Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-25
DEAD At HIS LUNCH.
II. P. Thomas Expires of Heart
Disease.

Tuesday morning at S O'Clock an aged
gentleman, tottering and unsteady un
der the weight of sixty years or more,
stepped up to the bar of John HolI-
miller's saloon in Centralia, called for a
glass of whiskey, drank the same and
paid for it. Then he passed through
| the swinging doors to the lunch counter,
seated himself at round table. ordered
something to eat and a glass of water.
These things were placed before him
and the bartender stepped back to his
work. Not three minutes elapsed be-
fore gurgling, gasping sound called
the attention of those in the saloon.
| The old mans head had fallen back on
his chair, eyes stared wide open with
deathly glare, lips quiyered as if to
speak but uttered not a sound. Drift
ing across to the other shore. Dead
The lunch remained before him un-
touched save one bite IN piece Of
cheese.
This man was II. P. Thomas, we'll
known to many residents throug hout
Wood county and to the circle of en-
ployees Oh the Valley Division of the
c. NJ. & st. P. Ry. He has no relatives
in this section of the country.
| Mr.. Thomas was born in Vermont Of
an influential and wealthy family. He
was married in that state, separated
from his wife and came to Wisconsin,
For long time he was conductor on the
st. Paul road between Watertown and
Madison. He dressed richly then, was
intelligent and we'll read. Addicted to
drink he was three times thrown out of
his position and taken back on trial,
finally to be relieved entirely. Later
| Mr.. Thomas acted as brakeman on the
old gravel train which used to run out
of Centralia with Gus. Breasted as en-
gineer. But the path was downward,
a good man and honest, victim Of an
awful fault. During recent years he has
conducted a small farm near junction
City. Monday night he registered at
the Commercial hotel Awaking on
Tuesday morning, unusually feeble, he
refused to take breakfast and walked
up town to sit down in eternal rest.
A coroner's inquest was conducted
before Justice Cooper and death was
found to have resulted from heart dis
ease, of which Mr.. Thomas was subject.
Deceased's pockets contained q cents
in money and two letters written at
Montpelier, Vermont, one dated Feb.
3, 1897, the other March 7, 1897, each
| bearing the signature, "From your
father, Stephen Thomas, 81 years old. "
Evidently the father had occasionally
sent financial assistance to his son, for
the letter of Feb. 3 had contained $50,
and also mentioned sending 500 at two
different times previously. In the let
ter of March the old father told how
misfortune had overtaken him and how
in an Iowa Loan & Trust Co., in a New
| Hampshire Granite Co., in Washington
realty deals, and i'll Iowa, Kansas and
| Vermont bank failures he had lost dur
ing late years to the amount Of over
$35,0 900, leaving him at last in strait
ened circumstances.
| Mayor F. E. Kellner took charge of
the remains and kept them at the city
| hall until message was telegraphed to
Stephen Thomas in Vermont. An
answer was received from the father
Wednesday ordering the body sent to
Montpelier, upon which long journey
the corpse was started that same day.