Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-09-09
HASHA STRICKEN
BLIND AS He RODE,
SAYS PHYSICIAN
Asserts Fatal Turn
Was Due to Loss
of Consciousness.
WAS OVER "DEAD-LlNE"
WHEN ACCIDENT CAME
Doctor Declares That speed
King" Had Complained OF
Intense Headaches.

Racing around the Motordrome track
at terrific speed, Eddie Hasha was
stricken blind. A hemorrhage OF the
brain probably brought instant dark
ness to his eyes.
This seems the only solution of the
accident of yesterday, according 10
DR.. Thomas NJ PASCAL, Hasha's per-
sonal physician.
The speed king" was bent on WIN
ming. Ray Seymour the only man
who had ever beaten him on the MO-
tordrome track, was ahead. by
length or two, not more than four feet
from the black line of danger.
But Hasha. as his motor throbped
and roared under the increasing speed,
was going to pass him, be the pace
what it might.
He climbed higher and higher
toward the decline. He was forcing
his motor to the limit in his terrific
effort to win.
Tied In Three Heats.
Hasba and Seymour had been tied
In three heats of the class A race.
In the fnai, lowering the "o
ord, they had ridden tie.
In the free-for-all, Hasha was go
ing to win from his rival with the
determination that has carried hlm
to the forefront of the worios great
riders. he intended, in that narrow
space of uptilted track, spectators on
one side and roaring cycles on the
other, to pass Seymour.
By matchless riding he might nave
done It and rode to victory In
burst of record speed
over Dead Line.
Then. suddenly, as he reached the
dizzy rim of the track and was over
the deadline, something in his neao
snapped. 1t was a little thing IN a
frail. soft human machine. but that
soft human machine was guiding
steel monster of speed and power IN
carnate.
1T is very probable that Eddie
uasba was stricken blind as he rode :
said DR.. PASCAL, of 667 summer ave-
nue.. to a reporter today.
"Hasha has been under my care for
the past few weeks He told me tnae
he was subject to constant ana m
tense headaches and had been SO for
n long time. 1t is quite possioie that
the excitement of riding at mat ire
mendous speed and his determination
tn win that race associated with MS
recent illness may have caused
hemorrhage of the brain which pro-
duced instant blindness.
UnconsciOusness Fatal.
The sensation of being suddenly
stricken blind while riding IN a
nosition highly dangerous even with
all faculties under absolute control
is well-nigh impossible of magma
tion. The hemorrhage would be ac-
COMMANDED by a momentary ileet.ng
shock of unconsclousness ana IL Is
nrohahle that in that moment Hasha
made the fatal swerve that sent Inn
o,,ar the fence. otherwise the natural
innulse would have been to steer
dow and, slackening speed slowly TO
dscend.
The experience of Ray Seymour
who said that it was extremely olrl-
cult to maintain position above the
black line, as the tendency was al
wevs to descend, seems to bear THIS
out
Dr PASCAL was one of the physi-
cians who rushed to the aid OF the
injured.
PIowed Through Mob.
81 was in the arena in my automo-
bile with DR.. II. c. Povey, of Mott
street when we saw Hasha shoot up
into the grand-s stand" DR.. PASCAL
said I'VE started on a run, but 1t
was a, matter Of plowing our way
through a frenzied mob. We reached
the shambles about three minutes
after the crash and found man
banding over Hashas limp form. I
said. Are you a doctor?' He said
Eyes. and think Hasha is still alive
appljed my stethoscope and found
no sign of pulsation. believe he
was dead an instant after he hit the
post.
"Dr. Povey, the other physician,
who. with Dr. Mccormick, of Morris
town, and myself, turned to the
others. BY that time all those that
could crawl and those that could be
carried had been borne away to the
dressing rooms and to the score of
automobiles waiting below to take
them to the hospitals.
worked TO Save Boy.
I'VE worked over the Foehner boy,
who later died in the City Hospital,
and brought him to consciousness. He
was taken away in a serious condition
Albright was down on the running
track. and DR.. Satterle took care OF
him.
when we finally left, at o'clock.
oil the injured had been removed"