Emery L. Garman 1876-1938

GARMAN, NORTON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 5/22/2015 at 21:50:55

Emery L. Garman
EMERY L. GARMAN, a successful business man of Detroit, who has spent all his working life engaged in the manufacture of tools of various designs, is a native of the Buckeye state, born in Akron, July 16, 1876, a son of Alfred and Julia (Norton) German, the former of whom was a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio.

Mr. Garman was educated in the public schools of Akron, Ohio, and in that city he learned the trade of toolmakmg, which line of business he has always followed, being an expert toolmaker and well known for his mechanical skill in the handling of work. In 1907 Mr. Garman moved to Detroit and worked at his trade until 1918, when the Drayer-German Company was formed, with Mr. Garman occupying the position of president, which office he still holds. Since this company was started the toolmaking end of its business has steadily advanced and the firm now has an extensive trade, due in great measure to Mr. Garman's untiring energy and ability.

Mr. Garman is a member of the Detroit Board of Commerce, in the affairs of which he takes a deep interest, as he does in civic movements intended for the benefit of the city. He is a member of Akron (Ohio) Lodge, No. S3, E. & A. M. During the progress of the World war Mr. Gariuan rendered excellent help to factories unable to produce government orders or munitions, by turning over part of his plant for that work. ["The city of Detroit, Michigan", 1701-1922, Volume 3 edited by Clarence Monroe Burton, William Stocking, Gordon K. Miller – CW)

Three Hurt When Car Crashes
Escape From Wreck Before Gas Explodes
Three Detroit, Mich., tourists were injured, two critically, at 1:05 this afternoon when the car in which they were riding struck a tree and caught fire when the gasoline tank exploded. The accident occurred in the 1300 block on Central Ave.

The occupants of the auto were Mr. and Mrs. E.L. Garman and their chauffeur, James Woodman, all of Grosse Point, Mich., exclusive Detroit suburb. Garman was the most seriously injured of the three. He suffered a deep cut approximately eight inches long on the top of his head, fracture of one and possibly both legs, internal injuries and severe shock, according to the report of a physician who treated him at Coleman hospital, where the trio was taken in an ambulance. He was unconscious for several hours after the crash.

Mrs. Garman suffered a broken left leg, a burn on her back, and possible rib fracture. Woodman was not seriously injured, suffering only a cut on the chin, bruises and other minor cuts.

Escape Before Car Burns
The three occupants of the car narrowly escaped death when expensive car careened to the left side of the road, then to the right, struck a stump, and finally collided with a tree. The gasoline tank was punctured by the stump and gasoline came in contact with the hot exhaust pipe and set the vehicle on fire. The driver, a chauffeur, jumped out and pulled the owner of the car out of the back seat. The other occupant, wife of the owner, was thrown out of the car by the force of the collision. The fire company was called to extinguish the blaze and an ambulance was rushed to the scene to take the injured persons to a hospital for treatment.

Blame Blow-Out
Both Woodman and Mrs. Garman said the car’s speed was 40 miles per hour when the accident occurred. Woodman said he attempted to pull the car back to the right side of the road when it careened to the left side of the paving, leaving the road on the right side. It struck the stump, and then the tree. The car was thrown to the right by the force of the collision and one eyewitness said Mrs. Garman was thrown clear. An eyewitness said a blow-out of a front tire caused the car to careen from the road.

The car was badly damaged. The front end struck the tree, swinging the auto towards the right. The right axle, frame, motor, and body received the brunt of the blow. The front fender on the right side was torn away by the force of the impact and the steering wheel was bent out of shape, apparently by the impact of the driver’s body. The back seat and compartment were gutted by the flames. Several pieces of luggage and a motion picture camera were taken from the car.

Left Home Yesterday
The Garmans and their driver left their home in Grosse Point yesterday on a vacation motor trip to Yellowstone National park and other points in the west. Woodman said they left Dubuque this morning. Garman is a proprietor of a dye business in Detroit and he and Mrs. Garman have one son. Woodman said his wife, who was notified of the accident, may come here. Mrs. Garman stated the chauffeur had been in their employ for five or six years.

