The Prescott daily news., 1913-08-01
JOHNSON GOES OVER EDGE OF SAUCER TRACK WHILE TRY.
 TO BREAK RECORD.
BURNING OIL SPRAYS CROWD
Autos Impressed by Police Chief as Ambulances at Point of Pistol Men and Women kneeI in
 Prayer When Panic Starts.


 fatalities resulting from motor cycle accident at the motordrome of the Ludlow Lagoon, summer rosert op- posite Cincinnati.
 Men and women knelt in prayer beside the saucer track wien burning oil from the exploded tank of Odin Johnson's machine showered the crowd, set fire to clothing and caused a panic. Autoists who tried to get away were stopped at pistol point by the fire chief of Covington and made to allow the use of their cars as am- balances.
 The dead
 Odin Johnson, 34, Salt Lake City, motorcyclist
 Charles Davis, 5, Ludlow, Ky.
 Sam Andrews, Is, Cincinnati.
 Miss Ethel Buchtman, 20, Covington, Ky.
 Mrs. William Michaels, Cincinnati
 William Patterson, Cincinnati.
 James Carter 23, Cincinnati.
 A machine being ridden in race under the auspices of the American League of Motorcycle clubs, which also has tracks in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis, became uncon- trollable when a tire burst and ran off the track into a section of the stand occupied by spectators.
 Twenty Spectators Are Burned.
 Those killed were a motorcycle rider, a man, two children and two women. Twenty spectators were burned by gasoline when the motor cycle tank exploded. Some of them may die.
 Odin Johnson, the rider, tried to make a new 25-minute record. The present record is 31 miles. Five thou sand men, women and children were on top of the saucer to see it done.
 Johnson had told his wife the pres ent record would be broken, and he would be the man to break it. Mrs Johnson sat in the front row and she saw him go to his death.
 Eduard, Gabanna, the Italian cham pion, was leading in the race. John son, at the start, had trouble with his machine and had fallen to the rear With a mighty spurt he forged to the front.
 Isn't he great!" exclaimed young Mrs. Johnson as her husband over took his leading rival. The next mo- ment her exultation gave way to a scream of horror that was echoed by 5000 voices.
 In passing Gabanna, Johnson's front wheel struck the rear wheel of Gaban- mas motorcycle. The impact between the two machines was terrific. John son tried vainly to save himself and right the machine. But it swerved to the right crashing through guard rail and heavy screen where 50 spec tators were sitting.
 The gasoline tank exploded as it flew into the crowd. A rain of blue flames fell on the multitude. Some started to run, but the fire caught them. Where 50 persons had sat was pit of fire in which men, women and children fought for their lives.
 Autos Impressed at Pistol Point.
 Death had its victims well penned in. Escape was through a tunnel. Some of the victims tried to reach it., The flames fed by gasoline sped before them and cut them off. Women tainted The men sat tight in their seats.
 Not in years has there been such horror in Cincinnati. Some men ran away fighting through the crowd. Own CTS of automobiles, panic stricken, jumped into their machines and tried to dash away for no reason whatever.
 Fire Chief Griffin of Covington took a position in the middle of the road, revolver in hand, and cried: "Tll shoot the next man that leaves in an automobile without aiding in rushing these people to hospital" And he stood his ground, and no machine left the park without it's burden of victims.
 "Nearly everybody seemed to be on fire" said Grover c. Van Dyke, an