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Joseph P. Torina

Birth
California, USA
Death
13 Jan 1925 (aged 32)
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA
Burial
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, USA Add to Map
Plot
Chapel Hill Single South, Row 2, Grave 9 (name listed as Joseph Torino on Calvary Cemetery index )
Memorial ID
View Source
Note: Name shown at Joseph TorinA on death certificate, but as Joseph TorinO on cemetery records and in newspaper.

An all-day drinking party and a wild automobile ride over suburban highway ended in death at 8:15 o'clock last night for Joseph P. Torino, 32, whose address formerly was at 1041 Walker Avenue, and a girl companion, Evelyn Roberts, 19, when the former's Hudson car, piloted by Santi Olivri, 24, Pigeon Roose Road, plunged into a ditch on the Hernando Road, a mile beyond the city limits. The driver leaped for his life when the machine spun around while traveling at terrific speed at a curve south of Forest Hill Cemetery and went 15 feet into water about three feet in depth. Momentum of the car caused it to describe a circle. The hood was turned southward, although the car was going northward at the time of the crash. the machine also was turned upside down, pinning Torina and the girl under the water, which led to the theory that death was caused by drowning. Torino's body was extricated by Earl Barnard, deputy inspector of detectives, and two detective sergeants, Frank Clark and E.M. Crumby, who had been chasing a gang of rum runners in a big Cadillac. The rum squad had passed the Torino car a few minutes prior to the accident. It was going north and the rum raiders were speeding southward. The detectives had given up the chase for the rum runners, who had passed far beyond the city limits, when they were stopped on the way back by George Berry, 1387 Azalia Street, and a companion, who had been hunting. Berry directed the detectives to the spot where the machine went over the embankment. It was pitch dark and the bodies likely would have been unnoticed by other motorists. After recovering Torino's body, the detectives were unable to move the machine and release the body of the girl. Inspector Barnard telephoned to fire headquarters. Fire Chief Fitzmorris accompanied a hook and ladder truck to the scene and the automobile was swung clear of the girl. the bodies were placed in a Collins ambulance, driving by frank Guthrie and Dewey Findley. They were conveyed to the Collins funeral residence. Torino's identification was established by a bank book found in the pocket of his coat. Albert Barasso, 23, serving a sentence at the county jail for violating the liquor law, made a statement from his cell at 1:30 o'clock this morning to Joseph G. Kennedy and Leo Mivelas, detective sergeants, in which he identified the girl killed as Miss Roberts, who address formerly was upstairs at 366 Vance Avenue. Barasso said she was his sweetheart and spoke of a sister in Highland Heights. The detectives learned that Torino, formerly in the automobile washing business at 233 Court Avenue, and the girl, had been drinking at a pig stand out on the Hernando Road during the day, and were motoring at other intervals. "The girl and Torino were said to have been very drunk," the detectives said. "The driver was intoxicated." Inspector Barnard took Olivir into custody and later turned him over to A.O. Clark, a deputy sheriff. Sheriff Will S. Knight also took a hand in the investigation and his activities may uncover other pig stand and road house scandals and lurid parties at which liquor flows freely. The Hernando Road has been in the limelight for several days. Citizens tell of wild motorists, running up and down the road, firing off their pistols. Torino's brother identified the former's body at the Collins establishment late last night. Italians from the Hernando Road and Pigeon Roost Road were interviewed last night by detectives and sheriff's deputies. They told of seeing Torino and Evelyn Roberts during the day. Inspector Barnard and a squad had spotted a suspicious car on the southeastern outskirts of the city last night which was believed to be a bandit outfit. they gave chase and at an Illinois Central crossing, the fugitive Cadillac slowed down for a moment when a person either leaped or was thrown out. Deputy Sheriff Clark was with the party of detectives at the time. He left the machine and took the person into custody. The person told them that the Cadillac belonged to rum runners and was carrying a heavy cargo. The deputy started back to the city with the prisoner and inspector Barnard continued the chase for the rum runners. It was when pursuit was abandoned that they were told of the fatal accident on the Hernando Road. The ditch into which the Torino automobile was hurled was said to be a tributary of Cane Creek. Torino was married and is survived by his widow and four children. The funeral services will be held at the home of a brother, 1041 Walker, but full arrangements have not yet been completed. (Published in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, on January 14, 1925)

