The San Francisco call., 1909-08-22
TRIPLE TRAGEDY
ENDS AUTO RACES
Three Men Killed When Flying
Auto Leaves Speedway and
PIunges Into Ditch
Fatalities on New Track During
Present Speed Carnival
Now Total Seven

INDIANAPOLIS Ind. Aug. 21.-Three
more lives were sacrificed today in
the speed carnival which has marked
The opening Of the new indianapolis
motor speedway.
one mechanician and two spectators
were today's death toll. when a Ma
tional car. driven by Charles Merz.
IN the 500 mile race, lost tire and
crashed through a fence into a group
Of spectators. The dead:
CIaUd IGeIIum of Indianapolis. mecha-
nician in the National ear.
Homer JOleffe, Trafalgar, Ind.
an unidentified man.
Besides the three deaths, there were
two serious injuries during the day.
Henry Tapking of Indianapolis. suf-
fered a compound fracture of the right
arm, a broken nose and several scalp
wounds in the wreck of the National
car. Bruce Keene. driving a Marmon.
IN the same race, crashed into a post
shortly after the wreck of the National
car. and was badly cut about the neck
and head.
RACE CALLED OFF
second ACCIDENT
nclals decided 10 call of the race The
leading cara Jackson. with Lee Lynch
al the wheel-had then covered 235
miles Ralph De Palma, in a Fiat.
was second, and Stillman, in Marmon
was third. The race viii be declared
no contest and the Indianapolis speed
way trophy viii be raced for again
Merz miraculously escaped from the
wreck Of his car with hardly a scratch
rHH
turned somersault through the air
and down into a gully near the side
Of the track. Kellum was hurled out
OF the car and landed in the gully
some distance away
The three deaths today raises the
speedway fatalities TO seven. William
A BourQue and his mechanician. Harry
Holcomb. Of the Knox racing team.
were killed in an accident in the 25O
mile race Thursday. Cliff Litteren.
Stoddard-Dayton mechanician. was
killed by being hit by a big racing ma
chine while on the way out TO the
speedway. Thursday. Elmer Grampton
SIX year old boy, was killed by the
automobile OF DR.. Clarke z. Day, Of
this city. while the latter was on his
way 10 the races
The meeting, therefore. has closed
IN gloom, the glory Of broken speed
. records being dimmed by the tragic
attendant circumstances
TIRE CAUSES TRAGEDY
After Merz finished. more than 200
miles and was running nth in the
race, the tire on the right front wheel
came OF and the car tore away from
the control OF the driver. 1t crashed
through the fence near the foot of a
bridge across the track and plunged
into a crowd there The car tore
through rha crosrr, and into ,~..11.-
turning complete somersault before
i reached the ground about 10 feet
below kellum was thrown into the
water and was bleeding from innumer-
able injuries when abe was picked up.
Great gsshes were torn in his abdomen
and head. He lived for some time
without regaining consciousness.
The unidentified man was instantly
killed and Joleme died as he was be-
ing lifted into an automobile ambu-
lance. Quick work by the physicians
saved Tapking's life, and he has a fair
chance to recover.
Despite the tragedy, the six cars
left in the contest continued the race
until the accident happened to Bruce
keene. His car crashed into a post
near the side of the track after It
had. for some unaccountable reason
skidded Schiller, the mechanician
sustained a slight fracture Of the skull
Keene was not seriously hurt. After
this accident the officials having de-
cided that every man in the race was
IN danger. stopped the race.
REFEREE ISSUES STATEMENT
After the race a statement was is
sued by Referee s. 3. Stevens. to the
effect that he had stopped the race
owing to the physical condition of the
contestants.
Homer Joleffe. one of the spectato
killed, was a farmer living at Trafal-
gar Ind, 26 years old and unmarried.
Kellum was a resident of this city
and had been working for the National
company for several years. He was
35 years old and leaves a widow and
two children.
The % mile free for all was won by
Barney Oidfeld in Benz. This race was
for the Remy Grand Brassard, an arm
band 10 be worn by the winner, and he
viii be paid s75 a week as long as he
successfully defends it. He must race
when called upon. and If he loses ii the
SIS a week goes to the new holder
Oldfeld maintained a sensational pace,
negotiating the 25 miles in 21:21 40.
The 10 mile race for the amateur
championship OF the country was easy
for Z. A. Hearne Of Chicag go. who drove
his high powered Fiat. His only rival
10 finish was Jimmy Ryall of New
York with Buick
Kinkafd. in a National, won the Is
mile free for all handicap after hard
battle in the last lap with De Palma in
2 Fiat Stillman, in a Marmon, got
third nlace in this event