Extracted from The Monroe Morning World (Monroe, LA)
Sunday, November 1, 1953

Two W. Carroll Men Killed In Tractor Crash

OAK GROVE, Oct. 31 (Special) -- Two residents of Briggs community near Oak Grove were killed Saturday evening in an accident near here when a truck rammed into the read end of a trailer being pulled by a tractor.

The dead were Ed Horace Lester, 62, driver of the tractor, and William Austin Hays, 79, who was riding in the trailer.

According to reports the trailer was struck from behind by a Chevrolet pickup truck being driven by B. L. Dyches. The truck, tractor and trailer were reported demolished. No report on the extent of Dyches' injuries was immediately available. The accident occurred around 6 p.m.

Services for the two men have been scheduled for Sunday and Monday, under the direction of Catron-Gay Funeral Home of Oak Grove.

For Lester, services will be 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Catron-Gay Chapel with Rev. J. D. Cheatham officiating. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Myra Lester; two sons, Adron, Whittier, Calif.; James A. of Oak Grove, one daughter Mrs. Era Adams, Los Angeles, Calif.; two brothers Thomas Lester, and James A. Lester, Jr., both of Oak Grove; two sisters, Mrs. Nina McVay and Mrs. Ninnie Webb, both of Shreveport; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services for Hays will be held in the funeral home chapel 2:30 p.m. Monday with Rev. Cheatham officiating, and burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery. He is survive[d] by his wife, Mrs. Mattie Hays; three sons, James, Joe and William, all of the home address; three daughter[s], Miss Katherine Hays, home address; Mrs. Audis Hatten, Oak Grove; Mrs. Mary Vizina, Los Angeles; one brother, Alfred Hays, Long Beach, Calif.; one sister, Mrs. Ora Kock, Lima, Ohio, and one grandchild.