Date & Source provided by Les Niemi

KILLED IN AUTO ACCIDENT

Asa C. Glassburn Meets Death Suddenly When Automobile Turns Turtle

Asa C. Glassburn, cashier of The Tampico Bank and a son of banker A. T. Glassburn one of the oldest and most prominent citizens of Tampico and Whiteside county was instantly killed  Monday afternoon about 4 o'clock at Bartlett twelve miles east of Wheaton, Illinois, on a return trip from Chicago in his big powerful Speedwell touring auto. Three companions, Glen Engel, C. C. Carson and H. M. Teter of Chicago were also bruised and injured.

Trip to Chicago
Mr. and Mrs. Asa Glassburn, Clair C. Carson all went to Chicago Sunday morning in the car reaching the city without any mishap and spent the day visiting. Mrs. Glassburn remained in the city for a visit with her sister and Monday afternoon the young men started on the return  trip. Engel and Teter intending olh to ride as far as Dekalb for the ride. Near Bartlett the car was stopped at the top of a hill on account of some cattle and Carson who had been driving exchanged seats with Mr. Glassburn who took the wheel and started down hill at a moderate speed estimated about eighteen miles an hour  At the foot of the hill the road makes a short swerve and crosses a cement bridge with concrete.

Steering Gear Didn't Work
guard wings on either side. While going down hill the steering gear which had been troublesome all summer refused to respond to the wheel and Mr. Glassburn was unable to follow the

Dropped Fourteen Feet
swerve and the car shot straight ahead running on the sidling part of the road and then striking the concrete wing and rolling over sideways into the ravine some fourteen feet below. Mr. Glassburn being at the wheel was

Pinned Under Car
pinned under the car and was instantly killed by the impact against the rocks at the bottom. Engel was thrown about thiry-five feet across the ravine and Carson was buried out also, Teter was thrown and his arm and hand injured. Carson's shoulder was dislocated and the muscles torn loose from his arm. Engel's injuries consisted bruises of the chest.

Auto Complete Wreck
The car was a comple wreck and lies upside down half submerged with water which accummulated since the accident.

The car was lifted off the body of Glassburn by Carson and two ladies who came from a farm house here Carson had gone for help, the men all being away attending a sale. Considerable of Carson's injuries were caused by his superhuman frantic efforts to get the car off Glassburn as quickly as possible.

After the accident the coroner was notified, telephone messages were sent to Tampico and all the families here were told the terrible news which came like a bolt out of a clear sky. When the news gradually became spread through the community it seemed to paralyze everybody and never has anything worse been flashed into the peaceful, quiet homes of Tampico. The remains were taken to Wheaton after the coroner had been notified and after the inquest was held were brought out to Tampico Tuesday evening to the sorrowing home of his parents on south Main Street. Monday evening Undertaker W. Parent, V. L. Glassburn, a brother; and D., H. Ellinson went to Chicago via Sterling on the first train to look after the body. Bertha Engel, sister of Glen followed Tuesday morning to Chicago and also Banker McMillan of Rock Falls, A. J. Glassburn and H. C. Pitney of Tampico. A delegation consisting of the following citizens and business men went to Sterling Tuesday morning, expecting to meet the remains: R. F. Woods, G. J. Sherman, George Isherwood, H. C. Pitney, T. A. Curnow, Wayne Aldrich, Albert Ferris, Mr. and Mrs. Roy McKenzie, Willis Brown, Levi Lutyens, Antoine Engel, Miss Engel, A. T. Glassburn and Harold Glassburn. Part of this delegation then went to Medota, where they met the remains when they did not arrive on the train at Sterling. The Elks also were at the depot to meet the body.

Mrs. Glassburn, the wife who had only told her husband a merry goodbye a day previous was notified of the accident in Chcago and with her sister, Mrs. P. W. Schaeffel, came out to Sterling Tuesday morning and then across to Tampico in an auto. Carson came home Tuesday evening.

Funeral Services
The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Glassburn home on South Main St. Rev. H. A. Snyder of the Methodist Church officiating. Interment will be in the Tampico cemetery.

Business Houses to Close
Mayor Daley has issued a proclamation and all of the business houses will close the afternoon of the funeral.

