The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-09-03
Perry Mekibbin Killed Outright;
I've Others Injured, One
FrighifuIly
from Mondays Daily.

along the 81. Peter road coming
towards Mankato. an Overland run
about last evening about G:30 O'CLOCK
approached the little bridge over 9
creek at the Dan Patch crossing about
u quarter of n mile from the MankatC
city limits, struck a spur track that
runs into neiehboring quarry, aud
then, turning a little 60 the left. miss
ed the bridge by about ten feet. shot
upwards over a rise OF ground. sailed
over the tops OF the trees that filled
the ravine. and landed with terrific
force against a rocky hillside away
beyond the bridge.
There were three young men in the
car. One was killed outright An
other was so badly injured that il was
feared that he would die. The third
was somewhat cut bruised and stunn
cd.
All three were from Pcmberton
Mimi. Percy McKibbin. aged nineteen
was he one that met death instantly
Newell Nelson. aged twenty. was
art 80 that il was thought that he
.uld not survive Clarence Ofterdahl,
"'Di nineteen. was the most fortunate
at the three.
Police Were Notified.
NJ the moment OF the accident. l..
\ I.araman of Minneapolis happened
Ia bc running Il car towards the little
bridge On the other side. lie saw
what had happened and without 4
moments hesitation, he hurried to the
nearest telephone and called up the
police station. Desk Sergeant John
DOnahua answered. The sergeant
immediately sent Officer John Al
brocht. Andrew I.undb"rg and T.. V.
Waters out To the place in 4 runabout.
Oniccr Lippert was also soon on the
scene The news spread like wild fire.
Ia Il very little while great crowd
gathered about the place. Many came
in autos and many others on foot from
the surrounding country.
The appearance OF the car showed
that IL struck the hillside with terrific
force II was simply smashed into 4
shapelrss mass Of rubbish.
The two injured men were picked
mp and hurried To 81. JOseph's hos
pltal. The body was transported TO
the undertaking rooms OF Kelly. TIar-
Ms Il GCsewisCh.
Mckibben's Father Notified.
Word was sent by telephone to the
dead boys father. W. II. McKibbin. a
former restaurant keeper of Pember-
ton. The latter Immediately came to
MankatO. accompanied by his son.
Lester McKibbin. and Will Anderson.
who took them In his car Percy Nc
Kibhin was a high school boy. He
had been spending the summer on a
farm near pembertOn. but was about
TO 20 back TO Mazcppa, Wabasha
county. where he still had one high
school year TO complete.
Newell Nelson Is n son OF Eli Nell
son. who runs a livery stable in Penn
bRrtOn.
Clarence Oftcrdahl lives with his
father. Peter Ofterdahl, n farmer To-
Gated near PembertOn. The car be-
longed 10 Peter Ofterdahl. q brother of
Clarence. Clarence drove the car. lie
sometimes took his friends out in II.
Had Been to ST. Peter.
Tho young men left Pemberton
yesterday. saying that they were
going to st. Peter to attend the base
ball game and automobile races. Mr.
McKibbin was asked by the police
last night II any OF the boys ever drank
10 excess. and he said he did not know
of any OF the three ever having been
immOderate in the use OF liquor.
II was thought by the police last night
that when the car struck the spur
track. over which IL had TO pass going
Ia the bridge, the steering gear was
thrown out OF order. and the result
was that the car missed the bridge
aud shot through the air. with
movement that was infinitely more
sensational than any that was ever
exhibited by a loOr-the loop artist at
circus. The condition OF the ear.
demolished beyond recognition. is a
mute demonstration OF the fact that
the rate of speed at which the auto
was run must have been prodigious.
Saw Auto Shoot Into Air.
One OF the first TO arrive OH the
scene OF the accident was Claude
Stubbs, who rode a motor cycle. At
the same time the auto that was driy-
en- by Mr. Laraman of Minneapolis.
arrived. Mr.. Laraman saw the auto
shoot through the air. In the same
auto were ID. G.. willard, and several
ladies'. All OF these people alighted
Immediately 10 see what was the mat
ter.
All three of the young men were
under the machine, when we came on
the scene" said Mr. Willard today.
The dead boy was farther forward.
The other two were pinned under the
TWO back wheels, Nelson on one side
and Ofterdahl on the other. Mr..
Stubs and managed to raise one
wheel and got Ofterdahl out. He was
unconscious ut the time. The Min
neapolis man hurried Off to a tele-
phone TO notify the police. He was In
such condition physically that he
could not lift. Mr.. Stubs and
could not lift the auto off Nelson until
Henry J. Kruse appeared on the
scene. With his help we managed to
get the car off Nelson. The dead boy
was not pinned 10 the ground at all
md we had no trouble in dragging
him out"
Car Shot Right BY.
Mr. Kruse said today: Il was coming
with my automobile towards Mankato
late yesterday afternoon or rather
early in the evening. and was going by
the bridge at Kasota, where the road
lie Ids 10 Lake Emily. when we no
ticed that same car stopped, with
those boys around II. IL seemed that
there was something wrong with the
car. for they were tinkering with II.
We went on towards Mankato. A
short time afterwards that car shot