Clarence Gibbens Killed When Auto Turns Over
Clarence T Gibbens, age 24 years, assistant manager of the Baker Steam Motor car company of this city, was killed and his wife seriously injured and three others in the party escaped with slight bruises when an automobile driven by Gibbens turned over on the Colorado Springs-Canon City Road near the Dockum ranch at a point 25 miles from Colorado Springs at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon. The three others in the car were Gibbens' two-year-old son, Keith, and Corporal and Mrs. C. S. Jones.
The accident occurred when the car struck a patch of loose sand in the roadway and altho the car was traveling at a moderate speed, Gibbens lost control of it and it went over the embankment. While the others jumped from the car, Gibbens was caught under the steering wheel and his head, face, neck and chest were so badly crushed that death resulted about an hour after the accident.
When Gibbens saw that an accident was inevitable he yelled to the others in his party to jump. They did so just as the big Cole-8 car was overturning. Miraculously Mr. and Mrs. Jones escaped injuries other than a severe shaking up. The same was true of Keith, the two-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbens, who was thrown clear of the car but suffered no injury. Mrs. Gibbens struck in such manner as to sustain serious injuries to her spine and numerous cuts and contusions about the head and face.
Other automobile parties came upon the scene of the wreck in a few minutes time, and word was quickly sent by telephone from a nearby ranch house to Colorado Springs for assistance. An ambulance and doctors rushed to the scene of the tragedy. Gibbens was still alive when he was placed in an ambulance to be taken to Colorado Springs, 25 miles distant, but he died shortly after the trip was begun. The coroner of El Paso county investigated the accident.
L. C. Gibbens, 622 West Twentieth street, this city, the father of Clarence Gibbens received a brief message from Colorado Springs late last night telling him his son had been injured in an automobile accident, but the elder Mr. and Mrs. Gibbens did not know of their sons death until the father had called the Chieftain at an early hour this morning to ask for particulars concerning the accident. Mr. Gibbens left for Colorado Springs after midnight this morning.
Mrs. Gibbens was removed to a hospital in Colorado Springs and reports from that city at midnight last night were to the effect that she is seriously injured.
A sister of Mrs. Gibbens, Miss Mary Dowling, a nurse at the Colorado State Hospital in this city, was notified of the accident and hurried to Colorado Springs late last night to be at the bedside of her stricken sister.
Fine day to Be Out of Doors
Like hundreds of other Puebloans Mr. and Mrs. Gibbens yesterday morning decided that the day was ideal for a motor trip. They invited as their guests for a ride, Corporal C. S. Jones of the United States army recruiting station of this city and Mrs. Jones. They, with little Keith Gibbens, made up the jolly party which yesterday forenoon motored to Florence. At Florence the party decided to motor to Colorado Springs, take dinner there last evening and then drive to Pueblo.
Everything went well until the party were near the Dockum ranch on the Canon City-Colorado Springs highway. That road is usually in excellent condition for motoring, and it is said that such was the case yesterday except for an occasional spot of sand which had been placed in the road to fill some depression.
Gibben and Corporal Jones occupied the front seats of the car and Mrs. Gibben, Mrs. Jones and Keith Gibben were in the tonneau seat.
Car Was Moving Slowly
At the point where the accident happened Mr. Gibbens chanced to lift his gaze from the road and had looked back in order to speak to Mrs. Gibbens. Just at that moment the right front wheel of the car struck a patch of sand. The car is said to have been moving at a very moderate speed, but in some manner the steering wheel was wrenched from Gibben's grasp for an instant. Before he could regain his hold on the wheel the car had swerved in the road and was about to overturn on a seven-foot embankment.
All members of the party are said to have made effort to jump and were thrown clear of the car as it went over, Gibbens was caught under the overturned car and crushed by the steering wheel. He was gotten out from under the car, but it was quickly seen that he was probably mortally hurt.
Gibbens was one of the most prominent of the younger set of businessmen of Pueblo. He was the assistant manager of the Baker Steam Motor Car company and in both business and social life he counted his friends by hundreds. He was a member of the Elks lodge at Newton, Kansas.
Mr. and Mrs. Gibben resided at the Majestic apartments, 712 south Union avenue.
The remains of the deceased are held at Colorado Springs temporarily pending the outcome of the injuries of Mrs. Gibbens, but it is thought that the body will be brought to Pueblo sometime today or tomorrow.
