The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1915-07-30
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Tho First Automobile Accident Of q
ea.us Nature that has Occurred
In this Immediate Vicinity.

.,o, II has been our painful duty to
chronicle as happening in this part of
tho valley occurred between and 6
o,clock Saturday afternoon, when a
Ford car driven by Melvin Embertson,
careful driver, some "a years Of age,
went over a light grade at point
about 4 miles south of town, on the
oast side of the Okanogan river, kill
ing the unfortunate young man in
stantly.
Inst how the accident happened will
rever be known, as there were no eye
witnesses. At the point where the car
unset the road is quite sandy for some
distance. running at the foot of a
slight ridge, with grade of only only
a few feet 1t is presumed that when
tho car struck the sand the front
wheels buckled, throwing the car over
the grade. When the car tipped En-
bertson was thrown out and the run
ming board of the car struck the pros
trate man square across the neck with
such force as to leave an indention in
the wood. When the body was remov-
ed II was discovered that the under
side of the neck was resting on a
pebble or wash boulder OF some size.
Last Friday Ed. Iscnhart came to
Oroville from Wenatcnee and purchas-
cd an old Mitchell car that has been
in storage at Petersor's garage for
months. It was the intention Of Mr..
Isenhart to run the Mitchell car to
Wenatchee, and when he started Fri
day he was accompanied by Wilbur H.
Finsen, who has charge Of the garage,
ir Ford car. Some distance below
Codova station the Mitchell got out Of
order, and so much time was consum-
ed In overhauling the machine that
Finsen and Isenhart returned to town
with the intention of making fresh
start in the morning, leaving the
Mitchell car where it broke down.
Early the next morning tho two men
made second start, but the Mitchell
showing disposition to buck, Mr..
lsenhart decided to take the train for
Wenatchee, as he had to be in that city
that evening, and boarded the cars at
Cordova, leaving Mr.. Finsen to follow
in the auto when put in shape to run.
Mr.. Finsen then returned to town, and
Saturday afternoon made another trip
to the stranded Mitchell car in his
Ford, taking Mr.. Embertson with him.
On this occasion the difficulty was
remedied and the young men started
back to Oroville, MIR. Finsen leading
in the resuscitated Mitchell and Mr..
Embertson following in the Ford.
When Mr.. Finsen reached the Otto
Rhemke place he could see the road he
had travelled over for a long distance,
but no sight of his companion. After
waiting for few minutes he became
uneasy and took the back track. He
soon discovered the overturned car
and two persons near it They proved
TO be Ernest Rhemke anG a young man
named MCPHERSON. Rhemke and Nc
rnerson were unch-e to lift the car
and extricate the to6y of Embertson,
Wnlch was in plain sight, and one of
tnem was about to riio for help when
MI F1nsen appeared. The three men
Hted the car sufficiently to remove
inc body, which IVES placed in the car
at. Finsen was driving and rushed to
'own. Medical assistance was sum-
moned by means of the first telephone
reached, but Embert3o son was past all
earthly assistance. Indeed there were
w signs OF life from the time the over
turned auto was first reached. Upon
eaamination physicians stated that the
Acck was not broken and that death
was caused by suffication. The left jaw
"sS broken and the right temple ap.
pa'sntly crushed in. Death must have
Osen very sudden from the position Of
ne car and from the ract that there
"sle no indications Of a struggle.
"r. Hnemkc ctates that he and Nc
.lcrson were on horseback coming
from the south toward the place wher,
ue accident occurred. They noticed
"e cars from a distance when tho!
'A''ed toward Orovihe. Naturally tn,
.a's soon passed out OF sight of tn,
Aoisemen. After trs Yelling e couple o
eS lne horsemen reached a poin
'Nere they could s.e car on it's side
ana fastening forward discovered
r'al under the car apparently dead
lucy could do nothing and were abou
~ 70 summon help when Mr.. Fin
su arrived. Even tken the removal Q
NC remains were difficult, as MI
u was completely overcome b
Wv snock Of seeing his dead compan