The Sentinel=record., 1911-09-17
RACING AUTO
 KILLS NINE
MACHINE DRIVEN BY LEE oLD- FIELD, JUMPS TRACK, CRASH
 Es INTO BIG CROWD.
Nine Killed Instantly and Fourteen lnjured-DriVer in Hospital un- der Surveillance of
 Police.

Syracuse, N. r., Sept. 1..-. Nine persons were killed and fourteen in. jured, some of them seriously as the result of an accident during the clos. ing miles of a 5O-mile automobile race at the State Fair track this afternoon when a Knox racing ma chine, driven by Lee Oldfield, ieaped from the track, crashed through the fences surrounding it and plunged into the throngs that lined the othei side of the speedway.
 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.
 Claude Hamil, Hammond. N Y.
 Fred J. Arnold, Syracuse, N. Y.
 Charles Ballantyne, Syracuse.
 James Coin, Alexandria Bay. N. Y.
 Fayette Funk. Farleyyille, N. Y.
 Leo Halpin. Syracuse.
 Unknown men (two).
 Unknown boy.
 Tho list of dead may be increased as it is believed several of the in- iured will die,
 The honored guest of the fair to- day was President Taft. It was but a short time after he had left the grounds that the tragedy occurred. Just before he left President Taft took a short ride in an automobile on che track, which was wet to keep down the dust for the president and his party.
 This wetting was such as to cause Icompetng drivers to protest
 When the race was called, Ralph De Palma and Bob Burman who had beon driving in previous races re- flu sed 70 go on. saying the water had made it too dangerous to take the chances. There was some delay dur ing which the track dried somewhat The race was called and De Palma and Burman were moth entrants. along with Oldfield and six others. The accident occurred in the forty third mile. De Palma was leading by a lap with Oldfield trailing him as they entered the first quarter of thet mile
 The cars, travelling at 75 miles an hour, were running side by side as they swung around the turn. after passing the grand stand. As they took the turn there was report. The ear driven by Oldfield leaped in the air. Then it swerved to the outer side and crashed through the fence. The crippled machine, beyond the control of the driver, ploughed through hundreds of persons lined along the fence to view the racers. ed together on the ground, several The runaway car had left people pill mangled almost beyond recognition. At once nearly score of the dead and injured were picked up.
 The dead and injured were taken to the emergency hospital on the grounds and the Doman's Building was turned into a hospital ward.
 One woman tore off all of her undergarments that bandages might be provided for the wounded. Her own sister was injured, but she stuck heroieally to her task and continued to provide bandages until she had no more material from which to inn provise them.
 For more than 20 miles spectators declared, Oldfeld had been driving his car with one of the shoes tapping, in the hope of beating out. De Pal ma. However, his manager, instead of stopping him, had, it is said, mgec him to increase speed.
 Tn spite of the fact that 1t quickly became known that many had been killed and injured, the officials In charge refused to call off the race and the last few miles were run while hundreds thronged the track
 Oldfield, the driver, who is in a city hospital, though mot seriously hurt, Is being guarded by an officer and as soon as he recovers 1t is said he will be arrested.
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