Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 181, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1916 — CRAZY SPEEDER DAMAGES AUTOS IN WEIRD FLIGHT [ARTICLE]

CRAZY SPEEDER DAMAGES AUTOS IN WEIRD FLIGHT

Speed Demon Tries to Smash Machines On North River Road— Three Cars Damaged. Lafayette Journal. A mysterious speed demon went an a rampage along tihe north river road last night, and three disabled automobiles this morning mark his passing. Besides his speed mania, accounts agree that the driver of the flying car apparently iwas bent on murder. He is said to have guided his machine ddreably toward cars traveling in the opposite direction, cutting off wheels and fenders and throwing one machine from the road into the ditch. First accounts of the activities of the mysterious car —which flashed by its victims so swiftly that they had no time to catch its number—were brought to Lafayette shortly after 10 o'clock last night by a Mr. Timmons, of New Richmond. He also bore the complaints of other victims of the mad car, not so fortunate as himself. Mir. Timmons said 'he was going north. Slowly. His wife was with him. Albout half a mile south of the Soldiers’ home a light flashed ahead. Mr. Timmons guided his car far to the right As the approaching car drew nearer, traveling at a high rate of speed, Mr. Timmons said, it swerved suddenly and headed directly for him. Mir. Timmons acted promptly and shot his awn car to the left but he was not quick enough to avoid entirely the machine that Was bearing down on 'him. The two machines crashed. A moment later the speed demon was far down the road. Mr. Timttnoms said he did not even reduce his speed. Mr. Timmons 'brought his awn car to a stop and investigated its condition. The fender has been torn away and it had suffered other damage. He continued on his way northward. Perhaps a mile away he came upon a second disabled auto —this car in a ditch at the side of the road. The occupants of this machine also said they had been attacked iby the mysterious car. The driver, when he realized his danger, attempted to swerve to one side, but the Other machine caught him as it flashed by and shoved the more Slowly moving car into the ditch. The men live at Hoopeston, 11., and were emroute home with two new cars. (Mr. Ti minions decided to take up the trail of the mad car. He turned his own machine and went back along the road. A short distance from the place of his encounter with the mysterious speed demon, Mr. Timmons came upon a third car. This was drawn up at one side of the load and was minus a wheel. Occupants explained that they had experienced an adventure similar to that of Mr. Timmons. They claimed that the driver of another automobile —which answered the description of the one which ran into Mr. Timmons —had attempted to run them down. Prompt action alone saved them, they declared, but they were umalbie to get entirely out of harm's way and the mystery car cut off a whedl as it passed.

A peculiar feature of tihe three collisions is that none of the ocaupants of either «f the three cars was badly injured. All were severely shaken up and one or two were slightly bruised. Mr. Timmons pursued the trail of the speeding car some distance further, but came upon no further traces of its activities. Realizing that he was hopelessly out-distanced, he gave up the chaise and continued his way to Lafayette. Upon reaching here he immediately reported the presence of the mad car to police headquarters.