AUTO ACCIDENT

It occurred on Tuesday night, August 11, 1936, when Bert’s neighbor from across the street, Frances Hines, was driving the vehicle. Other passengers included Stella Withem from Pleasantville and W. M. Boucher, another neighbor on West Mulberry Street. Police reported the accident occurring when Mrs. Hines’s vehicle skid through the grass while she maneuvered a curve on Route 37 between Bremen and Junction City, which caused the car to overturn. The B. F. Linville ambulance of Bremen transported all those involved to the hospital, and they were all released after being cared for.

LANCASTER WATER METER TESTS

Bert, along with Harry Reed, was part of the water meter check as he and Harry tested 6,500 water meters throughout the Lancaster area which started May 5, 1947. The city-wide survey, initiated by the city council, planned to determine where sources of water loss occurred, announced the Service-Safety Director, D. L. Grove. The goals were to determine which meters read slow or fast, which needed repaired, or if a new meter was needed altogether. Grove further explained, “Many of the water meters in Lancaster homes have never been replaced or repaired, and such a test may help the city locate leakages, etc., which may be responsible for the 42 percent water losses.” He further noted that the city would incur any expense resulting in the discovery and repair.

RETIREMENT

According to the 1950 U.S. Census, Bert lived alone at his residence on High Street in Lancaster. The Lancaster Eagle-Gazette reported all 8,340 Lancaster citizens who were opposed to the Pay Roll Income Tax, Bert was listed as included on Saturday, August 11, 1951. The Service-Safety Director Tom B. Cox announced at the Wednesday meeting that Bert retired the previous day, Tuesday, June 30, 1953, after 39 years of service with the Lancaster City Water Department. The news was also reported to the Civil Service Commission among other important matters in which they addressed.

MUSHROOM DISCOVERY

After Bert’s retirement he, along with Henry Frank, discovered an eight-pound puff ball mushroom during their mushroom hunting expedition. The Eagle office displayed the discovery in their window for those that doubted to witness the find.

HOSPITAL VISITS

After retirement Bert found himself in the hospital on several occasions. First on Valentine’s Day, Monday, February 14, 1955, he was treated and released the same day. On Friday, March 10, 1961, the hospital admitted Bert, living at 233 South Columbus Street at the time. The Lancaster Eagle-Gazette reported Bert Hedges was released from medical care at the hospital on March 24, 1961. He was admitted to the hospital again on Wednesday, February 17, 1965, living at 222 Riverside Drive at the time. He was then released Tuesday, March 30, 1965.

INTERESTING DISCOVERY ON THE LAWN

Friday evening at 7 p.m., on May 29, 1964, Bert notified the authorities of a human arm lying in their yard. The prompt resulted in a full out investigation of a missing person and discovery of a decomposed body. Hedges and Russ Singleton admitted their dogs had been playing with the object most of the afternoon and informed them they had not stopped to notice it was a human arm. After examining the arm, Police Captain Flaveon E. Augg reported, “The arm had been pulled out of the body at the shoulder socket and it appeared that the limb had not been severed; because of this, foul play has generally been discounted.” It was explained by the authorities that they believed the dogs had found the body and pulled the arm from the remains. After authorities initiated a search party, assisted by Deputy Sheriff Ed Bigham, the body was recovered within minutes the following morning by the Fairfield County Underwater Recovery Squad directed by the police. They exhumed the body from the Hocking River near the shore approximately 200 yards south of the Lincoln Avenue Bridge. The body was believed to belong to a 25-year-old male that had not been seen for days. Captain Augg added that when the body was found it was fully clothed and they hoped to identify the man since he still had a tobacco pouch on his person. Hoping the hand survived decomposition, a positive identification through fingerprinting is believed to bring a breakthrough. The Fairfield County Coroner, L. L. Kersell, M.D. ordered the arm and body to be examined further by the pathology department at The Ohio State University. Authorities believed the man fell into the river and drowned, however, at the time no official verdict on the cause of death was identified. The next day the Eagle-Gazette reported the findings of the police investigation. Since the discovery Saturday, police were able to identify the man found on the shores of the Hocking River through a thumbprint taken by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation located in London, Ohio. The individual, David E. Faigley, 25, was believed to have fallen into the river and drowned. He was buried in Elmwood Cemetery and believed to have died May 2, 1964, the day which he was reported missing, which means that his body lie in a watery, makeshift grave for almost a month.

LEGACY

Albert Hedges was also recorded as being a member of the Lancaster United Brethren Church. He passed away Sunday, June 25, 1967, at the Broadview Nursing Home in Lancaster. REV. Roger L. Bishop officiated the funeral at the Sheridan Funeral Home and his burial occurred at Pine Grove Cemetery in Madison Township. He is buried next to his brother, Ruben Hedges who passed away on May 14, 1963.