Bourque's Wedding Plans

This post offers a pair of attachments containing brief articles discussing the canceled wedding plans of driver William Bourque who was killed in a fatal accident during the first day of racing at the first auto race meet on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The article was originally published in the August 22, 1909, Indianapolis Star. Bourque lost his life during the 250-mile Prest-O-Lite Trophy conducted on Thursday, August 19, 1909.
 
In a sad sidebar to his tragic passing Bourque and his fiance, Alexandria Boivin were planning a double wedding for September 14, 1909. Their friends Prosper Dufresne and Miss Eugenie Perent were the couple planning to join them in celebration at their home town of Springfield, Massachusetts. Bourque's employer, Knox Automobile Company, was located in Springfield. According to the article Bourque's riding mechanic Harry Holcomb, who was also killed in the accident, was buried in the nearby town of Granville, Massachusetts the day the paper went to press.
 
When the bodies of the two men arrived by rail in Springfield some 300 Knox employees were among 5,000 people gathered in mourning at the station. A special car carried them and was filled with flowers. Bourque had promised Boivin he would quit racing cars after the upcoming Vanderbilt Cup in October.
 
There is an additional article in attachment VictimNews082309 that discusses the decision not to award the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy for the planned 300-mile race of the same name. Officials stopped the race due to deadly accidents. Leigh Lynch of Jackson was leading when the contest was stopped and canceled at 235-miles. Given that well more than half the distance was completed fans today may be surprised to learn that officials declared the race "no contest," as if it never happened. Jackson later protested but it was to no avail.