Statewide County AZ Archives Obituaries.....Butzer, Otto 1904
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D. Joshua Taylor http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00006.html#0001358 and Elizabeth Burns  July 21, 2005, 1:59 pm

Arizona Republican-Nov 27, 1904
OTTO BUTZER
November 27, 1904

Otto Butzer of Tempe came to a sudden and accidental death 
in this city yesterday about 12:15 by carelessly stepping 
from a street car, falling and breaking his neck.

Mr. Butzer was at the office of the Arizona Abstract Company 
less than an hour before and had made an appointment to return 
in the afternoon.  In the meantime he intended to go to 
McCarthy Blacksmith Shop and look at a buggy, the purchase 
of which he had in mind.  He boarded an open west bound car, 
which was under the charge of D.H. Schultz as conductor and 
N. Ruck as motorman.  The conductor was on the rear platform 
and the motorman was at his post.  Just after passing Fifth 
Avenue Mr. Butzer rang the bell for the accommodation of a 
lady passenger who desired to leave the car at the next 
street.  As he resumed his seat his hat blew off and he 
turned round as if to rise when the conductor seeing him, 
rang three bells, the signal for stopping immediately.  Mr. 
Butzer, however, did not understand the signal or else 
like the average man, assumed that he could jump without 
hurting himself and thus save time.  He therefore rose 
without waiting for the car to stop and stepped off.  As 
he did so he was turned around so he fell on his back, 
breaking the spinal cord between the third and fourth 
vertebrae.

Dr. Bell chanced to be passing when the incident occurred 
and at once came to the man's assistance, but he could find 
no sign of life nor by any means resuscitate him, death 
having come instantly.

Coroner Burnett was notified and empanelled a jury which 
viewed the body after which is was taken to Easterling and 
Whitney where the funeral will be held today at 2 o'clock 
under the auspices of the Odd Fellows Lodge.

The inquest revealed the above facts, all on board the car 
testifying that Mr. Butzer stepped from the car backwards 
or in such a manner that he fell backward, and the verdict 
exonerated the company and its employees.

Mr. Butzer was 52 years old and had lived in the vicinity of 
Tempe for twenty years or more, being one of the earliest 
settlers on farming lands thereabout.  He was a native of 
Germany and leaves no family or relatives in this country.  
Thought not a successful man in point of accumulating 
wealth, he was a jovial, good natured person and was 
universally liked.  For a great many years he was 
secretary of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Tempe.

Probably the best friend Mr. Butzer ever had was F.G. 
Frankenburg of Tempe.  Both were pioneers in that section, 
both were farmers, an occupation generally supposed to be 
less hazardous than any other, and both were leading 
members in the Odd Fellows Lodge of Tempe.  Only a few 
years ago Mr. Frankenburg was kicked and dragged to death 
by a horse and now Mr. Butzer dies even more suddenly and 
at a moment when a tragedy would least be expected.

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