Missouri death certificate # 9194 male, white, single, student. Taken to Baptist Hospital. Cause of death public highway #65 accident one half mile S E of Springfield, MO. Father G M Durham, mothers information blank. Mrs. R M Livingston informant, Springfield, MO.

This information was sent in an e-mail to me.

The Iberia Sentinel, March 1933

Mrs. R.M. Livingston of near Iberia received a long distance message Sunday morning informing her that her son, Carl Durham, was seriously injured and three of his young companions instantly killed in an automobile accident near Springfield early Sunday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Livingston left immediately to be at his bedside in the Springfield Baptist Hospital where he was taken for treatment. His skull was crushed and both arms broken.

Word reached here Tuesday that young Durham died about four o'clock that morning without regaining consciousness.

According to the Springfield press reports, Carl and his three companions, Carl Koeneman, Harry Edward Gibson and Mrs. Mildred Tatum Weaver had attended a dance at a road house known as Horseshoe Stables, a few miles south of Springfield. It is believed the party left the dance about 2 o'clock to go for a ride before returning to Springfield. The four young people were riding in a small coupe and as they were evidently speeding along the highway at the curve on James River hill, where route 60 leaves 65 about 9 miles southeast of Springfield, the car plunged over the embankment at this point.

Before making the fatal plunge the car left the pavement and headed for the ravine without striking the guardrail which had been erected along the highway further up the road. The coup's speed carried it along the rim of the ravine on two wheels until he top crashed into a large telephone poll. The telephone pole was clipped off in two places, leaving the cross-arms dangling from the wires in mid-air.

In the crash the car's occupants were thrown into the ravine and the car fell on top of them. Passing motorists were attracted to the scene of the accident by the burning tail light of the car and the groans of young Durham who was found unconscious crumpled up in a heap by the side of his dead companions.

The death of young Durham Tuesday morning leaves no living witness to the tragic accident. Such fate snuffed out the lives of four young people who but a few moments earlier were enjoying the pleasures of youth.

Mrs. Mildred Tatum Weaver was the estranged wife of Paul Weaver and was employed at the Oberman Manufacturing Company in Springfield. She was a sister of Charles and W.A. Tatum of Springfield and Allen Tatum of Granite City, Ill.

Carl Koeneman, also of Springfield, was a photographer's assistant.

Harry Edward Gibson was a former employee at a sandwich shop in Springfield.

Carl Durham, son of Mrs. R.M. Livingston of near Iberia, made his home with his sister, Mrs. Ethel Doss in Springfield. He was captain of the Senior High School football team while a student there, and he made a letter each year he played with the Teachers College Bears, being captain in 1930. He completed his work for graduation March 3.

Funeral services of Mrs. Weaver and Mr. Gibson were held Monday and burial at Springfield. The body of young Koeneman was taken to Mt. Vernon, the home of his parents. The funeral and burial of Carl Durham will probably take place at Springfield Wednesday.