The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-14
DROVE INTO BOY
TO SAVE SCORES,
SAYS AUTO RACER
Aurilio Before Coroner in
Inquest Into Tragedy At
Aerodrone Race Track
PHELAN EXPECTED TO
EXoNERATE DRIVER
Crowd is Blamed For Caus-
ing Louis Maido To Run
In Front Of Car.

Louis Maido. l. years old. who was
instantly killed at the Lake Aero
drome last Saturday as he ran before
the racing car of Antonio Aurilio, of
this city, would not have been hurt
but for the warning given him by an
excited crowd of racing spectators,
testimony showed today.
Had not Aurilio struck the STRAIT
ford youth he would have killed or
MANNED many other spectators who
had crowded upon the track in the
excitement which prevailed to such a
degree that constables and other rae
ing authorities could not control
them. sal
Such was the testimony given be-
fore Coroner John J. Phelan in his
inquest into Maido's death this morn
ing, and unless further testimony of
the tragic accident are found it is
likely that that officials finding will
be in the hands of the Stratford town
court before Aurilio and A. 1. Fair
banks, of Springfield, now held in
connection with the death, are
brought to trial. Both are now held
upon, technical charges.
It is believed by persons present
at today,s inquest that Aurilio's frank
statement of the incident, corroborat-
ed by several other eye witnesses
will tend to excu1pate the driver of the
sibility in the matter.
The awful death met by Maido was
described in detail today by Aurilio
and others present. The boy had
been standing on the inner circle
of the track. AS the car of Fair
banks, who was in the lead on the
seventh lap of the third race, closely
followed by Bob Beach, with Auri1io
speeding to overcome their start.
came abreast of Maidos he made an
effort to cross the track where big
racing car to be run in the. sTol-
lowing event, stood. He was warn
ed and he made a detour to get back
to safety.
4 AS Beacl's car, second in the race,
shot past, he again ventured to run
across Aurilio's car was then so feet
distant. 1t was coming between two
lines Of spectators three or four deep.
There was room but for only car be-
tween the lines. Seeing Maido's dam
ger, the crowd called to him. He
stopped and faced the car. Had he
continued he would have escaped
death.
The awful terror in the boys face
as he saw the inevitable was grap1li-
cally described by Aurilio on the
witness stand today: ct saw him look
at me. Terror overspread his coun-
.tenance. He moved one step to the
left and one to the right Then he
seemed glued to the spot in stupe-
fled terror. Lines of people were on
both sides of me. There was no room
to turn to the right or left as crowds
were on both sides. 1t was strike
him or kill several. AS the car ap-
preached him, in the fraction of a
second he seemed to make an effort
to jump clean over my car. Had st
been on the turn of the track should
have shot off the course and oVerturn-
ed the car
The rest is told by others who saw
the hoy make the two attempts to
cross against warnings given him,
how he was carried on the radiator for
a short distance and then rolled to the
side of the track. A doctor ordered
the boy taken to the emergency hos
pital. He died instantly, according to
physicians.
Among those witnesses appearing
before Coroner Phe1an today were rJo-
sephs F. Barrett. 53s shelton street;
H. B. Barntrn. town constable Of
Stratford; John r. Barrett. 53s Shell
ton street; Leon A. Green. ST Lee ave-
nue.; Thomas r. Magner. SO Baldwin
street.; and Edward M. Manchester,
136 Stratford avenue. Stratford.
A hearing is scheduled IN the STRAIT
ford town court tomorrow in the cases
of Aurilio and Fairbanks.