Douglas Daily Dispatch

R. BANTA CHOKES TO DEATH AS CAR OVERTURNS, TRAPPING HIM AND ENTIRE FAMILY BENEATH

WORLD SURVEY AS TO
CAUSE OF ILL -WILL
AGAINST U. S. SOUGHT
(By Dispatch A. P. Wire)
Ralph Banta, 1712 E avenue, this city, an employe of the Dwight Robinson Construction company at the Copper Queen smelter here, was slowly smothered to death about 12:30 o'clock Sunday afternoon when the Ford roadster in which he was riding with his family turned turtle about 50 yards the other side of Silver creek on the Rodeo road and pinned him beneath it.

His wife and two children who were with him at the time suffered minor cuts and bruises as well as some burns from dripping gasoline. By the time E. B. Lohr, section foreman at Silver creek, and W. T. Austin, manager of the Phelps Dodge Mercantile company dry goods department in this city, who were at Silver creek, were informed of the accident, Banta had succumbed to the pressure of the machine on his neck and on his chest, which was crushed. The two rescuers procured a crew of Mexicans and finally succeeded in lifting the machine from the bodies of the Bantas and their two children: a son five years of age and a baby girl of three. Mrs Banta and the children were rushed to the Calumet hospital here for treatment and with the exception of a few cuts and bruises suffered by Mrs. Banta and the boy and some burns on the baby's body, were unharmed
It is believed that the family was pinned beneath the machine for nearly a half hour before Lohr and Austin reached the scene.
Banta and his family were heading for Rodeo at the time of the fatal mishap, to visit his father, who owns a ranch near that place. It is stated by his wife that the car simply failed to hold the road as it went to make the curve the other side of Silver creek and that it started to mount the embankment at the side of the highway and then rolled over, pinning them all beneath it.
Banta spoke to his wife while he was held beneath the front seat of the car and told her that it was slowly choking him to death. She and the children were powerless to go to his aid. however. as they also were pinned down, and Mrs. Banta was forced to do all in her power to protect the baby from the dripping gasoline.
Lohr and Austin. who were at Silver
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R. Banta Chokes To Death As Car Overturns
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creek where the latter was visiting the railroad man, were told of the accident by a passing motorist, but not until about 20 minutes after it had happened.
They rushed to the scene and together tried to lift the car. Failing, they obtained a group of Mexicans nearby and moved the car, Banta was dead when they arrived to make their first attempt to rescue him.