WEALTHY FARMER BURNED TO DEATH
W. Elmer McClung. of Near Mason, Destroys Home and Self Sunday Morning Is Theory.
Charred remains, supposed to be those of W. Elmer McClung, wealthy farmer residing one mile north of Mason on the Lebanon & Mason pike, were found Sunday afternoon after flames, which completely destroyed his beautiful country home had spent their course. It is thought that McClung set fire to his home and then committed suicide.
Early Sunday morning, Mr. McClung was seen to leave the house and it was learned later that he drove over to the home of his son, Frank, who lives on the road to Bethany, where he had a consultation with Frank and Elmer, a younger son. Among other things he told them that if anything ever happened to him his valuable papers will be found in the wall pocket on the left side of the automobile, a seven-passenger Buick sedan. After the fire, these papers were found as described in the machine which was parked in front of the house.
Smoke was first seen to issue from the upper windows of the southeast part of the house by two neighbors, L. H. Atkins and Ed Quinby, who were first on the scene. They went through the house and were able to enter all except the room usually occupied by Mr. McClung. This was found to be locked and they forced an entrance, but the smoke, heat and fire were so intense that they were forced to desist and closed the door to keep the flames from spreading. More people collected and the furniture was removed from the house. Owing to the fact that a gale was blowing from the northeast, and the fire started at a point opposite, the building was slow in burning, as the fire had to practically eat its way against the wind; for this reason, the southeast portion of the house was subject to intense heat for several hours.
The Mason fire department was summoned and with chemical tanks and motor engine attempted to fight the flames. They made no headway, but did save the adjacent buildings, one a long shed that stood less than six feet from the burned dwelling.
In the afternoon, when the fire had somewhat spent itself, some of the heavy timbers were dragged away, and a stream of water poured into that part of the house where it must be certain the fire victim would be found if he were there at all. A considerable space of what had been the bedroom upstairs was occupied by an old-fashioned chimney, and adjoining this had been located a clothes closet, and it was in the burning embers under this that the charred and black baked remains of what were recognized as a human body were found. Nothing but the torso remained. The head, arms and legs were gone, reduced to ashes and mingled with the ashes of the old home.
It is supposed that Mr. McClung had stepped into the closet and closed the door, as the location of the remains was directly under this, and they were scattered with a sprinkling of wall hooks.
Mr. McClung was considered wealthy according to rural standards and the reason for the supposed self-destruction will likely never be known. He had been estranged from his family and lived alone until the past week when his son, Elmer, came to live with him. His wife and four grown daughters are residents of Lebanon, where they were forced to take up their abode following an altercation some months ago, when it is said he drove them from the house, and they fled to a neighbor's home for protection. The wife had been allowed temporary alimony by the court pending the trial for divorce which was to have been heard this week.
Besides the wife and four daughters – Misses Alice, who is staying with her mother, Almeda, teacher in the Cincinnati schools, Imogene, teacher in the Lebanon schools, and Ruth, teacher at Pleasant Hill school, two sons, Frank and Elmer, comprise the immediate family. There are also two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Emmons, and Mrs. Matilda Sweringen, of Bethany and one brother, John McClung, of near Mason.
The remains were taken to the Watkins morgue, in Mason, and funeral services were held in the Mason Presbyterian Church, Wednesday afternoon at 1 o'clock, in charge of the Rev. Tom J. Wilbanks. Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery.
The Western Star (Lebanon, Ohio) 8 Mar 1923, Thu – Page 1
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1923 - William Elmer McClung died of suffocation in a burning building on his farm on March 4. The Mason Fire Company did not arrive at the fire scene on time to save his life. He was 70 years old. He and his wife, Emily G. McClung, who lived until 1954, were the parents of two sons and four daugters.
Around Mason, Ohio: A Story (Springman), 1982 - Page 191
WEALTHY FARMER BURNED TO DEATH
W. Elmer McClung. of Near Mason, Destroys Home and Self Sunday Morning Is Theory.
Charred remains, supposed to be those of W. Elmer McClung, wealthy farmer residing one mile north of Mason on the Lebanon & Mason pike, were found Sunday afternoon after flames, which completely destroyed his beautiful country home had spent their course. It is thought that McClung set fire to his home and then committed suicide.
Early Sunday morning, Mr. McClung was seen to leave the house and it was learned later that he drove over to the home of his son, Frank, who lives on the road to Bethany, where he had a consultation with Frank and Elmer, a younger son. Among other things he told them that if anything ever happened to him his valuable papers will be found in the wall pocket on the left side of the automobile, a seven-passenger Buick sedan. After the fire, these papers were found as described in the machine which was parked in front of the house.
Smoke was first seen to issue from the upper windows of the southeast part of the house by two neighbors, L. H. Atkins and Ed Quinby, who were first on the scene. They went through the house and were able to enter all except the room usually occupied by Mr. McClung. This was found to be locked and they forced an entrance, but the smoke, heat and fire were so intense that they were forced to desist and closed the door to keep the flames from spreading. More people collected and the furniture was removed from the house. Owing to the fact that a gale was blowing from the northeast, and the fire started at a point opposite, the building was slow in burning, as the fire had to practically eat its way against the wind; for this reason, the southeast portion of the house was subject to intense heat for several hours.
The Mason fire department was summoned and with chemical tanks and motor engine attempted to fight the flames. They made no headway, but did save the adjacent buildings, one a long shed that stood less than six feet from the burned dwelling.
In the afternoon, when the fire had somewhat spent itself, some of the heavy timbers were dragged away, and a stream of water poured into that part of the house where it must be certain the fire victim would be found if he were there at all. A considerable space of what had been the bedroom upstairs was occupied by an old-fashioned chimney, and adjoining this had been located a clothes closet, and it was in the burning embers under this that the charred and black baked remains of what were recognized as a human body were found. Nothing but the torso remained. The head, arms and legs were gone, reduced to ashes and mingled with the ashes of the old home.
It is supposed that Mr. McClung had stepped into the closet and closed the door, as the location of the remains was directly under this, and they were scattered with a sprinkling of wall hooks.
Mr. McClung was considered wealthy according to rural standards and the reason for the supposed self-destruction will likely never be known. He had been estranged from his family and lived alone until the past week when his son, Elmer, came to live with him. His wife and four grown daughters are residents of Lebanon, where they were forced to take up their abode following an altercation some months ago, when it is said he drove them from the house, and they fled to a neighbor's home for protection. The wife had been allowed temporary alimony by the court pending the trial for divorce which was to have been heard this week.
Besides the wife and four daughters – Misses Alice, who is staying with her mother, Almeda, teacher in the Cincinnati schools, Imogene, teacher in the Lebanon schools, and Ruth, teacher at Pleasant Hill school, two sons, Frank and Elmer, comprise the immediate family. There are also two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Emmons, and Mrs. Matilda Sweringen, of Bethany and one brother, John McClung, of near Mason.
The remains were taken to the Watkins morgue, in Mason, and funeral services were held in the Mason Presbyterian Church, Wednesday afternoon at 1 o'clock, in charge of the Rev. Tom J. Wilbanks. Burial in Rose Hill Cemetery.
The Western Star (Lebanon, Ohio) 8 Mar 1923, Thu – Page 1
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1923 - William Elmer McClung died of suffocation in a burning building on his farm on March 4. The Mason Fire Company did not arrive at the fire scene on time to save his life. He was 70 years old. He and his wife, Emily G. McClung, who lived until 1954, were the parents of two sons and four daugters.
Around Mason, Ohio: A Story (Springman), 1982 - Page 191
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