Title	Mr.
Last Name	Baskett
First Name	Thomas
Middle Name	J.
Maiden Name
Nick Name
Place of Birth	St. Joseph's, Canada
Date of Birth	1876
Place of Death	Waterville, ME
Date of Death	1935-04-18
Publication	The Eastern Gazette 4-25-1935, p.1
Obituary	FATAL AUTOIMOBILE ACCIDENT Thomas J. Baskett, 59, Prominent Garage Man and Former Mill Owner, Meets Sudden Death Truck Driver Exonerated The remains of Thomas J. Baskett of Dexter, who was fatally injured in an automobile accident near Pittsfield about 7 o'clock last Thursday evening, were brought to Dexter Friday morning from the Sisters' hospital in Waterville, where he passed away five hours after the accident. Dexter relatives placed no credence in the rumor that a note in Mr. Baskett's pocket had any significance in connection with his death. The crudely written note, reading, " We told you so; now beware", is thought to have been a joke, in that the 59-year-old mill worker and garageman had no enemies. His visit to Dexter Thursday was partly to see his son, Albert, who had been ill. The father left him at 4:30 and was last seen in Dexter about 6:30 just before starting on his return to Skowhegan, where he was to resume his work with the American Woolen Co. He had been laid off for the past two months and was to have a new position as assistant designer. He had been working at the mill for about a year and boarding in Skowhegan. Account By Truck Driver James A. Emerson of Corinna, driver of the truck into which Mr. Baskett's car ran headlong, completely demolishing the latter, came to Dexter Friday when the remains were brought to the undertaking rooms of Ramsay & Gates. He was entirely exonerated by highway police officials from any blame for the accident. Mr. Emerson stated that when be first saw Mr. Baskett's car, it was on his, Mr. Emerson's side of the road going toward a telephone pole which it barely avoided, then righted itself and almost reached its own side of the road before striking the truck. Officer George P. Beckett of the State police, called to investigate the accident, telephoned officer A. C. Dorr of Dexter about 9 o'clock asking him to notify the injured man's family. Mr. Baskett's son, Albert T. Baskett and daughter, Mrs. Frank Morgirdge, left Dexter about 9:45 for Waterville, but the father died just before they reached the hospital, never having regained consciousness. He suffered a concussion of the brain. Thomas J. Baskett was born in St. Joseph's, Canada, and came first to Sangerville, where he married Miss Mary LaFountaine, who died 12 years ago. They lived in Dexter about 25 years. First working in the mills, he later purchased one of them and managed it under the name of the Center Woolen Co., selling out about eight years ago. For a number of years he was in the automobile business on Lincoln street, a business now managed by his son Albert. The funeral was held Saturday morning in St. Ann's Catholic church of which he was a communicant. Besides the son and daughter above mentioned, the deceased is survived by his aged father, John T. Baskett, also of Dexter.