The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-02

packed 5000 expectant people.
Four of the dare devil riders were
killed, two Instantly, two received
minor injuries. while four escaped with
out injury OF amy sort. Two OF The cars
with their drivers md mechanicians
flashed through the tangled wreckage
of broken cars and maImed bodies at
speed of go miles an hour. escaping
injury by N miracle.
The dead;
John w. sheriff.. driver of buick car
No. 3.
Thon,6n p. Hedges. mechanscian of
Buick No. 3.
Wfliian sherrod, driver of stutx car
No. 8.
'Gooch" Brown. mechanician of stutx
ear No. ).
The injured:
Freeman ormsby. mechanician Mercer
car number 2. injuries not serious.
Clyde Donovan, driver and sole occu-
pant of Studebaker, THE Whiskbroom,
number 13, slight bruises.
Edward Polk, driver of Mercer car
number 2, slightly bruised
Mercer car number S, with Jake Lower
driving and Ted Sheppard mechanician.
and Apperson number 8, with T. l.. Evans
driving, and Frank Bell, mechanician,
escaped unharmed, although they were
unable to stop and rushed through the
wreckage at full speed. Both were
tagged before rounding the track again,
TRAGEDY COMES
WITHOUT WARNING
The horrible tragedy came without
warning to the spectators. as the pre-
vious races had sbeen run off without a
hitch.
The six cars were speeding around the
circular track at a terrific rate Of speed
with the StudebalSer 'Wfiskbroom" car
ryipg the Inflated number 13, about 200
yards in the lead of Mercer number 2.
On the fifth lap the 'Whiskbroom'' sped
by the grand stand and took the curve
at full speed. 1t disappeared in cloud
of dust. Suddenly the spectators were
brought to their feet by the sound of
loud crash as driver Clyde Donovan felt
: his right front wheel give way after
swerving slightly to keep from striking
a small negro boy who ran across his
path, and with iron nerve turned his
car into the outside. fence, rather than
block the track in the face of those who
were too close behind him to slow up. 1t
was a heroic piece of bravery, but failed
to serve it's purpose. Mercer number :
flashed by in an instant, but the wreck
age OF the fence fell back into the track
and the way of the succeeding cars par
TALLY blocking the track.
DRIVES INTO WRECkAGE
AT FULL SPEED
The Stutz, which was running third,
drove into the wreckage at full speed,
striking the broken railing and pieces of
the .Whiskbroom." 1t took high leap
into the air, turned somersault and
came to earth throwing both of its driv-
ers clear of 1t as it fell.
On the heels Of the Stutz sped the
Buick, which struck the wreckage with
a terrible crash, turning over several
times and crushing the life out of both
OF its occupants before it stopped after
striking the inside fence. The machine
was torn to pieces by the impact and
the drivers probably died instantly.
After having passed the wrecked
"Whiskbroom" on one occasion with
safety, the Mercer No. continued around
the track unmindful of the carnage that
had been wrought and did not see the
wrecked cars and dead bodies that blocked
their path until they had turned the lower
turn Then it was too late to stop. I'm
able to reach the emergency brake Driver
Edward Polk attempted to dodge the
bodies that lay in his path. He was sue
cessful in this, but the swerving of his
car put ii beyond his control and, after
passing through the wreck he swerved
sideways and hit the outside fence head
on. He and Freeman Ormsby were
thrown to the track, the latter receiving
NJ IN