Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-20
KILLED IN RACE
. ON FIRST NIGHT
Death Casts Pail Of Gloom Over s,0ea
Bicycle Speed Fans as Long
Grind Starts.
LOUIS kUEHL Is THE VICTIM
Organizer and Official OF Chicago C,,
cling Club in Order TO Save an
ether Rides Over Embankment,

Chicago, Nov 20,-Louis Kuehl sac.
rificed his life last night to the sport he
loved for Is years. As life left his
broken body 5000 spectators. includ.
ing his family, were trying to realize
what had happened, and two brass
bands, an electric organ and troupe
OF cabaret singers were trying TO tell
the crowd about mother,
1t was a morbid sight. Kuehl was
riding in the first heat of the first
preliminary race to the start Of the
siA-day bicycle event on the board
track in the Coliseum On the LAST
lap of the heat be shot over the rail-
ing at the north end Of the course and
plunged head foremost to the concrete
floor. 80 feet below His skull was
fractured and his neck broken. Five
minues later death ended his incoher
ent rawlings. while his fellow riders
sped around the track above him and
the band played "Goodby Boys, I'm
Through"
An hour and a half later Commo-
dore James a. Pugh, his usual smile
gone fred the pistol that sent Is rid
ers away on the 144-hour marathon.
The bands and singers still tried 10
tear away the gloom that hung over
the crowd like a fog. but no one smiled
except in a cynical way.
Few Of the spectators realized what
had happened until the clang Of the
police wagon sounded outside. Then
it spread. kuehI's family hurried to
the scene. but Louis had left this Life
when he scared over the railing still
seated on his mount
kuehl sacrificed himself rather than
ride into a fellow club member who
was ahead of him Rather than slide
down the steeply banked track which
meant minor injuries TO both OF them.
he rode over the top Of the wall. rock
citing down between girders aud scsnt-
lings.
II was all as scene from a movie
thriller. He made no sound. but some
how above the clamor of the band and
the singers a woman shrieked The
gong changed for the last lap and
sounded the knell of a man identified
with the cycling game for is years.
Officer of Cycling Club.
Kuehl was the organizer and officer
lief the Chicago Cycling Club OF Amer
lea. He was a star amateur rider and
throughout bis connection with the
game had retained his amateur stand
ing. He was about 80 years Of age
and employed by q West Side motor
cycle and bicycle house.
Ernest Rocker lived up to his repu-
tation by capturing the two amateur
events, which preceded the start. He
grabbed off the fatal six-lap event
nosing out A Van der Palt, and beat
ont the same man for premier bonors
in the fiye-mile number. His time for
the short route was l minute and ls
seconds. while he finished the long
grind in 11;43- Third place IN the
last event went to Herman HOFFMAN,
whose life Kuehl spared in sacrificing
his own.
The summaries:
Six-lap amateur handicap race.
First heat - A. Van der Palt as
YARDS, Belgian-American c. C., 6rsl;
Ernest Kockier (ser), Chicago c. G.,
second-time. lie.
Second heat-Ralph Schepeus r40
yardsl, unattached, first; Andrew An
dresen 80 yardsl. Conquer A, c.. Sec
ond time. l:13.
Third heat-George Klasseu ga
yards, unattached. first Fred Samlow
$50 YARDS, unattached, second-time,
MA.
Final heat Ernest Koclfler first A..
van der Pait. second, Ralph Schepens,
third; Andrew Andersen, fourth-time
E1:13.
Ffve-mile. open for amateurs Err
est kockler, first; A. Van der Palt
second; Herman Hoffman, third: An
drew Andersen. fourth-time. 1913.