Nashville, TN Auto Racers Killed, Sep 1913

FOUR AUTO RACERS KILLED.

TWO DRIVERS AND TWO MECHANICIANS DIE UNDER WRECKAGE.

Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 2. -- Death claimed a heavy toll in the Labor Day automobile speed races at the state fair grounds yesterday afternoon, when four of the six high-powered cars entered in the twenty-five mile free for all were wrecked on the far side of the mile track opposite the big grandstand, wherein were parked 5,000 people.
Four of the racers were killed, three suffered minor injuries, while four escaped without injury. Two of the cars with their drivers and mechanicians, flashes through the tangled wreckage of broken cars and maimed bodies at a speed of sixty miles an hour, escaping injury.

The Dead:
JOHN W. SHERRILL, driver of Buick car No. 3.
THOMAS P. BRIDGES, Mechanician of Buick car No. 3.
WILLIAM SHERROD, driver of Stutz car No. 8.
"GOOCH" BROWN, mechanician of Stutz car No. 8.
The Injured:
FREEMAN ORMSBY, mechanician of Mercer car, No. 2, injuries not serious.
CLYDE DONOVAN, driver and sole occupant of Studebaker, "The Whiskbroom," No. 13, slight bruises.
EDWARD POLK, driver of Mercer car, No. 2, slightly bruised.
All victims are residents of Nashville.
On the fifth lap CLYDE DONOVAN, driving the Whiskbroom" about 200 yards in advance of Mercer, No. 2, feeling his right front wheel give way, after swerving to avoid striking a negro, turned into the outside fence to avoid blocking the track.
The wreck of the fence fell back onto the track in the path of the succeeding cars.

The Daily Review Decatur Illinois 1913-09-02
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!