Hustler Raptor SD 54" with 23HP Kawasaki died and won't restart with only 68 hours

I was mowing just fine, engine had been running continuous for 15 minutes since I ran out of gas and had to fill tank with 3 gallons, so I know it ran out, and had the typical running out symptoms of slowing down, cutting out, then dying out. Started OK once I filled with gasoline, ran 15 minutes mowing on varied terrain, no steep slopes, was right near house on 67 acre farm when I made a 180 degree turn, traveled a few feet and it died immediately as if I turned the key off. Cranked but would not restart after I disengaged clutch and placed travel handles in start position. After a few minutes I tried and it started for about one second, or about as quick a I let off the starter. Tried to start again immediately but it would not fire. I let it cool down, came back in 30 minutes, same symptoms. I thought maybe I had a tiny bit of water in can that I filled from, though highly unlikely. and it it had run 15 minutes since filling, but I took the fuel filter loose from the engine end hose, and laid the filter down, and no fuel ran out, so I installed a new filter and laid it down the same way, and still no fuel ran out. I removed the gas cap and put my face on the neck to seal it, and blew, then fuel came out of the "top" of the filter, so I hooked it up to the fuel hose to the engine. Still the same symptoms, will fire for about one second, then dying, and having to wait several minutes for it to fire shortly again.
Perplexed.
Jon

Hustler Raptor SD 54" with 23HP Kawasaki died and won't restart with only 68 hours