Coronor Fred Sternborg and a helper took the trio to the Coleman hospital, where their wounds were treated by physicians. Hospital attendants could not say how long the party would be confined to the hospital. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 16, 1938)

Auto Accident Victim Dies
Body to Detroit By Plane
Wife Seriously Hurt and Chauffeur Will Return in Same Craft Leaving This Afternoon
Emery L. Garman, 71, of Detroit, Michigan, died at 10:10 a.m. today at the Coleman hospital of injuries received when his auto crashed into a tree at the Floyd Schenck home on East Central avenue when the chauffeur lost control after a blowout.

Mrs. Garman suffered a fractured leg with badly crushed bones when she jumped from the car when she saw it was going to hit the tree. The chauffeur, James Woodman, was only slightly hurt.

The body of the dead man and the two patients will be taken to Detroit this afternoon by plane. H.H. Garman of Detroit, son of the unfortunate couple, arrived here by plane early yesterday morning.

Garman was given no chance for recovery by hospital attendants after his injuries had been ascertained. He had internal ruptures, a crushed leg, skull fracture and was almost completely scalped.

Mrs. Garman who is 50 years old is said by physicians to be in fair condition.

The Garmans were on a vacation trip to the Yellowstone National Park in their Cadillac car. They had left Detroit Monday morning, stayed over night at Dubuque and were coming into Estherville from the east on highway 9 at about 1:15 when the accident occurred.

Woodman, the chauffeur, stated that he had slowed down to 40 or 45 miles per hour after entering the town but witnesses and traffic officers believe from the distance traveled after the explosion of the tire and the crash into the tree that the speed of the car was much greater. The gasoline tank exploded but the chauffeur who was unhurt and Harvey Miner and Herb Yetters who witnessed the tragedy, pulled Mr. Garman from the car before he received any burns.

The death of Mr. Garman breaks Estherville’s record of no deaths from motor vehicle accidents within the incorporation. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 18, 1938)

E.L. Garman Dies From Injuries Received In Car Accident
Remains Taken to Detroit By Plane Today
Mrs. Garman Seriously Injured, Sustained Compound Fracture of Leg
Three people were injured in an auto accident at one o’clock Tuesday in front of 1327 East Central Avenue. Emery L. Garman, the owner of the car, was seriously injured; his wife, Mrs. Evelyn Garman had a compound fracture of her leg above the knee. The driver of the car, Jim Woodman was badly cut and bruised by not seriously injured.

Headed For Yellowstone
Mr. Woodman says the party left Detroit, Mich., on Monday morning headed for Yellowstone park. Before they left Detroit he says he complained of the steering gear of the car. It was looked over at the garage but nothing was found wrong. It was again checked on the way here, with the same results.

Woodman says they had been driving fast but coming into Estherville he cut the speed down to 40. In his opinion the accident was caused when the rear left tire blew out.

He took to a shallow ditch on the south side of the pavement, which was the wrong side of the road for him as they were traveling west. Of a sudden the car left the ditch, crossed the pavement and hit a bit tree.

The front of the car was driven back 18 inches and was demolished. As soon as the car hit, the inside became a mass of flames caused by the explosion of the gas tank.

Skull Fracture
Garman was rushed to the hospital where it was found he was almost scalped and had a fractured skull. Mrs. Garman had a bad fracture of the leg and was somewhat cut and bruised. She was able to converse with attendants and her version of the accident corresponded with that of the driver.

Howard H. Garman of Detroit, Mich., arrived here Wednesday morning at five o’clock by plane.

He was notified of the serious accident in which his father and mother were injured and left Detroit at once by plane. He took the regular service to Des Moines and chartered a plane there for Estherville.

City officials thought he was to fly directly to the city and made preparations to light the field by cars. They also lighted the runway by torches. A watch was kept all night for the Garman plane.

X-ray pictures were taken of Mrs. Garman immediately following the accident but none were taken of Mr. Garman until Wednesday morning when he was brought to the x-ray room in his bed and pictures of his limb were taken. He was still unconscious at that time. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 18, 1938)

E.L. Garman Dead
E.L. Garman of Detroit, who was injured in the auto crash Tuesday on Central Avenue, passed away this morning at the Coleman hospital at 10 o’clock.

Arrangements have been made by his son, H.H. Garman who arrived here by plane yesterday morning, for a special chartered plan to fly from Detroit to Estherville and take the remains of his father back to Detroit for burial.

Mrs. Garman, who suffered a compound fracture of her leg, and James Woodman, the chauffeur who was also injured, will return to Detroit on the same plane.

