Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-06-24
Wilbur B. Grobben Dies After Going Over
Ten-Foot Embankment Near
Waukesha.
TAKEN TO ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL.
Ambulances Rush Party to City and
Medical Attention Is Given Them
Early This Morning.
SAID THAT RACE WAS ATTEMPTED.

MILWAUKEE,, Wis, June 2O.-[Spe-
cial. l-One dead, two seriously injured,
and fourth escaping death only by a
miracle was the toll taken when an auto
mobile plunged over ten foot embank-
ment on the Brookfeld road, three and
one-half miles east of Waukesha, shortly
after midnight this morning.
The victims are:
DEAD.
WILBUR B. GROBBEN, solicitor, 9O8
Hackett avenue; left leg fractured and IA
tai internal injuries. Died at st. Marys
hospital at 1880 o'clock this morning.
INJURED.
John Kelly, salesman, 61O Prairie street;
left thigh fractured, and badly cut about
limbs and body; condition critical; at st.
Mary's hospital.
Henry Dock salesman, 1929 State street;
right arm broken in three places; bruises
and cuts about head and body; will re-
cover; at ST. Mary's hospital
Edward Milhaupt, employe Stephenson
Motor Car company; crouched in rear of
the car, and escaped uninjured.
At Base of Hill.
The accident occurred at the bottom Of
a hill, just west of the Poplar creek
bridge. The roadway is narrow and
steep. Motor drivers consider it the
worst bit of road for auto purposes in
that section OF the county.
The four men were employed about the
garage of the Stephenson Motor Car COM
pany 1873 Eighth street. Early Sunday
evening, the quartette took a Staver five
seated touring car, and drove to Wauke-
sha. They stopped at the hotel of Frank
Goerke, on the Brooktield road and
about midnight started on their way
home.
Two versions have been given as to how
the accident occurred. One CLAIM Is that
Grobben attempted to turn out for
horse and buggy, and ran off the embank-
ment.
According to the other report, an au-
tomobile, containing man and woman
attempted to pass the machine of which
Grobben was in charge. A race ensued.
Grobben threw open his speed clutch.
giving the machine full Roadway, and
dashed down the steep hill at a terrlnc
rate.
Control of the machine was lost at the
bottom of the hill. 1t dashed INTO me
fence at the south side of the road, went
over the 10-foot embankment, ana lano-
ed upright at the bottom of the incline.
Machine Turns Around.
Evidences at the scene of the accident
show that the collision was terrlhc one
Forty feet of fencing at the embank-
ment side was torn away by the impact.
A section of AKA timber, forming the
toprail of the fence, passed through inc
car. like a knife through piece OF
of the machine, Four fence posts were
torn from the hard rocky ground.
The machine had been headed east.
When found, it had turned completely
around. and was facing the west In
some mysterious manner, it had failed to
turn turtle.
Grobben was pinned beneath the car.
Kelly, who occupied the front seat next
to him. was thrown over the front, land
ing on the ground. Dock, in the rear
seat. was also thrown considerable
distance. Mflhaupt escaped injury by
crouching in the bottom of the tonneau
when the accident occurred.
Milhaupt summoned aid. William Ell
ger, near whose house the accident oc-
Cured, was one of the first to arrive;
Others were called. telephone call
was sent to Waukesha for Drs John Z.
Ward and William T. Murphy. They
fastened to the scene in an automobile.
Grobben Under Car.
Grobben was discovered, pinned be-
meath the car. His left leg was frac-
tured below the knee The flesh was
cut about the body, and bled from Sc
we're internal injuries.
As the rescuers lifted him from be-
meath the wreckage, he opened his eyes.
L paid 50 to have that suit cleaned
yesterday" he said, weakly. Now look
at it."
Then he tainted.
Grobben was taken to Goerke's MOTEL
where his wounds were dressed and the
best aid given him. Kelly was brought
to the same place, while Dock was trans
ferred to the Elger home.
Milwaukee, in the meantime, had been
telephoned. Ambulances from Trinity
and st. Mary's hospitals were dispatched
to Waukesha, and the ride back with the
injured three was commenced.
Owing to the critical condition OF
Grobben, progress was slow. 1t was
1920 o'clock when the three nnaiiy were
taken on at the elevator at the hospital
Grobben wa FASTENED to the operat-
ing room. He died ten minutes after
he was transferred from the ambulance.
Kelly and Dock were reported as rest
ing easily shortly before noon today.
Kelly's injuries are serious, but hope for
his recovery is entertained. The extent
of his internal injuries have not been
fully ascertained as yet, and his condl-
ton depends on them.
Many visited the scene of the wreck
this morning. Mort II. Stevens, editor
of the Wisconsin Banker, was among
those who viewed the scene.
Il have never seen a machine more
thoroughly wrecked than that car" Mr..
Stevens said. 'The body is a mass of
tangled wreckage. The ground about
is covered with blood, while the broken
must have followed the collision"
Mr.. Grobben is the son of L. J.
Grobben, 9O9 Hackett avenue, of the
firm of Grobben Brothers, oyster dealers,
523 Grand avenue.