Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-09-17
Horrifying Accident Occurs at
New York State Fair at Syr-
aCuse During a FifU-MiIe
Race. 4
PRESIDENT TAFT HAD
JUST LEFT THE SCENE
Tragedy Believed to Have Been
Due to SprinkIing Track
to Keep Down Dust For COM
fort of Chief Executive.

fBy Morning Jaurpnl Special leased WIRE
syracuse \. Y, Set. l6.--Ninc per-
sons were killed and fourteen injured,
some Of them seriously as the re
suit OF an accident during THE closing
miles of fifty-mile automobile race
at the state fair this afternoon when
a Knox racing ear, driven bv Leo old
field, leaped from the track. crashed
through the fence surrounding 1t and
plunged into the throngs that lined
the side of the speedway.
Six of the nine people were Killed
and the three others were 50 badly
injured that they died on the way 10
the hospital.
The dead
CLAUD HAMIIa Hammond, n. Y.
FRED j. ARNOLD Syracuse A. Y.
CHARLES BALLANTIN. Syracuse.
~. y. axt
JOHN CORN, Alexandria, n. Y.
FAY FUNK. of Louisville. Ky
Three unidentified men and hoy
Tie most seriously Injured.
l.lGO OLnFIEID.
WILLIAM STARKEY
HARRY BRADLEY, syracuse.
An unidentified boy,
The list of dead may be Increased,
1T Is believed. as several are so sever
ely hurt that they cannot live.
The honored guest OF the state fair
today was President Taft. II Was but
a short time after he left the grounds
that the tragedy occurred
Jus before he left, President Taft
oh ttA In
the track which was sprinkled TO Keep
down the dust for the president and
his party,
This wetting was such rs to cause
the drivers who were To compete IN
the fifty-mlle event to vigorously pro-
test.
When the race was called Ralph n.
Palma ana Bob Burman, who had
been driving i'm previous races, refus-
ed to go on because of the condition
of the track, saying the water hau
made 1t too dangerous to take chances.
There was some delay, during which
the track dried somewhat.
The race was called and De Palma
and Burman We're both entrants with
Oldfield and six others.
The accident happened in the for
ty-third mile. De Palma was leading
by lap, with Oldfield trailing him as
they entered the first quarter Of that
mile. The big cars, travelling, II Is
estimated, at 20 miles an hour. were
running side by side as they swung
around the turn, after passing the
grand stand.
As they took the run there was a
loud report. The car driven by Old
field leaped into the air. Then II
sweryed to the outside ana crashed
through the fence.
The crippled machine beyond the
control of the driver plunged through
hundreds OF persons along the fence.
It WITS at first thought no one had
been hurt and this announcement
WAS made. Despite this, hundreds
flocked to the point whore the ear
had left the track.
The runaway ear had lef the
crowd piled together on the ground,
several persons being mangled almost
beyond recognition. At once nearly
score of the dead ana injured were
picked UP.
Hurry calls were sent to this city
for ambulHnces and every one In tho
city responded, Vehicles Of mnny kind
on the fair grounds were also pressed
into service.
The dead and injured were taken
to the emergency hospital on the fair
grounds and at the same time the
womans building was turned into a
hospital ward.
Persons on the grounds hurried to
the hospitals. where the dead and In
jurcd We're taken.
Aid was volunteered 10y scores or
persons and there We're many offers
from trained nurses in the vast throng
In attendance. One woman tore off
her underclothes that bandages might
be provided for the injured. Her own
sister was injured she stuck to her
task and continued to supply band
ages until she had no more cloth to
supply
Leo Oldfield, the driver responsible
for the accident who Is in hospital.
is being guarded by an officer ana if
he RECEIVERS viii be arrested