The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-04-30
AUTOS TURN TURTLE;
TWO MEN ARE KILLED
HARLEY SHOWALTER A GREY
EAGLE BOY MEETS DEATH
THURSDAY NIGHT
OWNER OF CAR ESCAPES
HOKE JOHNSON OF. SWANVILLE
LOSES LIFE IN CAR CON-
TANNING MOONSEINE

Last Thursday evening some time
between ten and eleven o'clock Har-
ley Showalter 10 year old son of Mr..
and Mrs. A. E. Showalter of Grey
Eagle was killed in an auto accident
cS Highway % about three miles east
% Grey Eagle.
in company with Ben Martin of
Grey Eagle young Showalter had Wis
tied at Burtrum and left that village
a short time after ten o'clock driving
the car which belonged to his COM
panion. Shortly after midnight the
wrecked car with its victim was
found. Sheriff Burns and County
Coroner Peterson were notified and
removed the dead man to Long Pra-
irie, where Identification was made
the following noon.
Martin the owner of the car, is al
legged to have been under the lnflu-
ence of liquor when they left Burt
rum, and Showalter was at the wheel.
1t is thought that Martin was rend-
cred unconscious for some time, as
the party finding the wrecked ma
chine claims having seen a man leav-
ing the scene of the wreck as he ap-
preached Martin was known to have
been with young Showalter on the
evening of the accident, and when
the young man failed to put in an ap-
pearance at his home the following
morning, his father A. L. Showalter,
went to Martin and inquired as to
the whereabouts of his son. Martin
disclaimed any knowledge of his
whereabouts, and stated that they
came home the evening before about
ten o'clock and that since then he had
not seen him.
Shortly after noon the day follow.
ing the wreck, resident of Grey
Eagle identified the body at Long
Prairie as that of Showalter Sheriff
Burns dispatched deputy to Grey
Eagle who placed Martin under ar.
+. rest and lodged him in the county
,s iGl. At first he denied having been
~ the smashup with Showalter, but
J after he had been closely examined
his body proved to be severely bruis
J, ed, and when he was asked to explain
these he then admitted that he was in
the car when it turned over.
Showalter's death was by strangu
lation. His face was held in the dir
by bow of the top across the bacl
of his neck.
Martin stated that when he became
aware that his companion was dead
fear seized him and that was the rea
son he at first denied participating
in the accident, the cause of which
will probably remain mystery. 1
is though however that the wine
storm which passed through tina
section was the cause of the drive
loosing control of the machine.
Tho
at Grey Eagle and was splendi,
type of young manhood.
The funeral of the victim was hell
from the family home at Grey Eagl,
Tuesday afternoon.
Martin was held in the county jai
without charge until Saturday after
noon and then released.
Second Accident
Friday afternoon not more thai
twelve hours after the Showalter DO,
had been killed another auto acci
dent occurred about one and one-hal
miles east of Burtrum when a Willis
Knight touring car owned and driver
by Y. Wildman, farmer near Swan
vile, left the road and turned com
pletely over several times instantl
killing Hoke Johnson of Swanvill
who was riding with Wildman. Whe
examination of the dead man wa
made by Coroner Peterson it wa
discovered that his back had bee
broken in eleven places, both arm
and legs were also broken, while WilC
man the driver escaped with, only
broken arm and minor bruises an
cuts.
The wrecked machine was found
contain a quantity of moonshine an
was confscated by the sheriff ar
taken to Long Prairie.