Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1872-03-14
FIRE AT GREENEvILLE.
Store House Burned With ali Its Con-
tents.


The Body of the Proprietor Found Among
the Ruins.
From our correspondent at GreeneyIlie, " Ar
thur" we learn that enterprlslng Village WAS
visited by disastrous eonfiagratlon. q, -
store house of Mr. Joseph Mason, situated near
the depot Just across the railroad, discover
ed to be
ON FIRE,
! and DESPITE the efforts of the hastily awakened
citizens, which were of course without system,
there being no regularly organized fire depart
ment in the village, the flames soon entirely en-
veloped the building, which was wooden
structure, and in short time reduced 1t to a
mass of smouldering ruins. That the fire was
the
WORK OF AN INCENDIARY,
there can be but little doubt, as when the fire
was first discovered the door of the store was
found open and also the safe door. Mr.. Mason
was in the habit of sleeping at the store, and
the key was found on the inside, which at first
induced some to think that if there had been
any foul play it was done before the store was
closed for the night. But as it is well known
that
BURGLARIES
are by no means of rare occurrence, the suppO-
sition that regular organized band of cracks
men have been securing the country and with
their appliances for robbery could open almost
any door they chose, is entitled to belief 1t is
known that Mr.. Mason had lately received
$1,000 from parties South with which to buy
wheat, and was also known to handle
LARGE SUMS OF MONEY
in his business and as no secret of the fact any
one could have ascertained the fact, and the
comparatively lonely location Of the store was
as good plant" as the thieving fraternity
could desire. The amount of money estimated
to have been in the store is between 1920 and
$1,000.
For several hours nothing was seen of Mr..
Mason, and conjectures were rife as to his
whereabouts, his friends fearing foul play, his
we'll known steady habits precluding the thought
that he could have neglected to properly close
the store or that he would have been care
less in any way sufficient to endanger his prop
erty But becoming alarmed systematic search
was made and soon the worst fears Of his friends
were realized by the
DISCOVERY OF HIS BODY
under the ruins of the burned building %shrivel-
ed and scorched presenting a sickening spectacle.
Mr.. Mason was a brother of the proprietor of
the Mason House. and was O highly respected
citizen, whose untimey death will be deplored
by all who knew him. Whether he was muir
dered in cold blood and the safe rihed of its
contents, or whether he was secured in bonds or
put under the influence of some deadly drug, Is
not now known.
LATEST.
From parties who came down on the freight
train last night, we learn that there is no doubt
whatever, judging by the circumstances in the
case, but that the unfortunate man was foully
dealt with. His body was found in piecemeal
among the debris, the body proper from his
hips to the neck being found parched and burn
ed out of all semblaHce of fesh and little
further off the
TOP OF HIS SKULL,
with a portion Of the brain distinguishable,
though perfectly charred, while still further
off portions of the bones of his feet were dis
covered. The remains were found on the OPP
poste side of the house from where his bed
stood, among a quantity of bacon and wheat,
partially consumed, and the presumption is that
the fends, after perpetrating the
ATROCIOUS DEED,
piled the bacon and wheat on top of the corpse
and set it on fire, intending that it should be
utterly consumed. The key was found in the
safe door and melted gold coin was found in
the cellar. Mr. Mason had a quantity of gold
and silver and it is thought that in their hurry
the murderOus thieves failed to secure all. SuS-
pic ion, as yet, rests on no one, but it is hoped
that retributiOn may speedily overtake the dia-
bOlical scoundrels, whoever they may be.
@Vide special dispatch on first page.