Three newspaper articles

# 1 - - printed in The Tribune, April 12, 1916

J. B. THOMAS MEETS DEATH IN AUTO ACCIDENT

J. B. Thomas, who had been employed as salesman for the J. E. Lutz Monumental Works was the victim of an automobile accident last Friday, which cost him his life.

Thomas left Blair at 4 p.m., to go to Omaha. He drove at a good rate of speed and when down near the Watson Hain farm in attempting to turn the machine out of a rut, it turned turtle pinning him under the running board in such a way as to cause his death.

Mr. Thomas was a man thirtyseven years of age and has been in the employ of Mr. Lutz most of the time since last June.

His body was shipped Saturday to Newcastle, Pennsylvania where his wife resides.

# 2 - - from The Pilot, April 12, 1916

J. B. Thomas, travelling salesman for J. E. Lutz, was instantly killed at about 4 o’clock last Friday afternoon as he was driving up from Omaha in the Lutz car. The accident occurred just outside of town near the Watson Hain place. He got into a rut in the road and turned too sharp to get out of it. Mrs. Bryant and Wiley George saw the accident and when they arrived Mr. Thomas was found pinned under the car dead, with the running board on his head. The body was taken to the Pierce undertaking rooms and his wife notified in Newcastle, Pa. Word was received from her at about 11 o’clock that night and the body was shipped to her on Saturday afternoon. He came here last June and went to work for Mr. Lutz in August and proved a good salesman. He was a fast driver and got reckless once too often. He was a member of the Traveller’s Protective Association and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

# 3 - - Published in Blair Democrat, April 13, 1916

MACHINE TURNS TURTLE, KILLING LUTZ’ SALESMAN

J. B. Thomas, a salesman employed by J. E. Lutz Monumental Works, met with a fatal automobile accident about four o’clock Friday afternoon. Mr. Thomas had received final instructions regarding some business to be transacted over in Iowa, to which point he was bound, when he bid goodbye to Mr. Lutz at the marble works. He left in a Ford car belonging to Mr. Lutz who received a telephone message shortly afterwards that his employee had met with an accident.

Mrs. William Bryant and her hired man William Nelson, and W. J. George, of the Independent telephone company, were witnesses to the death of Mr. Thomas in the cut below the Watson Hain place, when his automobile struck a rut, turned turtle, pinning the unfortunate man beneath, with the running board resting on his head. Death had ensued when Mrs. Bryant, Nelson and George reached the spot. A telephone call to this city brought Sheriff Compton and Chris Schmidt to the scene of the accident and the body of Mr. Thomas was brought to the Pierce undertaking establishment. No inquest was deemed necessary and the remains of the unfortunate victim of an unavoidable accident were shipped to New Castle, Pa., where the wife of Mr. Thomas resides.

J. B. Thomas came to Blair last June and in August went to work as salesman for J. E. Lutz. He proved a valuable employee and made many friends while in this city. The deceased was about forty-three years old, a native of New Castle, Pa. He had served in the Spanish-American War in the Phillippine Islands, attached to the quarter-masters department; he was a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Travellers Protective Association. Mr. Lutz was in the company of Mr. Thomas during the afternoon and the sudden death of his employee made a deep and sorrowful impression upon him.