TRAGEDY FOR DRIVERS' WIVES

Mrs. O'Donnell Vows Her Husband Shall Not Enter Another Race.

MRS. DEPALMA NOT SO SURE

But That She Was Greatly Affected by Accidents Is Plainly Evident.

Wives of the drivers who finished the 300 mile derby at the speedway yesterday afternoon with their lives declared that their husbands were about to retire from the racing game - that is if they had there way. But the husbands felt differently.

"Eddie O'Donnell is worth more than all the prize money in the world to me," his wife told a reporter last night. "He drove his last race today if I have anything to say about it.".

"Eddie is entered in the Elgin road race on the twenty-first or twenty-second, bu so was Chandler. Eddie isn't goint to race, no siree, not if I can help it.".

Expected to Meet at Elgin

"We met Mrs. Chandler in Chicago, where they make their home. There are no children. We expected to see Mrs. Chandler here, but her husband brought word that she wasn't able to come and was looking forward to a good visit with us at the Elgin races."

"I never expected anything like the race today. It was terrible. I can't imagine anything that would be worse. Do you blame me for not letting my husband race again after seeing two accidents like those today in one race?"

Half an hour later O'Donnell remarked of his wife's determination to induce him to retire from automobile racing.

"She says I am through," he said with a smile.

Are you going to race at Elgin?" he was asked.

"Yes."

As Mrs. DePalma Sees It.

"If I had my way, Mr. DePalma would get out of the business, but of course he has the final decision in the matter," said Mrs. Ralph DePalma last night at the Chamberlain hotel. The speed king had retired early, and no one dared disturb him. Mrs. DePalma was a very cautious spokeswoman.

"Of course you are proud of his victory?"

"Naturally - I am always proud of him. My chief concern is that he comes out of the race safely."

"What is your opinion about speed contests in general?"

"Oh I suppose they are a good thing - for the manufacturers."

"Have you decided when you will leave the city?"

"No - it all rests with Mr. DePalma."

Which shows that the soft-voiced Swiss lady is not a feminist.

Peio Not Discouraged.

Notwithstanding his injuries, and which consist of several broken ribs, bruises and probably internal hurts, Louis Peio, mechanician who accompanied Joe Cooper in his fatal plunge over the top of the Speedway yesterday, declares he will not give up automobile racing.

Peio was laying on a bed in the Methodist hospital, his body swathed in bandages and an icepack on his head, as he outlined his ambitions.

"Next year," he said, "I am going to drive my own car."

"What kind of car is it going to be?" he was asked.

"The fastest car in the world," he said. "I want a Peugot if I can get it. They don't make the cars too fast for me. I have never traveled too fast. I didn't travel too fast today, although -" and he stopped. "It's a French car I want to drive," he said again, in a minute. "I don't know how the name is spelled as I'm an Italian - I've only been in America a few years and what I know about spelling I learned in a night school - but I know what I want. And when I get it I am going into automobile racing to win."

Gloom in Hotels.

It wasn't a joyful lot of auto racers that were met in the hotels last night. The conversation among them turned always to the accidents of the afternoon and many were the anecdotes of the men who figured in them. The loss of Cooper from the game seemed to be the hardest blow to the speed demons, but the feeling was no less strong for Keeler.

Pays Tribute to Keeler.

"Keeler was the life of the hotel," said Harold Smith, Mulford's machinist. "All of the fellows were attached to him because of his bright disposition. He was just learning the business and owned a part interest in the car which killed him."

"Cooper was one of the most popular fellows in the business. He had a wide circle of friends all over the country. It will be a great shock to them. Many fellows believed a hoodoo was following Joe, though. This was his third accident this year. The first one was in Indianapolis, when he ran into the fence. His injuries were slight. The second one happened in Burlington where he ran his car into a mud hole. This was not of a serious nature either. The third one resulted in his death."

"I only met Cooper once or twice," said Ralph DePalma, "but the little I did see of him was enough to impress me with his happy disposition and game spririt. He was no relation to Earl Cooper who finished second in the Chicago race."

Just Before the Race.

Just before the race a group of drivers and mechanicians were squatted on the shady side of the press box, smoking cigarettes and cracking jokes. Joe Cooper and his mechanician were prominent figures in this group. Chandler joined the group, slapping Cooper on the back and calling him "Old Joe Cooper" just before he adjusted his red silk stocking cap and gave his goggles a final polish. Cooper and Chandler walked out on the track arm in arm when Starter Edwards had signalled that but two minutes remained before the start of the race, and they parted just in front of Chandler's car.

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