Allegany County MD Archives Obituaries.....Thomas L. MORRIS ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Shawn McGreevy shawnmcgreevy@geatz.com "The Herald" Piedmont, West Virginia, Thu 6 Apr 1961: " Thomas L. Morris Dies After Truck Plunges Into Dam-a requiem high mass for Thomas Lanch Morris, 28, whose body was recovered from Savage River dam last Thursday, was celebrated Monday morning in St. Peter's Catholic church, Westernport. Rev. Linus E. Robinson, pastor, was celebrant of the mass. Interment was in Philos cemetery, Westernport, where military honors were accorded by members of Victory Post 155, American Legion. Pallbearers, all members of Victory Post, were Edgar Footen, Paul Kooken, Walter Grandstaff, William Kline, John Reckley and Frank Patrone. Morris, who resided in the Crab Tree Run section of Garrett county, was last seen about 11 p.m. on March 27 when he left the home of his father, Hugh Morris, of Westernport. When he failed to return to his home, his wife assumed that he was spending the night with his father with whom he had worked that day. The father became concerned Tuesday morning when his son did not report for work. Early Thursday morning, Harold Bittinger, caretaker at the control house of the Savage River dam, noticed a tire floating near the breast of the dam. A little later that morning, John Robert Martin, of Westernport, who was traveling along the Savage River road above the dam, noticed tire marks to the edge of the embankment and saw that trees down over the steep embankment had been skinned of their bark. Martin notified Bittinger and F. D. Glass, tender of the dam, who in turn contacted the Maryland State Police. Tfc. Milton G. Hart and Tfc. Bernard Chabot, who began the investigation, called William R. McDowell, 8 Jones street, Piedmont, who is a "scuba" diver. McDowell donned his diving equipment and entered the water of the dam. With the aid of a light, he located the body of Morris in his pickup truck about 30 feet below the surface of the water. After McDowell attached a line to the vehicle, it was pulled to the surface by a tow truck operated by the Reeves Motor company. The State Troopers stated that the truck had gone off the right side of the 24-foot roadway and plummeted about 110 feet down a steep embankment which borders the dam. An autopsy of Morris' body revealed the cause of death was asphyxiation and drowning. Authorities theorized that the victim died while attempting to escape from his submerged truck. Born in Westernport, Morris was the son of Hugh Morris and the late Mrs. Mary Eva (Bradley) Morris. He attended Bruce high school, Westernport, and was a veteran of service with the Army. In addition to his father, he is survived by his wife, Mrs. Doris (Wilt) Morris; four sisters, Mrs. John Everline, and Mrs. Howard Dunnivan, both of Westernport; Mrs. Joseph Harris, of Keyser, and Mrs. Michael Mihok, of Aliquippa, Pa. Also surviving are four brothers, Elmer, Richard, John and James Morris, all of Westernport." This file is located at http://files.usgwarchives.net/md/allegany/obits/m/morris-tl.txt