The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-31
SACRIFICES FAME
TO SAVE COMRAOE
knight, in Westcott. Pur-
posely Wrecks Car to Pre-
vent Killing 4 Man.
WAS ONE OF LEADERS
But for the Accident Youth.
full Driver Had Chance
to Win the Contest.


Il didn't hit him; didn't hit him.
were the first words uttered by Harry
knight, the plucky young driver OF
the Westcott racer in the thrilling 500
mile sweepstake race at indianapolis
yesterday, as he was picked up after
being hurled through the air when his
car skidded. overturned Lytle's Ap-
person, and then upset itself directly
in front OF the grandstand. knights
wild dash towards the pits where the
Apperson car was undergoing repairs
resulted when, laundering along It
about eighty miles an hour. he turned
his car sharply in that direction ct
the risk of his life to avoid striking
c. L. Anderson. a mechanician on q
Case car. who was lying prostrate IN
the center OF the track.
Two courses we're open to knight 40
he swept along at breakneck speed
with Anderson PROSTATE on the track
directly in his cars path, but about
30 feet distant-he could hold his car
straight and run over Anderson or he
could turn toward the pits to his right
with q slight chance Of escaping death
or serious injury. While spectators in
the grand stand stood with bated
breath and gazed horriAed at the
scene where in the twinkling Of an eye
some terrible catastrophe would sure
ly result. twenty-two-year-old Harry
knight made his decision on the In
slant the situation confronted him,
and turned his car toward the pits, at
the same time jamming on the emerE-
ency brake.
Made the Car Skid.
The sharp turn made the car skid
on the oily track and 1t turned entire
ly around, facing the opposite direc-
ton. Then the pent-up speed, the most
terrific momentum having been tenn
porarily checked by the sudden skid
and whirl around. broke loose and the
car lurched swiftly forward. striking
the Apperson car In the rear and hurl-
ing 1t over in the air The impact
threw the Westcott racer into space.
and John Glover, mechanician. was
hurled about twenty feet, landing be-
yond the pits in q muddy pool. knight
clung to the wheel and his seat until
the car smashed to the ground when
he was thrown out to the side Il
didn't hit him." was all he muttered
as he was borne away from the scene
of disaster.
seems almost miraculous, but both
escaped with only severe injuries.
Glover was the most severely injured
Of the two. sustaining = wrenched
back and bad cuts and bruises.
knight received bad wound on his
head, numerous bruises and q bad
jolting.
A broken steering knuckle on .
Case car driven by Jagersburger was
the cause Of the thrilling accident.
| The car had just left the pits when
the knuckle broke, and the machine,
beyond the control Of the driver.
sweryed against the cement wall and
then wobbled out onto the middle OF
the track.
Anderson Jumped.
| A half dozen laundering machines
were bearing down upon it. and ap-
parently to avoid a smash-up Anderson
the mechanician, jumped from the car
no doubt for the purpose Of showing
the crippled machine to the wall AZ
he jumped to the track, however. the
rear wheel passed over his. foot and
he was thrown to the ground The
I first two cars some way passed Ander-
son and the crippled Case-it all hap
pened SO quick that It was over be-
fore any one realized what has occur
ireland Knight was next. The nerve
tracking skid and dash into the Ap-
person car followed
| By his choice OF risking his own
life rather than to take that OF pros
Itrate comrade, knight forfeited his
splendid chance OF winning the race or
at least placing his car 1t the finish
ne Was II tAIu PidCc WHSu Iuc dCCI-
dent happened. running well up with
| the leaders and apparently one Of the
strongest contenders on the track.
His car was performing splendidly.
and in the 1856 laps which he had COW
cred he had had to stop but once that
on account Of tire trouble. There IL
little doubt but that knight would
have placed his machine IL the prob
ability Of taking life had mot de-
manded his sacrifice of chance for
fame and glory.