Funerals of the two victims of Tuesday night's automobile crash of Hernando Road, when Evelyn Roberts, 19, of near Lucy, Tenn., and Joseph P. Torino, 32, of Memphis, lost their lives, will be held today. The funeral of the girl will be held at the home of her father, J.W. Roberts, a farmer living near Lucy. Interment will be at Woodstock. Torino's funeral will be held at the home of relatives, 1044 Walker Avenue, at 3 o'clock. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. With positive establishment yesterday that Torino was driving
the car when it turned over while going at terrific speed, Sheriff Knight yesterday ordered the release of Santi Olviri, 24, a third passenger in the machine, who jumped when he saw that the car was going to overturn as it reached a curve. The girl and Torino were killed instantly. George Berry, 1387 Azalia Street, the only witness to the accident, notified police, and detectives recovered Torino's body from the wreckage. Aid of the fire department had to be obtained, however, before the heavy car could be lifted from the body of Miss Roberts. Had Torino listened to the frantic pleas of the girl and Olviri it is probable that the accident would not have occurred. It was the climax of a day of wild drinking, a round of country roadhouses. At one roadhouse, Sheriff Knight learned yesterday, Torino, when told that he could not get liquor there, drew a pistol and fired several bullets into the building. He was prevented from doing further injury by Olviri and the girl. When they resumed riding, the girl begged Torino to let her drive, but he refused. Olviri did not know how to drive. When the car hit the curve in the road, it plunged over an embankment and into water three feet deep. For several hours after the bodies had been recovered the identity of the girl was a mystery. It was finally established by Albert Barasso, a prisoner at the county jail and a friend of the dead girl. Both bodies were held at the funeral home of John J. Collins, who will conduct the funeral. Oliviri, who was taken into custody, at the scene of the accident, was held at the county jail Tuesday night. Torino was married and had four children. (Published in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, on January 15, 1925)

From Tennessee certificate of death:
JOSEPH TORINA
Male, White, Married, Age 32
Occupation - Merchant
Date of Death - 1/13/1925
Date of Birth - May 31, 1892
Birthplace - Cal.
Name of Father - Sam Torina, born Italy
Maiden Name of Mother - Catherine ?, born Italy
Informant - Mrs. Ruby Torina, 1041 Walker, Memphis
Cause - Drowning underneath an automobile
Burial - Calvary 1/15/1925
Undertaker - Collins
Note: Name shown at Joseph TorinA on death certificate, but as Joseph TorinO on cemetery records and in newspaper.

