The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1910-05-20
HORRIBLE DEATH.
Cremation Of an Aged Man
Near Louisa.
Dan Allison, Well Known In Lawrence
County. Meets Death Ina
Burning Building.

This entire community was pro-
ioundly shocked on Tuesday morn
ing last when II was learned that
Dan Allison. an old citizen and well
known character Of thLs county, had
been cremated alive the preceding
night In his humble home not far
from this city, Somewhere between.
nine and ten o'clock parties living
in the vicinity had their attention
attracted by bright light Of the
Allison house. and some OF them
hurried TO the spot Among them
was a Mr.. ward.who lives
at the old ManelIus wellmRn place,
only a few hundred yards from the
scene OF the catastrophe, He was
the first TO arrive. and the scene
which met his gaze was horrible
one. The house, a single story log
building. was mass OF flame, the
inside seething furnace. Both
doors were open, and on his bed
could be seen. through riffs in the
smoke and flame. the already half
burned body OF the unfortunate
man. Other neighbors had arriV-
ed, among them being Sheriff James
Clayton and Walt. Clayton, nephews
Of Allison, w, J. Vaughan, John
Burchett and possibly others. They
could not possibly render any as
distance whatever, and in short
time the building was reduced to
ashes, As soon as possible the
charred bones OF the lone inmate
were taken from the ruins and prop
erly cared for. Late on Tuesday
afternoon they were buried in the
; old Allison burying ground. not far
from the spot where the old man
met his death.
The origin OF the fire which had
such a horrible result, is not e.
Eether plain, and more than one
theory as TO its cause has been ad'
yanced. One very strongly hinted
at arson, committed in order To
conceal the worse crime Of murder
Really this theory had some plaus
iblllty. Most everybody who knew
Dan Allison believed that he hat
money. He was man OF fruea
habits spending only for the bare
necessities OF life. He was unmar
ried. lived entirely alone. and hat
been often seen with small sums
Under these circumstances It wal
only reasonable TO suppose that HI
had considerable savings Thos'
who knew him Intimately, however
knew that he had bu
little OF which he could b.
robbed, The fear on part Of hi
relatives that some villain, temptet
by the belief that old Dan hat
accumulated large amount o
money. would some time kill an,
rob him, caused them to bring hin
10 house close to them and wher'
they could look after his welfare
This was not far from James Clay
toms residence, on the old Littl
Blaine road. some two miles south
west OF Louisa. Allison was Twin
IN this house when It was burned
The interior was piled up wit
sticks and light wood and othe
combustible material, The old ma
was not well during the precedin
day or so. and It is supposed tina
he had built a fire during the earl
evening and had gone to bed lea'
ing the fire, and had gone TO sleeI
The fire In some way was commun
Gated to the rubbish In the ROOF
and the solitary inmate was suffc
Gated before the flames reacl
ed his bed. A small amount
silver coin was found on the blacl
ened remains, and this, with som
other facts, confutes the theory
murder and arson.
Dan Allison was 20 years old an
was the last surviving son OF J. ]
and Mary ]. Allison. Two sistel
survive him. Mrs, L. H. York an
Mrs. Felt o'Bryant, of Fort Ga,
He was man OF marked eccentri
tiles. living the life OF a reclu'
OF hermit. lie had a most remarl
able memory of people and event
and was quiet and inoffensiv
The funeral service, the last cart
ly service for the man, was conduc
ed by the Rev. II. B. Hulett,
the NJ. b. church. South.