South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-09-27
ONE MAN KILLED
At GRAND RAP IDS
Auto Driver SkidS Against
Canvas and Hits Special
Deputy Sheriff.

Interest in the auto races at Spring
brook next Thursday was increased to-
day when the report was received
from Grand Rapids where the cars
raced saturday. OF the death Of one
man and three others injured in acct
dents. No blame was attached 10 the
drivers or the promoters Of the event.
Byron G.. Hall. a special deputy sheriff.
was killed. He was beyond the safety
zone and was looking over the canvas
wall which is placed to keep everyone
of the track
The driver Of the car which caused
the fatality was a Grand Rapids man.
an amateur driver named White. In
making the turn on the first quarter,
n was running close to the outside OF
the track and skidded close to the
canvas wall. going at a mile a minute
pace He struck one of the electric
lights. placed at intervals around the
track for illuminating purposes. Then
he crashed into the wall, but did not
break through. In their turn he broke
of nine six-inch posts, which sup
ported the wall
Just before White reached the next
lamp, his machine veered for an in
slant toward the track, then took an
other turn toward the canvas wall,
going through il and striking Hall.
The man was knocked 40 feet from
the edge OF the race course over a 10
foot EN- bankment, the machine fol-
lowed him. not stopping until it had
gone nearly zoe feet The right fore
wheel was torn off and the front of
the machine was badly wrecked but
the driver was not injured.
Two Others Injured.
Two other Grand Rapids men assist
ing the racers. and one OF the speed
demons also had mishaps During the
25 mile contest. which is the feature
of the evenings program here, the
big Stutz machine, which had been
doing fine work al day. went out of
the race and was wrecked. on the
tkre-quarter curve the StutZ. driven
by Joe MurchiO. skidded through the
canvas side wall and went crashing
over the rough ground. through the
underbrush, and finally stopping hard
against a fence. The machine was
badly smashed and the driver badly
shaken up. It was stated that new
car would be secured for Murchio
and that he would drive here in sew
eral events
In one OF the Other speed contests,
the Kennedy Special No. Z. driven by
Harvey Kennedy. who was one of the
leading drivers in most Of the events.
had to leave the track because he
broke an axle. but he was not hurt,
although he went around the course
five times at full speed after the acct
dent
Local Men May Compete.
A telegram was received by the park
management authorizing the entries
of several local drivers in the speed
events here number Of applica-
tons have been received but no def
mite action had been taken until to-
day.
Jack Stewart. who had his big AM
pick on the speedway last Saturday.
has slgniGed his intention TO enter at
least one Of the events other drivers
will be seen today and il is thought
a contest can be arranged made up
entirely OF South Pend drivers.
The big ears Will arrive at Spring
brook tonight together with the light
ing equipment for the track. car
load of carbide has been ordered for
the lamps and as the side wall and
lights are carried in sufficient guam
tity to equip a mile track, there will
be no difficulty in making the Spring
brook course as light aS day. The two
special baggage cars of The racers will
arrive at Osceola today and will be
hauled TO the grounds by the Indiana
and Michigan Railway company