An all-day drinking party and a wild automobile ride over suburban highway ended in death at 8:15 o'clock last night for Joseph P. Torino, 32, whose address formerly was at 1041 Walker Avenue, and a girl companion, Evelyn Roberts, 19, when the former's Hudson car, piloted by Santi Olivri, 24, Pigeon Roose Road, plunged into a ditch on the Hernando Road, a mile beyond the city limits. The driver leaped for his life when the machine spun around while traveling at terrific speed at a curve south of Forest Hill Cemetery and went 15 feet into water about three feet in depth. Momentum of the car caused it to describe a circle. The hood was turned southward, although the car was going northward at the time of the crash. the machine also was turned upside down, pinning Torina and the girl under the water, which led to the theory that death was caused by drowning. Torino's body was extricated by Earl Barnard, deputy inspector of detectives, and two detective sergeants, Frank Clark and E.M. Crumby, who had been chasing a gang of rum runners in a big Cadillac. The rum squad had passed the Torino car a few minutes prior to the accident. It was going north and the rum raiders were speeding southward. The detectives had given up the chase for the rum runners, who had passed far beyond the city limits, when they were stopped on the way back by George Berry, 1387 Azalia Street, and a companion, who had been hunting. Berry directed the detectives to the spot where the machine went over the embankment. It was pitch dark and the bodies likely would have been unnoticed by other motorists. After recovering Torino's body, the detectives were unable to move the machine and release the body of the girl. Inspector Barnard telephoned to fire headquarters. Fire Chief Fitzmorris accompanied a hook and ladder truck to the scene and the automobile was swung clear of the girl. the bodies were placed in a Collins ambulance, driving by frank Guthrie and Dewey Findley. They were conveyed to the Collins funeral residence. Torino's identification was established by a bank book found in the pocket of his coat. Albert Barasso, 23, serving a sentence at the county jail for violating the liquor law, made a statement from his cell at 1:30 o'clock this morning to Joseph G. Kennedy and Leo Mivelas, detective sergeants, in which he identified the girl killed as Miss Roberts, who address formerly was upstairs at 366 Vance Avenue. Barasso said she was his sweetheart and spoke of a sister in Highland Heights. The detectives learned that Torino, formerly in the automobile washing business at 233 Court Avenue, and the girl, had been drinking at a pig stand out on the Hernando Road during the day, and were motoring at other intervals. "The girl and Torino were said to have been very drunk," the detectives said. "The driver was intoxicated." Inspector Barnard took Olivir into custody and later turned him over to A.O. Clark, a deputy sheriff. Sheriff Will S. Knight also took a hand in the investigation and his activities may uncover other pig stand and road house scandals and lurid parties at which liquor flows freely. The Hernando Road has been in the limelight for several days. Citizens tell of wild motorists, running up and down the road, firing off their pistols. Torino's brother identified the former's body at the Collins establishment late last night. Italians from the Hernando Road and Pigeon Roost Road were interviewed last night by detectives and sheriff's deputies. They told of seeing Torino and Evelyn Roberts during the day. Inspector Barnard and a squad had spotted a suspicious car on the southeastern outskirts of the city last night which was believed to be a bandit outfit. they gave chase and at an Illinois Central crossing, the fugitive Cadillac slowed down for a moment when a person either leaped or was thrown out. Deputy Sheriff Clark was with the party of detectives at the time. He left the machine and took the person into custody. The person told them that the Cadillac belonged to rum runners and was carrying a heavy cargo. The deputy started back to the city with the prisoner and inspector Barnard continued the chase for the rum runners. It was when pursuit was abandoned that they were told of the fatal accident on the Hernando Road. The ditch into which the Torino automobile was hurled was said to be a tributary of Cane Creek. Torino was married and is survived by his widow and four children. The funeral services will be held at the home of a brother, 1041 Walker, but full arrangements have not yet been completed. (Published in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, on January 14, 1925)

Funerals of the two victims of Tuesday night's automobile crash of Hernando Road, when Evelyn Roberts, 19, of near Lucy, Tenn., and Joseph P. Torino, 32, of Memphis, lost their lives, will be held today. The funeral of the girl will be held at the home of her father, J.W. Roberts, a farmer living near Lucy. Interment will be at Woodstock. Torino's funeral will be held at the home of relatives, 1044 Walker Avenue, at 3 o'clock. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. With positive establishment yesterday that Torino was driving
the car when it turned over while going at terrific speed, Sheriff Knight yesterday ordered the release of Santi Olviri, 24, a third passenger in the machine, who jumped when he saw that the car was going to overturn as it reached a curve. The girl and Torino were killed instantly. George Berry, 1387 Azalia Street, the only witness to the accident, notified police, and detectives recovered Torino's body from the wreckage. Aid of the fire department had to be obtained, however, before the heavy car could be lifted from the body of Miss Roberts. Had Torino listened to the frantic pleas of the girl and Olviri it is probable that the accident would not have occurred. It was the climax of a day of wild drinking, a round of country roadhouses. At one roadhouse, Sheriff Knight learned yesterday, Torino, when told that he could not get liquor there, drew a pistol and fired several bullets into the building. He was prevented from doing further injury by Olviri and the girl. When they resumed riding, the girl begged Torino to let her drive, but he refused. Olviri did not know how to drive. When the car hit the curve in the road, it plunged over an embankment and into water three feet deep. For several hours after the bodies had been recovered the identity of the girl was a mystery. It was finally established by Albert Barasso, a prisoner at the county jail and a friend of the dead girl. Both bodies were held at the funeral home of John J. Collins, who will conduct the funeral. Oliviri, who was taken into custody, at the scene of the accident, was held at the county jail Tuesday night. Torino was married and had four children. (Published in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, on January 15, 1925)

From Tennessee certificate of death:
JOSEPH TORINA
Male, White, Married, Age 32
Occupation - Merchant
Date of Death - 1/13/1925
Date of Birth - May 31, 1892
Birthplace - Cal.
Name of Father - Sam Torina, born Italy
Maiden Name of Mother - Catherine ?, born Italy
Informant - Mrs. Ruby Torina, 1041 Walker, Memphis
Cause - Drowning underneath an automobile
Burial - Calvary 1/15/1925
Undertaker - Collins


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