Two Men Killed In Car Crash
Third Is Injured As Auto Plunges Off 25-W Overpass
Two Briceville miners died violent deaths at 12:30 a. m. Saturday as the car in which they were riding ran off an overhead bridge near Medford on Highway 25-W and nose-dived to the L&N Railroad tracks below. A third man was taken to Scott Hospital in critical condtion.
Killed instantly were Mitchell (Botts) Burton, 41, and Cecil Carroll, 32.
Admitted to Scott Hospital in Lake City with serious head an chest injuries was Nelson Seeber, 30, driver of the vehicle.
Hospital attendants said Wednesday that Seeber had regained consciousness and was improving rapidly.
The accident occurred when the car missed the overhead bridge, and plunged 20 feet down the ravine to the railway tracks
Traveling Fast
Investigating officers were Deputies Reece Daniels, Wade Cantrell and Goldie Duncan. They were told by a witness that the car had been traveling at a high rate of speed before the accident.
Daniels said after the car left the bridge it apparently made a dive into the railroad tracks and then turned over on its back.
“Seeber had been taken out of the car when we got there,” the deputy added, “and the other two men’s bodies were still inside pinned between the seat and the dash.”
The motor of the car was driven by the impact into the driver’s compartment deputies said.
The three men were thought to be returning home from Knoxville. Another driver told officers that a car, which was identified as the Seeber car, had tried to pick a race with him a short time before.
Gasoline had drenched the bodies, and in helping carry the bodies up the steep bank, Clyde Cox, Lake City undertaker; received burns from raw gasoline which penetrated his shirt. He was given first aid at the Hospital.
Leaves Seven Children
Burton was married and the father of seven children. Carroll was unmarried.
Funeral services for both men were held Monday at Laurel Branch Baptist Church, and both men were buried in Circle Cemetery.
Burton’s survivors include his wife, Mrs. Ruth Vowell Burton; two sons, Kyle and Neal; five daughters, Bobbie, Jo Ann, Gail, Brenda, and Shelia; parents Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Burton, all of Briceville; and one brother, Gaynes Burton of Morley.
Carroll, a veteran of World War II, is survived by his parents Mr. and Mrs. Amos Carroll, two sisters, Mrs. Nola Kratochvil and Miss Cornelia Carroll, all of Briceville; and two brothers, Robert Carroll of Oliver Springs and Bert Carroll of Briceville.
Services for Carroll were held at 1 p.m. Monday with the Rev. Lee Phillips officiating. Cox of Lake City had charge. The Burton funeral was held at 3 p.m. Monday. Martin Funeral Home had charge.
Clinton Courier – November 15, 1951
[Transcribed by Troy Mitchell]