The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-09-09
SIX KILLED WHEN
MOTOR CYCL|ST
WAS THROWN
First Machine Jumped Track In
Race at Newark
GOING 1872 MILES AN HOUR
Machine Crashed Through Net into
Crowd and Dead Rider Landed
Near His Wife's Feet

Newark, N. j., Sept. eddie Has
haof Waco, Tex, holder of several
worlds records for motorcycle rae
ing, plunged over the rail of the
course at the new motordrome in this
city into a crowd late yesterday af-
ternoon, causing the death of six
persons, including himself, while six
are dying and 13 are badly injured.
The only two of the six dead who had
been positively identified up to late
hour last night were Hasha and
Johnny Albright, a Denver motorcy-
clist, who was riding third in the
race. The other four dead were boys
and young men among the spectat-
ors
Five thousand spectators were wit
Messing the finish of four-mile, free
for-all race when the daring Texas
rider, doing 92 miles an hour, took
his fatal plunge. He was riding high
on the bank of the track when the
wheel of his heavy machine swerved
and struck the upper rail. He was
pitched head first so feet into the air.
He must have been instantly killed
in the collision. His body was shape
less from broken bones when ii was
picked up almost at the feet of his
| wife, seated among men and boys in
the bleachers.
| Albright was thrown head first in
| the other direction, into the enclosure
| of the track, when the champions
wheel came sliding down the steep
| bank and struck him. He was pick
ed up for dead, but he lived in an I'M
conscious state for more than two
| hours after removal to a hospital.
He finally succumbed to hemorrhage
OF the lungs. The spectators injured
were mainly the men and boys who
were leaning over the rail yelling en-
couragement to the riders when Has
ha came tearing into their midst.
Some of the spectators were hurled
high into the air and landed In the
laps OF those seated behind. A panic
aong the Spectators followed the
tragedy.
Six riders started In the free-for-all
which was the last event on the pro
gram. 1t was a handicap event, with
Hasha and Ray Seymour of Los An
geles, an old rival for premier honors
of the motordrome. each starting
from scratch. Ray Peck, another
Los Angeles rider, started at the
quarter mile mark, and Albright, the
Denver rider and Frank King and
John King of Newark were each Civ
en- two full laps handicap. The track
is quarter-mile and circular.
| Just at the commencement of the
last lap the champion crouched low
on his handlebars in an attempt to
overtake Seymour. The leader ran
nigh on the track, leaving a narrow
space for Hasha to pass, but he tried
II. IL was then that he struck the
rail.
The spocket Of Hasha's wheel was
loosened by the collision and went
SAILING into the crowd. Witnesses
say that 1t tore OF the skull of little
boy In knickerbockers, who had been
one OF the most excited enthusiasts
at the race. In addition to those in
Jured as Hasha was hurled against
them, many persons fell and were
trampled under foot in the first few
seconds OF wild scramble among
the spectators. Mrs. Hasha was sit
ting with Seymour's wife, chatting
ana laughing over the closeness of
the race their husbands were run-
ning. Both women became hysteri-
cal after the tragedy and were re-
moved to the city hospital for tts
ment
Seymour kept control of his ma
chine, notwithstanding the excite.
ment of the accident. and was rid,n.
10 safety when Hasha's wrecked ma.
chine came sliding down the tracL
me oank is OF a 50degree angle all
.ne way around. Albright, the first
" lne rearward riders, who was max
ns great EFFORT to overtake the
machine. "
OF the injured spectators 10 were
unconscious when aid reached them
TWO died before reaching the operat-
ing table at the hospital and two
otners as the surgeons were about 40
NOT, mork over them. In addition 10 the
neue Doy In knickerbockers. two
ooys, ABOUT 10 years old and one
soout Il years old. were among tha
ueau. Al III o'clock last night tha
identity had not been establishes 81
any OF the four nor any of the civ
o.ners probably fatally injured. The
Iese Oh the casualty list is mada as,
Mnoliy OF names Of Newark men and
Joys VINO sustained broken arms or
iegs or severe body bruises.
hasna, the dead champion. sprano
iheo iame as a motorcycles AZ Tas
angeles last February, when he va
sven credit for new records In ,ha
iuhe, TWO. three and four-r,,i.e
events On the Newark track iss,
month he bettered the mile rsoo.s
again travelling the distance in 81 o.
a.