Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-07-01


nelsville's best citizens lost their
lives by drowning, when the Stude
baker coupe in which they were rid
ing plunged into the Muskingum
river, on the north river road, in
side the corporation limits They
were Riley w. Price, 40; Mrs. Rose
Ann Butterfield, 33, and Miss No.
ma Ruth Mcdonald, Is. The cause
of the accident will probably never
be known. Mr.. Price who had
charge of the Cunningham used car
sales lot, GAINESVILLE, was on his way
to his work, and Mrs. Butterfield
and Miss Mcdonald were accom-
panying him to spend the day in
GAINESVILLE.
Mr.. Price was driving, and work.
men on the new Albert Schweizer
house just above the Atty Emmett
Abel property, saw the car coming
up the road at very fast rate of
speed. They saw the right hand
door come open, and someone was
attempting to close it. At that time
the machine shot across the road,
and grazing the guard rail, it con-
tinued off the concrete road, into the
soft mud left by the high water, and
running about 125 feet plunged into
the river. The concrete highway
was not covered with mud as at first
reported. However the machine
stopped for an instant on the river
bank, and then dropped front first
into the river. Workmen on the
house across the road ran to the
place, and tried to hold the car as il
was sinking into the river, but We're
unable to do SO. When the machine
was headed toward the river, the
workmen heard women screaming
and one of them was seen to rise in
the car; they could also hear the
screams coming as the machine sank
beneath the water. The fire alarm
was sounded, and firemen were soon
at the scene, and also a number of
others, in an effort to get the bodies
out. Messrs. Festus sKincaid, Ed
ward Perkins, Curtis Matson, Arthur
Parsons, and Ross Finley plunged
into the river and worked frantically
to get the car doors open and to re.
move the bodies. By diving they
succeeded in so doing. but not un-
til after the victims had been in the
water for about 25 minutes. 1t was
not until one of the bodies was re-
moved that it was known who the
persons were. Every effort possible
was made to restore life, but to no
avail.
Mr.. Price was considered a very
careful driver. He had not been in
good health of late and was subject
to sort Of fainting spells, and it may
have been that he was seized witt.
one of these attacks which caused
him to lose control of the car. How
ever the fact that river water was
found in his lungs and stomach,
would prove that he was alive when
the machine went into the river.
In about an hour the car was re-
moved from the river, and it was
found to be in good mechanical con
dition. None of the tires had blown
out and the only damage was to the
rear fender which struck the guard
railing
News of the tragedy spread rapid
ly and very soon many people were
at the scene of the drowning, and
hundreds of machines were stopped
as doctors and members of the fire
company worked to restore life
Later the victims were removed here
to local Doctors office and efforts
to save them were continued for
s0me time.
Riley w. Price
Riley Ward Price was born 40
years ago, Nov. IA. in Union town.
ship, Morgan county, Ohio. He was
a son of the late James B. and Lois
Love Price, who died several years
ago near the same time, double
funeral services being held for
them. When he was young man
the family moved to near Westland,
and while residing there he was
united in marriage with Mary G..
Miller, Feb. %, 1909. They were
parents of three sons-Gerald Miller
Price of this place; Max Ray Price
OF Malta and Paul Arthur Price Of
the home. He also leaves one
brother, Ernest Price, of Malta, and
one sister, Mrs. Della Dawson, wife
Of Frank Dawson, near Westland.
One sister, Rose, wife of Orrin Abel,
is deceased. He also leaves four
grandchildren, Nita and Betty,
daughters of Gerald M. Price and
wife, and Patti and John, children
of Mr.. and Mrs. Max Price.
The deceased received a good
common school education, and for
several years taught school, He
was an excellent teacher. Later he
was in the general store business at
Elliott, and at one time was a part
ner with the late Draper Van Fossen
in the mercantile business at Penns-
vile; and was also associated for
several years with Mr.. Van Fossen
here in the garage business, in the
building where the Chevrolet gar
age is located. For a time he was
manager OF the Linco service sta
tion here, and after he retired from
that business he became star mail
carrier between this place and Rein
ersville. For some months he had
not been in good health. and recent
ly turned the mail route tempor-
arily over to his son Gerald, ex-
pecting to resume it in several
months, and for a week or SO just
preceding his death, he had been
manager of the Cunningham used
car lot in GAINESVILLE In all his
business dealings he was strictly
honorable; was faithful, pleasant