The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-30
KATZ SERIOUSLY INJURED
IN THE HUNDRED-MILE RACE
WELL KNOWN LOCAL DRIVER
GOES THROUGH FENCE-RACE
FULL OF THRILLS--BOTTA AN
EASY WINNER

In a race full of spectacular thrills
and marred by one probable fatality
r. F. Botta, driving the Lyons" spe-
cial. won the 100-mile amateur auto
mobile race at the State Fair grounds
yesterday afternoon in rather good
time. Only three cars finished.
The race was marked by accidents
from the very start as at the eleventh
lap Driver w. r. Lawson and Mechani-
clan Percy Kaplan on car IA, owned by
w. =. Taylor, left the track at the
southwest turn and crashed through
the inner fence, injuring both oocu-
pants seriously.
The most serious accident of the
day and one which is thought will re
suit fatally, was at the seventy third
mile, when Frank Katz. driving "Old
Huldy" an e. NJ. T. roadster, owned
by Judge Dan Greene, threw a front
tire at the northwest turn and, crash
ing through the fence, landed in a gull
ly 25 feet below. Katz was picked up
with a right arm broken and bloody
all over from serious bruises on the
head and body. Internal injuries are
feared.
Accident Spectacular
The accident to Katz was spectacular
as 1t happened shortly after Katz had
stopped to replenish his fuel tank and
the driver was pushing his machine to
make up for lost time. Every eye on
the track was on the sturdy little road
ster that had been running SO con-
sistently and cry of horror went
up from the thousands of spectators
as in the thick dust puff at the curve
Katz was seen hanging onto his steer
ing wheel as the automobile struck tho
white fence. sending splinters flying.
Ambulances. which were on the scene
at once. went to Katz's assistance and
he was found unconscious in a gully
a few feet away from his wrecked ma
chine, which was smoking from the
overheated engine. The car had over
turned several times but had stopped
on its wild course upright. Katz, after
being given the first aid to the in
jured, was hastily removed to st. Vim
cents hospital in Shaw's ambulance.
At the infirmary it was stated that
katz was in a critical condition as
his arm was broken. his back sprained
and serious bruises over the head and
body. 1t was thought at the infirmary
that Katz would recover.
The injuries to Lawson consisted of
a sprained left leg and bruises over
the body. He was not taken to an in
Urinary, but attended by DR.. Garrison,
the physician of the race course. Percy
kaplan was knocked unconscious by
his trip through the fence but recov-
cred sufficiently at the infirmary that
he came back to the fair grounds be-
fore the race was over and showered
his congratulations on Driver Lawson
on their escape. The automobile, a
FLANDERS 30" was completely
wrecked and Officer w. p. Taylor, its
owner, is now mourning the loss OF
his automobile.
Car Catches Fire
Around the eightieth mile the Pope
Hartford entry, driven by l.. S. Crane
caught fire in front of the grandstand
and caused intense excitement but the
driver managed to stop his blazing Jug
gernaut before much damage could be
done. The winner of the race also caught
fire in the early stages of the race, but
after a few pals of water had been
thrown on the engine it resumed its con-
sistent running and came out an easy
winner.
The management of the race had the
impossible to handle the large crowd and
hundreds burst through the line at the
first accident and ran to the scene to
the very great danger of themselves and
the speed-mad racers.
The race of itself presented few thrills
as the time was exceedingly slow and
the only excitement was the frequent
brushes near the grandstand as one car
would pass another. This always pro-
voked frantic applause. The race was
won by the consistency with which the
rebuilt Chalmers car owned by c. H.
Lyons ran. All the other cars in the
race had more or less engine and tire
trouble.
Dunivan Disqualified
A keen disappointment was felt by the
crowd when it was announced that c. l..
Dunivan the promoter of the race, would
not be allowed by the judges to particle
pate. 1t was stated by the judges that
Dunivan was professional driver and
therefore he was disqualified. With Duni-
van out of the race and a local amateur
driving the "Whiskbroom," the piratical
little StudebalSer much Of the interest in
the race was taken out 1t was felt that
Botta would not have won so handily