The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-09-24
Body of Missing ndsyllle Man
ound Nzesterday Afternoon
With Empty e arbolie Acid Bottle

wheeling. Sept, 24.-The mystery
surrounding the whereabouts Of John
Clarence Chambers % Moundsytlle,
vanished Sunday afternoon as sudden;
IL as he had disappeared The un.
fortunate mans Hfeiess body was
found in horrible state Of decompo;
sition lying in a wheatfeld on the
hin about a quarter Of mile north
west Of the camp ground station at
that city. Al three ounce vial about
half full of carboHc acid lying by the
side Of the body, was mute testimony
that the man had taken his own life
The horrible discovery was made by
Lon Esky and SON, who occupy a cot
tage ON the camp ground: The two
were taking a walk through the woods
in search of paw-paws, and while
crossing the field. which is on the
Tomllnson farm, had their attention
attracted to the body by its foul odorf
They Immediately came to town aud
circulated the news Of their tiend, ali
SO notifying Coroner ]. IT. McCombs.
The decomposition had progressed to
such an extent that had 1T not been
for check book, watch and otaer pa
pers and articles in the pockets, it
would have been impossible to have
positively identified the body as being
that Of Mr.. Chambers. Twelve dollars
in cash was also found In his pockets;
The head had almost rotted from the
trunk and the worms had eaten
through his clothing.
owing to the condition of the body
a funeral was out of the question. Un.
dertaker Lutes was called to take
charge Of the remains. a acasket and
rough box were hauled to the place
where the body was found. The body
was placed in the casket in the eondt
ton in which it was found. The cas-;
ket was placed inside the rough box,
which was hauled on sled to the Mt
Rose cemetery, where the remains
were buried without services shortly
after dark.
Members of the deceased's family
his business associates and most init;
mate friends are utterly at a loss to
ind any reason for his rash act. Since
the finding of the body, however, they
admit that Of late he has acted queer.
iy at times. He also complained g
few days previous to his disappear
ance Of suffering intense pain at
times.
The deceased was thirty years OF
age and unmarried. He resided with
his father, Alex. Chambers, a retired
farmer, on sixth street, Moundsyills
His mother died several years ago.
Besides his father he is survived by
three brothers and to sisters. They
are Albert, William, Oscar and Misses
Ella and Laura. Miss Ella, is teach.
er In the public schools of Mounds.
vile. He was a member OF the Ohio
Valley Lumber Company, a prospsr;
Gus concern of Moundsyllle.
John Clarence Chambers was last
seen by members of his family last
Tuesday morning. He ate his break
fast at @ o'clock and left the house,
going towards the stable. Members
Of the family naturally supposed that
he intended driving as usual to his
work at sawmIlI on the Allen farm,
several miles east Of the city. They
learned that night that he never re-
ported for work, and becoming alarm
ed started an investigation.
Not the least clue to his where
abouts. however, was obtained until
the discovery of the body Sunday.
The last acquaintance Of the deceased
who saw him alive was T. ). steele,
OF MoundsyilIe. Mr.. Steele says he
saw Chambers about s o'clock Tues
day morning. or about two hours after
The latter had left home, at the cornor
OF second street and Jefferson avenue.
Chambers was walking north on JEFF
erson avenue at the time in the di.
rectfon Of the place where the body
was found. ae had Undoubtedly pprt
chased the acid only few minutes
before and was then on hIs way TO
the woods to end his life.
The point where the body was found.
is several hundred yards from the
nearest road or habitation, and once
he swallowed the acid there was no
hope OF suecor reaching him.