The plane left Detroit this afternoon, will stop in Des Moines and from there telephone instructions for a landing here. Arrangements have been made by the mayor to light the runway on the field with flairs. The fire truck will also report at the airport at the time the plane lands and remain there until it leaves.

It will take an hour to make preparations for the return trip after the plane arrives in Estherville. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, August 18, 1938)

Crash Injuries Are Fatal To E.L. Garman
E.L. Garman, 71, of Detroit, died at 10:10 this morning at the Coleman hospital, where he was taken Thursday after being injured in an automobile accident.

He never regained consciousness after the accident, in which he suffered a deep cut on the top of the head, a broken leg and possible internal injuries.

Physicians at the hospital were not able to determine the exact injuries Garman suffered because it was thought unwise to move him for taking x-rays. It is thought, however, that he may have had a skull fracture.

Leave Tonight
Mrs. Garman and her son, H.H. Garman, planned to leave with the body tonight in a chartered plane with Detroit as their destination. James Woodman, chauffeur who was driving the car, will make the trip also. It was not known definitely whether the plan would come here from Detroit or Des Moines. Hospital attendants said it was understood the plane would be especially equipped as an ambulance.

It also was said at the hospital that Mrs. Garman, who suffered a broken leg and back injuries in the accident, is somewhat improved and has recovered partially from the shock of the accident. Her condition was described as “fair.”

Has Three Children
Mr. Garman is survived by his widow, his son, H.H. Garman and two daughters.

The plane, a tri-motor Stinson ten-passenger ship will leave here at about 10 p.m. and Garman’s son said, will arrive there in about three hours.

H.H. Garman today expressed gratitude for the treatment given his family since the accident two days ago. “I appreciate beyond words the kindnesses shown both me and my family,” he said. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 18, 1938)

Plane Takes E.L. Garman’s Body Home
Mrs. Garman, Son, Chauffeur Return
A tri-motored Stinoson monoplane, flown by two Detroit, Mich., pilots, took off from Estherville airport this morning at 10:30 for Detroit carrying Mrs. E.L. Garman, her son, H.H. Garman, and the body of her husband, E.L. Garman who died yesterday of injuries suffered in an automobile accident here Tuesday.

Mrs. Garman is making the trip on a cot, having suffered serious injury in the same accident.

With the Garmans in the plane was a local nurse, Miss Pauline Bredberg, who will take care of Mrs. Garman on the trip, and their chauffeur, James Woodman, also hurt in the accident.

Plane Arrives at 6:30
Guy Burns and Roland Thomas, the pilots, flew the ship from Detroit, arriving here at 6:30 a.m. today. They left Detroit at 8:30 p.m. yesterday but made stops at South Bend, Ind., Moline, Ill., and Des Moines. The stops for servicing caused delay in their arrival.

Authorities here had expected the plane to arrive last night and the field was lighted with flares. A city fire truck was stationed at the field all night in case of a mishap when the heavy plane landed.

Deputy Sheriff M.E. Huckaba stayed with the truck and many people were at the field as late as 1 a.m. hoping to see the plane arrive.

Removed Some of Seats
Considerable difficulty was encountered in placing the casket and Mrs. Garman’s cot in the ship, causing delay in taking off this morning. All but two of the seats in the cabin of the plane were removed to make room for the cot and casket. The seats will be shipped to Detroit. An ambulance and a fire truck followed the heavily-loaded plane across the field until it left the ground.

Pilot Burns said this morning he thought the return trip of approximately 750 miles could be made in about eight hours.

Insurance adjustors said yesterday the Garman car is wrecked beyond repair and will be considered a complete loss by the insurance company. No provision for its disposition has been made it was said at Kepler’s garage where it was taken after the accident. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, August 19, 1938)

Garman Body to Be Taken by Plane to Detroit From Iowa
Estherville (U.P) – Preparations were made Friday for a flight to Detroit, Mich., by chartered airplane with the body of Emery S. [L] Garman, 71, Detroit tool and die manufacturer.

Garman died late Thursday from injuries suffered in an automobile crash last Tuesday.

Jim Woodman, 36, Detroit, his chauffeur, will accompany the body.

Mrs. Garman, 50, critically injured, will remain in Coleman hospital here. (Mason City Globe Gazette, Mason City, IA, August 19, 1938)

Note: Emery L. Garman is buried in Glendale Cemetery, Akron, Summit Co., OH