreck. sustaining 4
compound fracture of his right arm, a
broken nose and several scalp wounds.
Bruce Keene. the driver of Il Marmon ear.
IN the same race, crashed into a post
shortly after the National wreck and was
badly cut about the neck and head.
After the second accident the officials
decided TO call off the 300-nlile race w-hen
the leading cara jackson, with Lee
Lynch at the wheel-had covered 80
miles Ralph De Palma, in a Fiat. was
second, and Stillman in a Marmon, was
third. The race will be declared no con-
test, and the great Indianapolis motor
eHy7vav " l,,r
Merz Escapes Miraculously.
By strange freak of fortune Nierz es-
capped from the terrible wreck with hardly
"A scratch. He fell under the car when it
turned a somersault through the air and
down into gully near the side Of the
track. He was In imminent danger of be-
ing burned to death. but by extraordinary
luck he was able to shut off the engine
and thus save himself from horrible
death.
kelium was hurled out of the car and
landed In the gulley some distance from
the twisted mass of steel and iron that
had once been a speed machine
The three deaths today raise the toll
OF the speedway to seven lives this week
William A Bourque and his mechancian
Harry Holconlbe OF the Knox racing team
were killed In an accident in the 2JO-nile
race Thursday. Cliff LITERAL, a Stod-
dardDayton mechanician. was killed by
being hit BY big racing machine while
on the way out To the speedway. Thurs
day Elmer Champion. a siX-year- old boy,
was killed by the automobile of Dr. Clark
+. Day of this city. while the latter was
on his way to the speedway for the first
days races.
Pail OF Grief Over City.
Tonight a pail Of grief hangs over the
city and the more reckless automobilists
drive more carefully through the streets
than they did earlier IN the week The
Tri@htfu, penalty paid for a few broken
speed records is greater than was bar
gained tor when Indianapolis threw open
The gates 81 its greatest speedway in the
world
Tho falat accident today occurred on the
r.@r thu open stands. which contained
,nore than 500 people The thousands
IN the SrandStand did not see the acct
dent. although they knew that one Of
the ears had crashed through the fence
aud OFT the track. \ few minutes after
The smash Merz was brought 10 the Off
erals stand. and . mighty shout Of joy
went up when II was seen he was safe
and il was not fof some time that the
1aaJority o. the Spectators realized the
gravity of the situation. Merz had only
slight cut. kcene received a cash in
IL side % lis neck and several cuts
ahout The head but lie is not seriously
hurt
When the Smash Came
The smash came after Meyz had fin
isaed more than 200 miles and was
the right front wheel came off, and the
car tore away from the control of tic
driver. crashing through the fence near
The foot 81 a bridge across the track
;tnd pluneing into 4 crowd gathered
There II tore through this group and
into the gully. turning ii complete SOM
crsault before il reached the ground
about ten feet below
keilum was thrown into the water
and he was bleeding from innumerable
injuries when picked up. Great gashes
were torn in his abdomen and head. and
the blood had bs gun To- pour into his
lungs. Although he was practically dead
when picked up. he lived for sorie time
without regaiuing consciousness
The unidentified man instantly
killed and toilette died as lie was being
lifted into an ambulance. At first il was
thought Tapking would die before he
could be taken IL Emergency Hospital TO
be operated upon. but quick work by the
physicians saved his life and il IL be-
Iieved he has fair chance to recover
kcllum had not begun the race IN
the ear with Merz He had been
Nitken's mcchanician In another National
when the speed struggle started. Ait
ken jumped into the lead al the start
leading IN. nineteen starters. Aiken had
remained in the lead with = goodlv mar
gin Lctw.cu hi> caI and the next one
until Cuc OF his cvlinde. heads cracked
after i" lad covered IL, miles and he
lad been forced to drop out. Aiken
ll.d covered In, miles IN Isl II g-lo set
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