Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-09-24
LIFE OF JOHN THOMAS ENDED.
Party In Gasoline Launch Capszed and Asylum Supern
tendent Drowns.-Body Recovered Today.

once took liking to their new super
intendent, and that good feeling pre-
vailed to the end. In addition to know
ing how to manage the asylum proper,
Mr.. Thomas was also a practical farm
er-one of modern methods and ideas
He took great pride in the grounds
He laid out small park in front of the
building, having maze of labyrinth
walks. bordered with evergreen trees
and still further beautitied with rose
bushes and pretty flowers. In this park
he had planned resting places for the
patients, that they might get as much
enjoyment out of their unhappy lives
as possible. Rows of trees were set out
| along the river bank at its terrace and
young maple and other trees were cul-
tivated in the garden with view ot
still further identifying the grounds
later on. He admired the work of ma
ture, but where nature failed, he inn
proved.
In bis everyday life Mr.. Thomas was
quiet and unassuming. Nothing excited
him and he was the last man in the
world to crowd himself upon or intrude
on others. He was rather given to hid
ing his own merits rather than allow
them to be seen or commented upon by
others. Notwithstanding this nature,
he was easy to approach and had the
happy faculty of cultivating lasting
friendship with everyone he met.
There was none of the impulsive in his
nature and therefore his temperament
was less responsive to the coarser ele-
ments noticeable in most mems lives.
The John Thomas you met today would
be the same John Thomas tomorrow, in
action as well as name. 1t was such
traits which caused him to be univers-
ally respected and honored.
In the quietude of his home life it was
the same-the solicitous care he exer-
cisod in an official way was enlarged
upon in looking after affairs which were
of interest to his family, and no better
husband or father ever lived than he.
The sympathy of the entire communi-
ty goes out to the bereaved relatives in
their dark hour of affiiction. Since the
sad event the question heard on the
streets has been "Has the body been
found yet 90 Everyone has taken
deep interest in the matter and the ex-
preston of sympathy for the family has
come from every lip.
AT the time of her husbands death
Mrs. Thomas was in Milwaukee and to
DR.. David IL. Thomas of that city,
brother of deceased, fell the sad duty of
informing her of the terrible news. The
doctor and Mrs. Thomas arrived here
Saturday night.
Besides his wife and two children and
brother mentioned, deceased is survived
by two sisters, Mrs III. G.. Head and
Miss Margaret Thomas, both of this
city.
He was a member of Fores. Lodge,
No. 100, +. and A. M, and of Wauwa-
tosa Camp, No. 2537. M. w. A., and of
the UniVersalist church.
In view of the fact that the body had
not been found and that the suspense
of the family was so great, Mayor Dun
can yesterday issued proclamation
calling upon citizens to join today and
tomorrow in searching the river. Ac-
cordinglya large party went out this
morning, meeting at the McCleary
bridge and provided with apparatus
the river was systematically dragged.
1t was intended that there should be no
let up in the work until the remains
were found.
When the searching party got out to
the river this morning work was at
once started dragging the bottom at
point where Mr.. Thomas disappeared,
the men working down stream from
that point. One crew got down to the
McCleary bridge, and while one of the
party, Geo. Chatham, was dragging the
middle of the river at point about
sixty feet below the bridge his pike pole
caught on some obstruction and slipped
off. He put the pole back in the water
a second time and hooked the object
again. This time he brought the body
of Mr.. Thomas to the top of the water
and it was taken ashore.
The place where the body was found
is about quarters of mile down
the river from where the drowning
occurred. Parties heretofore had been
dragging the river up further, nearer
the scene of the accident-it was not
supposed that the body had been car
ried so far down stream. For that rea-
son, it is quite likely, the remains were
not recovered sooner.
Just below the McCleary bridge is
deep hole and it was in this that MIR.
Thomas was found. His pockets were
heavily weighted with sand, which
probably kept him from being carried
down stream further.
The finding of the remains has re-
moved great strain from the minds
of the family, for the conditions
following his death made their
grief so much harder to bear There
was a possibility of Mr. Thomas being
buried in sand bar and never being
found.
The funeral services will be held
Thursday afternoon at two O'Clock at
the. late home of deceased, the county
asylum. The services will be conducted
by Rev., L. b. I. Fisher, pastor of the
Universalist church, who will be assist
ed by the Rev. b. b. Gibbs, formerly of
Wausau, now of Hoopeston, H. The
member of Forest Lodge No. 100, T.
and A. NJ, will have charge of the
funeral, and deceased will be buried
with Masonic honors.
FIRST SNOW,