The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-04-27
MYSTERIOUS
TRAGEDY TO
Be FOREVER
Prosecuting Attorney and
Coroner Are Not to Make
Investigation.
FOUL PLAY RUMoRED
Secret of the Affair is Now
Buried with Its Two
Principals.

I PAEtKERsBuRG, April 24--That
no arrest will be made or !nvestiga-
ton conducted in connection with
! the FIRE in the apartment OF w. f..
Caskey, one Of the best known cit
i2ens OF Parkersburg, which resulted
in the death OF w. f. Curry. man.
ager OF the largest chair factory in
West Virginia, and Mrs. Caskey, is
thet positive statement made by
Prosecuting Attorney H. A. Hlte-
shew. OF Wood county, and Coroner
benjamin Robinson.
Mrs. Caskey's son, William Cas-
key, Jr., is in a local hospital suf-
feriag from severe burns about the
face and arms. His statements
throw no light on the tragedy.
! Prosecuting Attorney Hiteshew
said that the prime pals were dead
and would carry to the graves VITA
them the story OF the Friday night
fire in the Caskey apartment. He
said the case would likely go down
in the annals of Parkersburg as an
other OF this cty's mysterious trag-
edies of the last year.
| "As the circumstances surround
/ Ing the death OF j. A. Watson, Il
wealthy citizen of this county, which
occurred last July, were never found
out, so it is with the CurryICaskey
tragedy" said the prosecuting at
torney. He says young caskey is
the only person who might be able
to thrown any light on the case, hut
the young man declares he knows
nothing about it except that when he
arrived home early he found Curry
and his mother fighting the fire in
their apartment
aumors OF foul play are rife, but
the coroner and the prosecuting At
torney say there is no foundation
for the reports.
Curry had a cash on his forehead
when found in the apartment, but
the coroner said that had been
caused by his falling against a
chair or mantlepiece. The prose-
cutting attorney also dIscredits the
foul play theory. He says there
might have been an encounter he
tween young Caskey and Curry, but
that /, was merely fist fight and
could not in any way have caused
Curry's death. The primary cause
of his death is attributed to burns
received at the fire in the apartment.
He died late yesterday morning and
Mrs. Caskey died late yesterday al
ternoon.
Before he breathed his last Curry
pleaded with the physicians at the
hospital where he was taken not to
allow any of his family to see him,
saying: II was in those apartments
and have disgraced my family. and
cannot bear to have them look at
me-"
the statement of Curry on his
death he'd was said by Prosecuting
Attorney Hiteshew today to explain
Curry's presence in Mrs. Caskey's
apartment.
What leads the police to believe
that there might have been an en-
counter OF some kind was Tue to the
fact that the hat and coat vi Curry
were found in the par.or of the
Caskey home, while his trousers and
small sums of money were found in
the hallway just outside of the
kitchen. His left pants pocket
was burned. When tiremen arrived
on the scene Curry was found com
pletely undrcssed with the exception
of overshirt and Undertaking. The
clothing he did have on was burned
from his body excep; below the
knees and around the neck.
When Mrs. Caskey was found she
was dressed in her kimono. She was
ii 4 semi-consc. Gus condition when
carried from her apartment, and on
the way to the hospital she was
heard to say:
Don't take me to the police sta
ton" and in the hospital she praye l
Tor death before the arrival of her
husband and daughter from vlr-
s.nia.
How the fire started in the caskey
apartments is still mystery. Youns
Cashey has nothing to say except
that he went home Friday night 10
get his overcoat and automobile 10
take young lady homo from a
dance he was attending and as soon
as he arrived In the hallway he
heard his mother screaming for
help. Upon going upstairs he says
| he found the apartment afire and his
mother and Curry fighting tha
flames. The damage caused nv the