The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-09-17
MACHINE OF LEE oLDFIELo
LEAPS FROM COURSE, KILL.
ING SIX OUTRIGHT.
INJURIES KILL SEVERAL
IN Forty Third Mile Of Fifty-Miis
Contest, Tire Explodes and Machine
Crashes Into Spectators Aiona the
Course-Mansled Forms Are Picked
Up and Carried Away.

Syracuse. n. Y. Sept. 1e-Nin,
persons were killed and ii injured,
some of them seriously. as the result
OF an accident during the closing
miles Of so-mile automobile race at
tile state fair track this afternoon.
when Knox racing car. driven by
Lee oldfi.ld. leaped from the track.
crashed through the fence surround-
ing It and plunged into the throngs
that lined the other side OF the spced-
way.
Six of the nine people were killed
outright and three others were SO
badly Injured that they died on the
way to the hospital.
The dead are:
FRED J. ARNOLD. Syracuse. N. Y.
CLAUDE HAMII.. Hammond. N. Y.
CHARLES BALLANTYN, Syracuse.
JAMES COIN. Alexandria Bay, N. Y.
LEO HALPfN. Syracuse.
FAYETTE FUNK. Farleyvilie. n v.
Two unidentified men and an uni.
Identified boy
The identified injured are:
Lee OidfIeld. driver OF the car that
left the track: William Sharkey. Har-
ry Bradley. Charles DolIey and Miss
Anna Youker. all Of Syracuse.
II is believed several of the injured
cannot live.
The accident came as the fatal ter
mnation OF "A day that was undoubt.
edlv the biggest the state fair has ever
held in point of attendance. as well
as I'm the matter OF attractions
The honored guest OF the fair today
was President Taft. II was but a
short time after he had left tho
grounds that the tragedy occurred.
Track Wet for raft.
Just before he left. President Taft
took short ride In an automobile on
the track. which was we. 20 keen
down the dust for the piesiden. and
his party. This wetting caused driv-
ers who were to compete in the So
mile event to protest. When the race
was called, Ralph DE Palma and Bob
Burman. who had been driving In
previous races. refused to go on be-
cause OF the condition OF the track.
saying the water made Il too danger
GUS. There was some delay during
which the track dried somewhat The
race was called and De Palma and
Burman were both entrants along with
! Oldfleld and six others.
The accident happened In the 43rd
mile. DE Palma was leading by lap
with Oldfield trailing him. The cars.
travelling at 75 miles an hour, were
running side by side as they passed
the grandstand.
lac, t,,r
report. The car driven by Oldfield
leaped in the air. Then It swerved to
the outer side and crashed through
the fence. The crippled machine. be-
yond the control OF the driver.
/ ploughed through hundreds of persons
lined along the fence. II was at first
thought that no one had teen hurt
and this announcement was made.
Despite this, hundreds hurried to the
point where the car left the track.
The runaway car had left persons
piled together on the ground, several
mangled almost beyond recognition
At once nearly a score of dead and
Injured were picked up. Hurry calls
were sent to the city for ambulances
and the dead and injured were taken
to the emergency hospital on the fair
grounds.
Spectators Talk.
For more than 20 miles. spectators
said, Oldfield had been driving his car
with one OF the shoes Tapping In the
hope of beating out De Palma. How
ever his manager, instead of stopping
him. had. 1t is said urged him to In
crease his speed.
In spite Of the fact that so many
had been killed and injured. the Off
cials In charge refused To call off the
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