The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-02-21
Racing Car Beyond Control Kills
Driver and Injuries a
Mechanician.
TUNING UP" FOR RACES
Huge Machine Turns a Double
Somersault and Lands
In a Ditch.

Turning the curve at the bottom of
Pukaki Hill, going Eva, at furious
speed, the racing automobile No. 4,
which was to have competed at Ka-
piolani Park today, turned two somer-
saults yesterday afternoon and snuffed
the life out of it's driver, Frenchman
named Bertiliot.
Henry Hustaee, who was acting. the
the mechanician of the ear, was thrown
out of-his seat before the car again
struck earth. The ball of his left
shoulder, socket was cracked, but by
almost a miracle he escaped without
further serious harm.
The car, an American racer, import
ed by George Beckley particularly for
this afternoon 3 race, was but slightly
damaged, considering the accident.
The steering gear was smashed but the
damage to the engine, on examination,
may be found to consist only of bad
shaking up. 1t was later towed to
town on it's own wheels.
The accident happened at half past
one. The local police. first heard of
it about a half hour afterwards, but
by the time Deputy Sheriff Rose ar
rived with ear to take the body back
score of autos had drawn up at the
scene. George Beckley was one of the
first to arrive. ,.. lr
Just Heard Noise.'' ut,
Two laDorers were working on the
bridge between Halawa and Pukaki
Hills when the auto flashed by them
and overturned. "We just heard
noise,'' said one of them, "and jump
ed to the left of the road. The car ran
into the ditch, tried to get out and
then few into the air and turned two
somersauls. One of the men dropped
out as it was turning. He was bleed
ing from the face when he got upp
The tracks confirm this story. Ber-
tiliot made sharp turn at the bridge
and cut the corner close to the left. If
anything went wrong with the ear it
was there, for from that point diago-
nally across the road the tracks went
straight to the ditch. q
The car then ran along the side of
the ditch for a short distance, it be-
ing plainly shown that the driver was
making a tremendous effort to regain
the surface of the road. just before
reaching a point where the ditch rose
into a cross road and where the auto
could have easily got back, the tracks
suddenly ended. At this point the car
had leaped into the air, turned over
twice and landed on its wheels still
facing in the same direction.
Hustace fell on his face in the midst
of glue bushes, a blow on the head
stunning him for a few minutes. His
body was badly bruised but even more
badly scratched with the thorns. He
was rushed into town later in Eddie
Cummings machine and the latter was
the first to report to the police. Hus-
tace took his injuries pluckily. Doc
tor Murray made an X.ray examina-
tion of his injuries, which showed
them to be severe, yet in spite of these
he walked to his room ON the second
floor. Neither his temperature nor his
pulse went above the normal.
Is Instantly Killed.
The blow that killed Bertiliot will
remain n mystery. When found he
was lying on the ground by the left
front wheel, but he had been struck
on the head by the gasoline tank fast
ened to the back of the mechanician Is
seat, four feet away from him, as he
lay. 1t was covered with his brains.
The blow was terrific one and he
probably died instantly, the entire top
of his head being sliced off. The most
plausible theory offered yesterday was
that he had been thrown out of the
seat at the first turn and struck in
midair by his catapulting machine
which knocked him to the position in
which he was found
Bertiliot came here as mechanician
for Didier Mason, the aviator. Since
then he has been employed with va
rious garages and private parties as
chauffeur.
Calls Of Auto Races.
Even had this accident not occurred
yesterday, Bertiliot would never have
raced at Kapiolani Park today. Al
the very moment he was racing to his
death on the Waipahu road, the fora
parade committee was deciding TO cal
the races off. Almost at the very mo
ment the auto turned over, Director
General Charles Chillingworth wal
signing his name to a letter asking
Gustave Sehaefer, who was in charge
/ of the auto meet, to call of all the
races, and this was later done.
The committees action was hasten
ed, not by the death of Bertiliot yester
day, but by the almost fatal accident
10 the Smart racer, which turned tur
tie on the wahiawa road a week ago
resulting in injuries 10 Comp sehoen
ing aud Isaac Allen. since then tn.
sentiment against the races has growI
fast.
Senator chillingworth = letter 20 Mr.
sehhefer Was rs fonoYsi
'fAfter dua consideration, I hay,
decided 10 AK you 90 abandon ID.
plans for auto rates AZ kApiolani PaTl
Ia connection with the carnival eela
bFaiien, ] do BOT fhiak tho tTaek 4
cue upon Nhleh Il Is cafe 10 attamp
Big contests, The carnival manage
msnt therefore disapwsYos u anj
Iiaa - have ~ auto Iaelaa pfesTaa
- tas park.
We fesl that - afe ~ : beasfa
naY faslqnallla fag SAC safety ~ 81