George J. Held

George J. Held, Popular Lusk Garageman, Loses Life in Automobile Wreck Near Shawnee

Rear End Collision in Fog Cause of Fatal Crash; Masonic Funeral Held Tuesday

George J. Held, 39 years old, proprietor of the Hiway Garage of Lusk, was fatally injured at about 5 o'clock last Sunday evening, December 16, about a mile east of Shawnee, when his car was struck from behind by a car driven by Donald Peet of Lance Creek, while Mr. Held was cleaning the frost off the windshield of the car.

He passed away while a passing motorist was rushing him back to Douglas so that he could be placed in the Douglas Hospital. His wife was holding him and was doing everything to make him comfortable when the end came.

Mr. and Mrs. Held and two daughters had been to Douglas to visit Mrs. Beulah Hurst and were returning to Lusk when the accident occurred. they had reached the low stretch in the road about three-quarters of a mile east of Shawnee when the fog became so bad that George stopped the car to wipe the frost off the windshield and headlights, stopping the car, a new Plymouth coach, on the right side of the road, with the two right wheels a little way over on the shoulder of the road.

He had evidently just wiped off the windshield, or was bending down to scrape the frost off the headlights, when the car was struck in the rear by a car driven by Donald Peet, an Oldsmobile, owned by Ed Kirk of lance Creek. The impact was so great that it threw the Held car about 25 feet, and as George was directly in front of the car, he received the full force of the impact. His right leg was broken, the sharp radiator emblem on his car pierced his chest, puncturing one of his lungs and apparently piercing a portion of the heart. He died from internal hemorrhage caused by the injury.

He was made as comfortable as possible until a passing motorist arrived and started to Douglas with him.

Fred Runge, representative of Hendrie & Bolthoff, and one of the proprietors of the Ranger Hotel of Lusk, just passed the Held car standing at the side of the road, and had also passed the car driven by Peet, heard the collision, and, turning around, came back to the scene. He helped lift Mr. Held into another car and then took the two Held children back to Douglas. Mr. Runge, who was on his way to Douglas, telephoned news of the accident to Lusk.

Peet claims he was driving between 30 and 35 miles an hour. He had been to Casper in the Kirk car to bring back his wife and small baby who had been visiting her parents there. In the car with him were also Mrs. Ed Kirk and son Sam, and Mrs. George Joss and daughter Jean. Mrs. Peet was bruised about the knees, and Mrs. Kirk suffered bad cuts on the forehead and her legs were also badly cut, probably from coming in contact with the heater. Mrs. Joss received a bad cut on the chin. The children riding in the car were unhurt.

According to Peet's version of the accident, he ran unexpectedly into the dense fog. Mrs. Kirk, who was riding in the front seat with him, had just switched on the lights as they ran into the fog bank, and the Held car loomed up in front of his so suddenly that he says he had not time to stop nor turn out to miss the car. he struck the Held car "dead center," the fenders on both cars meeting squarely. Mrs. Held was sitting in the front seat, and the two children were in the rear seat, none of them being hurt. The force of the collision threw Held's body against the front of his own car with such force that the sharp radiator emblem pierced his chest and was broken off when the cars suddenly stopped, throwing him clear of the car.

The Held car was severely damaged, but was later driven to Lusk under its own poer by John Lorenzen of the Hiway Garage. The car driven by Peet was towed to the Charley Hitshew ranch, near Lost Springs, and the injured occupants made comfortable until Dr. Reckling arrived and brought them to Lusk.

Peet was exonerated from blame by a coroner's jury which heard the case Monday afternoon. He and his brother, Melvin Peet, went to Douglas Monday to attend the inquest.

MASONIC SERVICES HELD TUESDAY

Funeral services for George J. held, were held Tuesday afternoon from the Congregational Church, and was one of the largest funerals ever held in Lusk, a tribute to the high regard in which he was held by his fellow citizens. Rev. Edwin F. Irwin, a close personal friend of the deceased, officiated at the Church and delivered a beautiful eulogy of the departed. Services at the grave were in charge of the Harmony Masonic Lodge, of which deceased was a member, Worshipful Master L.G. McKinnis officiating. Pallbearers, all member s of the Lodge, were Will Hassed, A.B. Mills, Harry Sager, D.A. Shoopman, Frank W. Chambers, Hans Gautschi, Wm. Bradley and R.I. Olinger of Newcastle.

A mixed quartet composed of R.A. Faulk, Ford B. Kuns, Mrs. H.J. Templeton and Mrs. Floyd Deuel, accompanied by Miss Alice Fowler at the piano, furnished the music.

The American Legion, of which deceased was a member, attended the services both at the church and at the cemetery in a body.

HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN LUSK FOR 15 YEARS

George Held has been active in the business and social life of Lusk ever since he came here about fifteen years shortly after being discharged from service in the World War.He was a man who made and held friends and if he had an enemy, no one ever knew it. He was active in everything which made for the upbuilding of the community, and was that type of citizen whose loss will be felt in every phase of the civic endeavor.

George J. Held was born at Butte, Montana, on the 21st day of December, 1895, the son of Mr. and Mrs. George John Held. He grew up and attended school there and in Kalispell, Montana. During the World War he enlisted in the United States Army. Afterward he lived in the State of Washington for a period of about six months, coming to Lusk in 1919, where he started in business. He continued in this business up to the time of his death.

He was married on the 28th day of may, 1925, to Jennie Carlson of Lusk.

He was a member of the Harmony Lodge No. 24, A.,F.& A.M., a member of the Lusk Lion's Club and the Lusk Post American Legion.

He was both a member and a trustee of the Congregational Church.

He passed from this life on Sunday last, December 16th, at the age of 39, lacking just five days.

He leaves his wife, two children, Mary Lee and Carol Jean; his father and mother, three brothers and three sisters and innumerable friends.

THE LUSK HERALD December 21, 1934

MRS. HELD IS TO CONTINUE GARAGE HERE

Both Hiway Garage and Hiway Super Service Station to Continue as Before

Announcement was made Wednesday that the Hiway Garage, which has been operated by the late Geo. J. Held for the past fifteen years, would be continued by Mrs. held, who has been actively associated in the business with her husband.

John Lorenzen, who had been associated with Mr. Held in the repair and service department in the garage for many years, will act as shop foreman, while Mrs. Held will take care of the office work.
Avery Smith and Connie Froshheiser, who have been with the Hiway as floor men for some time, will continue in their present positions.

The Hiway Super-Service Station, which has been operated jointly by Jake Lorenzen and Mr. Held, under management of Mr. Lorenzen, will continue to be operated jointly by Mrs. Held and Lorenzen. In all respects, the business of both the Hiway Garage and Super-Service station will continue as before.

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