The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-09-13
Two Men, Who Furnish Case.
line For Stalled Auto Burn.
ed When Lamp Isnites
Fumes From Tank.


miles out on the Blandville road.
MIR. Lindsey and his family are on
their way to Mexico.
Joy riders last night stole the
Ford automobile of Mr.. Lindsey,
general manager of the II. r.
Switzerland Medicine company, from
his home in Glenwood. After riding
for several hours the JOY riders
found that their supply OF gasoline
was exhausted, and when an attempt
was made TO fill the gasoline tank
the automobile was destroyed by
fire.
, Detectives have been employed to
ascertain the names OF the persons
The machine was taken last night
about o'clock from the residence of
Mr.. Lindsey in Glenwood. Today 1t
was picked up a mass of ruins on the
Blandeville road about seven miles
from Paducah. The joy riders were
seen by Butler c. Stevens and A. b.
Womble, who reside near Loyelace-
lville. and we're en- route to their
homes. They stopped their machine
and were filing the gasoline tank of
thes stolen machine when the gaso-
line fumes caught fire from an oil
lamp, and the Ford automobile was
practically destroyed by fire.
The car was valued at about
$1,000, fully insured.
[ End Of JOY Ride.
The machine burned about IL
io'clock last night on Robb's hill
which is about seven miles from Pa
ducah on the Blandeyille road. Mr.
stevens, who resides in McCraeken
county near Lovelaceyille was en-
route to bis home after a trip to the
4eity on business. He was returning
in his Cadillac automobile. when he
found the party stranded on the hill
without gasoline. In his car Mr..
lSteyens carried a can filled with 10
lgallons of gasoline. and he readily
agreed TO sell enough Of the oil for
the party to reach Paducah.
He and A. B. Womble, his COM
panion. were filling the gasoline
tank of the Ford machine when one
of the party stepped too close with
an oil lamp. Instantly the gasoline
fumes caught fire, and the gasoline
lean was dropped. When the flames
lflared up the arms of both the men
were enveloped. and they quickly
withdrew. Their burns are painful,
but the only serious burn is on the
left hand of Mr.. Stevens.
| In telling the story Mr.. Stevens
Isaid: 81 did not know the members
of the auto party but there were four
years old. and a second boy about Is
years old. and two girls who looked
to be about IA years old each. When
| stopped and found them on the hill
Ithey said they were without gaso-
line, and gave them assistance.
They said that they would pay any
iiprlce for enogh gasoline to reach
Paducah and added that the old man
would foot. the bill anyway"
while Mr.. Womble and myself
were pouring the oil from the can
Into the tank of the car somebody
holding an oil lamp stepped too near,
and the fumes caught fire. The car
could have been saved, but we were
in too much pain to aid and none
lof the members OF the party made
any effort to extinguish the fire. The
brake on the automobile could have
been released, and the automobile
pushed from over the flames as Il
was at least five minutes before the
car caught fire.
AT the scene Of the fire the road
Is narrow, and We had to wait until
the fire ceased before we could pro-
lceed In our car to secure medical
laid. We left the boys and girls.
who started walking towards Padu-
icah. When we reached a telephone
we notified DR.. Morrison of the acci-
ldent and he met us on the road and
dressed our injuries. During the
excitement of the fire one of the lads
told me who owned the car, but
do not remember the name that he
gave"
The left hand of Mr.. Stevens Is
burned badly and his forearm, his
right hand and the hands of Mr..
Womble are blistered and burned,
but not deeply
; Number 756.
The only means of identifying
1.-THE automobile was by the state
license tag. which was 75G. Nobody
appeared to claim the car, and all
this morning no instructions were
left at either of the garages to re-
move the scraps of the car to the
, city. The news of the burning OF
the automobile was brought to the
. city early this morning. but the car
! was not identified until noon. The
garage owners expected to receive
, instructions all morning. but when