Accident: April 7, 1924

Death April 16, 1924

Very little improvement in the condition of Fire Chief A. S. Hughes and James H. Hale, firemen, was shown Tuesday morning at the St.. Paul’s Sanitarium.

Chief Hughes and Hale were injured in the fire truck collision at Ross avenue and Leonard street early Monday morning.

Sic other firemen were thrown from the trucks, but not seriously injured and were removed to their homes.

It has not been determined whether it will be necessary to amputate the right foot of Chief Hughes as was thought Monday morning at the sanitarium following the wreck.

In the little Walnut Grove cemetery at Celina, Texas, a fresh-made grave is yawning now.

There, Thursday, it will close forever.

And a new tombstone in the ***lent city of the dead will serve to show where all that’s mortal remains of A. S. ("Scottie") Hughes.

Hughes, Dallas’ hero in scores of fires, victor time and time again against countless odds, and beloved assistant chief of the fire department, lost his last great battle.

Blood-poisoning, resulted from injuries received here April 7, when speeding fire trucks crashed together, caused his death at 4:30 o’clock Tuesday afternoon.

Suffering in the hospital for more than a week, he faced his death as fearlessly as he always had during his 20 years of service to Dallas.

"Others First."

And as he passed on, the first words that he spoke after the fatal crash—"Take care of the others first. I’m all right"—were recalled by those who knew him best and loved him most, his "buddies" in the department.

To these veterans in the service, the death of Chief Hughes was one of the saddest things that ever happened.

His place on the old chemical truck at the Central Fire station is vacant, decked in mourning crepe. His helmet, his boots, his fire-fighting accouterments placed on the seat he used to occupy only serve to accentuate his absence.

This same truck, manned by all its crew save one—"Scotty"—and with his place hung in crepe, will escort the funeral cortege to the Dallas city limits as it wends it way overland to the Celina cemetery Thursday.

"His is a vacancy that can never be filled in our hearts, " said Fire Chief Tom A. Myers.

"It is impossible to estimate the loss to the department," the service-soared chief declared.

"Nothing more can be said of a man that can be said of Scottie Hughes—he died in the line of duty, and he was fearless in his duty and his devotion to his fellow man."

"To have known and served with a man like Chief Hughes for twenty years and then to forget is impossible," others asserted.

"He was hit my best best friend," Chief Myers added.

Every fireman in the department who can possibly be spared from duty and all of those off duty Thursday plan to attend the funeral of their assistant chief.

"I am sure his death came as he would have wished it—while on duty," said R. L. Thornton, president of the Merchantile Bank & Trust Co., personal friend of Chief Hughes.

"Scottie and I were roommates twenty-three years ago, occupying the attic of a lower Ross avenue boarding house together. I have known him intimately all these years—and many times we divided our last dime together.

He was a quiet, honest, dependable, lovable man—a good friend, a good citizen, and one in whom trust and responsibility could always be placed with safety.

In the passing of Scottie Hughes, Dallas looses another of that immortal band, the protectors of life and property, our firemen," he concluded.

It was largely due to the efforts of Chief Hughes that the double platoon system was established in the department, while he is also credited with having brought about the present system of regular inspections of buildings to illuminate fire hazards.

He was tireless in his work to make the department here one of the best in the nation, as well as the most efficient.

Aside from being leader in the department, however, Chief Hughes was active in a number of fraternal organizations.

He was a member of Tannehill lodge No. 72, A. F. and A. M.; a member of Hella Temple Shrine; president of the fireman’s degree team; and chancellor commander of Dallas Lodge No. 160 Nights of Pythias.

In his honor, the Pythian luncheon club meeting, scheduled Thursday, has been postponed.

It was also announced Wednesday that officials of Lone Star chapter, Knights of the Ross Cruix, will hold Rose Criux ceremonies at the bier in Scottish Rite cathedral starting at 9 a.m. Thursday.

The body of Chief Hughes, since Wednesday morning, has been lying in state at the Scottish Rite cathedral, and there, during the day, hundreds of persons, with heads bared, had passed the casket in tribute to the beloved veteran.

It is at the cathedral, at 10 o’clock Thursday morning, that the funeral service will be conducted.

The body will then be taken to the Walnut Grove grave.

Chief Hughes, born in Celina forty-six years ago, came to Dallas in 1903 and became a member of the fire department the following year. His service with it had been continuous.

He is survived by one brother, P. T. Hughes, captain at Oak Lawn fire station, and one sister, Mrs. C. Butts, of St. Louis, Mo.

Active pallbearers, all service-scarred veterans of the department here are:

Chief William Wolf, Captain R. A. Norwood, A. H. Ward, R. S. Williams, Captain E. O. Banks, M. O. Allen, Captain Reid McKay, Captain E. N. Hartley.

Honorary pallbearers will be Mayor Louis Blaylock, Commissioner Louis Turley, Commissioner John C. Harris, Commissioner Harry Gowins, Commissioner Gus Wylie, Chief T. A. Myers, Assistant Chief J. J. Marder, Assistant Chief John Redmond, Assistant Chief J. M. Templeton, Assistant Chief F. H. Bachman, Assistant Chief D. D. Barnes, Assistant Chief J. T. Coffman, Sam P. Cochran, M. H. Thomas, Colby E. Smith, U. G. Doran, D. C. McCord, F. D. Thomas, Z. E. Marvin, Pat Perkinson, J. L. Stevens, Asher Mintz, Joe Evans, J. W. Shull, Earl H. Silven, Dr. A. C. Parker, J. D. Van Winkle, George K. Butcher, Walter C. Temple, Dr. W. W. Samuel, Dr. A. R. Thomasson, Loyd Skiles, Richard W. Joyner, Chief Standifer Fergerson of Fort Worth, Frank W. Wozencraft, Royal R. Ferris, Jr., Frank Coe, C. H. Brantley, Ben C. Richards, George W. Loudermilk, Will H. Duncan, H. S. Osbourn, Chief of Police C. W. Trammell, Detective Chief Charles Gunning, W. A. Ward, W. H. Hastings, Judge F. H. Alexander, Judge P. D. Crawford, Chief La Roe, Terrell, Texas; Chief Olen Culberson, Hillsboro, Texas, Mosely Francis, Celina; Chief John Rowsey, Greenville; Chief Johnnie McKinney, McKinney; J. H. L. C. English, Dallas; Dr. John Gossett, McKinney; Joe Perkins, John Perkins, Buck Winn, Buck O’Brien, Gus O’Brien, William Hunter, Fate Otel, Sam E. Bateman, Dr. R. L. Clayton, Robert Finley, J. Ed. Owsley, and Lee Malone of Celina.