The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-11-15
Suicide Secuted By Both Deputy Sheriff Ryan, pr
 Winfield Wight
SOME INFLAlMMABLE
 SUBSTANCE FED FIRE
Miss Elizabeth Holmes Be- lieved Last Person to See
 Late Postmaster Alive

 this afternoon advanced the theory that Postmaster Harry Muir, whose body was burned to a chafred mass on the Waterbury -Thomaston high way this morning in the re- mains of his flaming autonlo- bile, may have suffered a heart attack as the blaze be- gan and may have been unable to make his escape for that reason. Otherwise, according 70 Deputy Sheriff James Ryan, it would be hard to understand how Muir, though handicapped by q wooden leg, was unable to make his escape from the blazing car before being cremated.
 Last to See Him Alive
 The last person who saw Muir alive. as far as has been learned up to late this afternoon, is Miss Elizabeth Holmes of ThomastOns who drove by the scene at 9:Sp~ She saw Muir at the motor of the car, with the hood raised. It was 10 minutes later that passing mor torists gave the alarm to Motor Patrolman John Culleton and Pa<~ rolman Timothy Callahan, who sped to the scene after informing the Waterbury fire station of the blaze.
 A suicide theory, advanced as q hypothesis, is turned down both by Deputy Sheriff Ryan and the Thomaston medical examiner, pr Winfield s. Wight. They point out that lack of motive would be a prime argument against such F: theory and that evidence gathered | in the case would preclude it also. Something InfiammabIe
 It was generally agreed this aft- | ernoon that the fire must have been fed on some inflammable max l terial to spread 50 quickly through | the car that Muir was trapped hE flames and every bit of combustib}e | material in the cars interior was
 almost < completely destroyed. De< | putty Sheriff Ryan, who is 11Ve1< | tigating on behalf of Coroner Laz<' | ter Schaeffer of Litchfield county
 believes that Muir, who had been seen tinkering with motor. may have had some gasoline on hIs hands and clothes, and that th9 fluid may have ignited as he sa< down in the car to light a cieare<<
 Trapped In Car
 Trapped in a fiercely blazing co< just few hundred feet beyond tI8 Waterbury town line on the. Thox1az aston road shortly before 30 o'clock this morning, Postmasfe< Harry Muir of Thomaston wa3 burned to death, the flames malxin& a veritable holocaust of his body. Passing motorists, Waterbury po- licemen, and members of the Wa terviile Fire Company were balked in their attempts at rescue bX the terrific heat of the fiarzl- ing sedan, which prevented them from even getting close to the machine, and Muir, undoubtedly handicapped in his own efforts at escape by the fact that he had wooden leg, burned to a horrible death. the flames burning a good portion of his body down to fh9 bone and leaving only charred res mains of human being.
 Returning Home
  on his way to Thomaston when tragedy 0vercame him. A passing motorist, Charles Nelson of Wall nut Hill, Thomaston, saw the car on fire along the highway, one side of the large auto still on the travelled portion of the road. Turned back in a rescue attempt by the heat, he raced to Watervill6 in his car, there notifying Motor Patrolman John Culleton and Pa- trolman Timothy Callahan of the blaze. Shouting an alarm at tho Waterville fire station, the two pQ- licemen sped to the scene. but the heat of the fire by this time WeS so strong that they could not even approach the flaming sedan. Arr irving moment later, Lieutenant James Quinn and the WaterViil4 firemen found that rescue was not only impossible but would have been too late. for the fire by this time had burned Muir's body almost beyond recognition.
 Lieutenant Detective William Pollard and Lieutenant Detective Matthew Balanda were on t4es scene in a few minutes and go once began an Investigation, afkeF notifying Medical Examiner Uk Winfield s. Wight of ThomastoI1. Accidental Death
 Dr Wight, after preliminary In- vestigation, called the case one or accidental death and said he would
 make such a report to Coroner Lester w. Schaefer of Litchdeid county. He was not able to 1e7 certain the cause of the flres which completely destroyed the ir@ (CoHtinued on Page 4.l 2