Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-21
LEWIS sTRANG DEAD
Famous Auto Racer Dies When Car
Upsst6 on Five Foot 0ank-Moots
Death When Machine Was Travelling
But Four Miles an Heur-Mst Death
He Had Predicted.

Milwaukee. July 21.-Lewis Strang,
automobile racing driver, who has
driven Case cars in various sections
OF the United States. was killed yester-
day near Blue River, Wis, while pilot
ing the car Of the technical committee
on the Wisconsin Automobile Associa-
tion's annual reliability run.
Strang met the kind of death he
himself predicted. He said last Sunday
at the Riverview motordrome in Chi
cago:
''rll never get killed in a race II l
get it at all it will be Oh the road
The driver died because he stuck to
his car. The auto was running only
about four miles an hour. Strang
turned aside to fet farmers team
pass. The bank suddenly gave way
and the car slid down the embankment
| turning turtle. Strang reluctant to
| jump. went under to his death The
embankment was scarcely more than
| five feet high.
An element Of romance and mystery
is added to the fatality from the fact
that associates of strans on the tour
think he was deliberately inviting
|
Monday Strang is said to have been
so reckless that others who started in
his car refused to ride with him.
] Strang was sued for divorce by his
Wife, an actress. about two years ago.
| In the car with Strang were J. W.
Tufts. Milwa ukee; Joe Jaegerberger.
and L. A. Clark OF Lancaster wis.
They all leaped to safety. but Strang
seemed to have either lost his head
or welcomed death. Earlier in the day
he had received message from the
Case company at Racine to report at
the home office, and as he read the
| wire. he said
"Well. this is my last day"
Whether the words were significant
| will never be known.
Strang broke an arm about the mid
| die of June during a race in Kenosha
and is said not to have been strong
enough to attempt the wearisome grind
OF the state run this week. 1t is
thought this weak arm may have con-
trihuted to a lack Of control Of the car.
Friends who saw his start in the re-
/ liability declare his arm was not strong
enough 10 stand the grind at the wheel
on long run of the kind ahead Of him
and think that when the roadway gave
way he was powerless to throw the
steering gear.
! Lewis 'Strang was IS years old and
! was born in New York. but has been
connected with the Case company and
| manager Of their team for a number
Of years.
| He had driven in auto races since
! 1905 and was particular favorite in
| Wisconsin. He was known as a fear
less driver and one not averse to taxi
ing chances, but seemed to be immune.
He sustained his first accident In June.
when driving with a number of other
circuit chasers in Kenosha. That was
! when he broke his arm when his car
plunged thru fence. He also sustain
ed a dislocated ankle and slight inter.
nal injuries.
| Strang was not an entrant in the
reliability run. but offered the technical
i committee his Case car and volun-
teered to drive 1t.
| Members on the tour were thrown
into deep gloom over the popular driv-
er's death The body was taken to Blue
River.
| Strang's first drive was in Elkwood
park track, and he has driven in prac-
| tically every race Of importance since
| 1907.
In 1907 he was the winner OF the cir
GUAR track mile at Birmingham, Ala.
and made a mile record in Nashville.
| He was winner in 1905 at Savan-
nah in a road race, also at Lowell.
| Mass, Brighton Beach, and Savannah.
Ga.
| In 1909 he was a winner at Orn,ond
Beach, making 100 miles in ninety-four
| minutes.
In 1910, OH the Indianapolis motor
speedway. he made a quarter mile rec
ord in eight seconds, making 119 miles
an hour.
1t has been reported that Strang re-
Gently was negotiating with the Fiat
Automobile Company for new 800
horse power car with which he hoped
to rival the noted cars driven by Har-
roun and Burman.