Obituary
Tampico lost one of its young, progressive, upright business men and citizens in the sudden calling of Asa Clyde Glassburn and not alone will the families and relatives feel the keen sting of death but community where he has resided and made hishome has sustained a distinct loss that never can be repaired. Born in Tampico, May 18, 1880 his boyyhood and early manhood were spent here attending the schools and assisting his father in his business interests. His education was finished later in college where he took both literary and business training. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War he was among the first to volunteer to go to Cuba to help free the inhabitants of that island from the grinding oppression of the Spaniards. On his return from the war he went into the bank to assist his father. His work there proved so efficient, his judgement so sound and his services so needful and satisfactory both to customrs and to his father that he was rewarded by being made an active partner in the business several years ago and evidence that his stewardship has been successful is seen in the rapidly increasing annual business at the bank.

He was married in Dec. 1907 to Miss Cora McAfee in Chicago establishing his home in Tampico. The marriage has been an unusually happy one. Mr. and Mrs. Glassburn living as companions and lovers and had made many enjoyable trips to Chicago in the auto that was fianally the cause of his death. Possessed of fine nature, courteous and polite with a friendly bearing and manner he not only made a happy  home but provided it with everything that added pleasure and comfort to the one he loved and to those who were fortunate enough to be close friends.

He was baptised and joined the Tampico Methodist church under the pastorate of Rev. A. L. Shute.

His business associates knew and respected him as a square young man friendly to everybody no matter howmeek or lowly. There was no ostentation or show in his character but it was rather of those rare qualitites of common, honest, true, simple ideals that naturally attract and hold frineds. Character is tested severely in the marts of the world and it was here that he stood analyzed and sifted until it had proven twenty-four caret fine. Often he has stretched commercial usages to assist some one and never followed the letter of the law to demand what common business customs would permit. Anything with a shade or suspician of dishonesty would not be tolerated in his dealings. He was a member in good standing of Yorktown Lodge No. 988 A.F. & A.M. and also the Sterling lodge of Elks.

Mr. Glassburn leaves to mourn his terrible, swift, sudden taking while in the prime of life, his wife who with his mother and father are utterly prostrated by the sudden calamity. One brother Vernon also survives.

One of the saddest parts of the whole affair is the fact thiat his mother begged him not to make the trip but he said the nice October air and the fine roads were calling too strongly and would give short relaxation from his work in the bank. He had made the trip many, many times before, was always a careful driver, never took any chances and was considered one of the best auto drivers in Tampico. The defective steering gear caused the accident which resulted in his death.

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The funeral of the late Asa Clyde Glassburn who was killed in an auto-mobile accident was held last week Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the large A. T. Glassburn residence on south Main street. Over five hundred people gathered at the house and in the yard to pay their respects to the deceased adn to the family which is held in very high esteem in the community. There were friends present from Sterling, Rock Falls, Prophetstown, Morrison, Walnut, Deer Grove, Thomas and other places and the funeral was one of the largest ever held in Tampico. All of the business houses closed at noon and remained closed until the next morning - a token of respect in which he was held by the commercial interests. The sermon which was a very beautiful tribute to the life of the deceased, was preached by Rev. H. A. Snyder, pastor of the Methodist church. Rev. Potter a former pastorwas present and offered prayer. Several beautiful and very appropriate selectons were rendered by Mrs. Bernreuter and Mrs. Isherwood. Mrs. Bernreuter sang a solo very tenderly "Some Time We'll Understand." The pall bearers were young business associates and friends: Roy McKenzie, P. A. McMillan, F. A. Brewer, Ta. A. Curnow, C.P. Horner and Geo Isherwood. There has probably never been such a large and beautiful offering of floral tributes at any other funeral in Tampico. One side of the large parlor in the Glassburn residence was completely covered with beaurtiful floral pieces and a flag brought by the Spanish American Veterans draped the coffin. Interment was in the Tampico cemetery where prayer was offered by Geo. Drayton in behalf of the Masonic Brethern and short services were held by Rev. Snyder. The grave was completly covered with flowers. The large funeral, the beautiful floral tributes and the many words of sympathy expressed speak legions for the esteem in which the deceased was held and for his wife and family who have the sweet remembrance in their sorrow that he went to his grave universally mourned.