The Mystery of the Sodder Kids

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     In 1945, Christmas Eve, tragedy struck Fayetteville.  The Sodder family was asleep in their beds completely unaware of the tragedy that was to come.  

     George and Jennie Sodder had 10 children in all, the oldest of which was away in the army.  At around 1am a fire broke out and the parents frantically tried to save their children.  They only managed to get four of them out.  The remaining five children were never seen again. 

From shadplay.blogspot.com

This is an account written in 1968 by the oldest sister of the missing children, Mary Ann: 

     The following is the story of the tragedy which occurred twenty three years ago.  The injustice and unfairness of this crime remains to this day.  Please be kind enough to read the following account of the events concerning this tragedy.

     On Christmas Eve night during the year 1945, our home was set afire.  There were nine children in the house at the time, four escaped from the burning building.  My parents also escaped.  I ran to a neighbor's house to have her call the fire department.  A passing motorist called the Fayetteville Fire Department.  Fayetteville is the nearest small town to our former residence.  The fire chief answered the telephone.  When he was told that our house was burning, he said,  "We know it."  This was at two o'clock A.M.  He and the rest of the fire department arrived at the scene of the fire at 8 o'clock A.M., that same morning.  The fire dept in the town of Fayetteville is located only two and one half miles away.

     That same morning the Fire Chief and eight other men searched the ashes remaining.  The fire had burned out completely hours before.  We asked the Fire Chief if there were any traces left of the bodies of the children presumably still in the remains of the burned house.  He said, "We searched as if with a fine tooth comb and we could not find a thing."  However a few days later he produced a piece of flesh saying that it was a part of a human body.  We could not understand how this soft piece of flesh could have survived the fire, yet there was no trace of bones or teeth.  Another thing that puzzled us was that there was no scent of burning flesh during the time the house was burning, nor was there any scent in the ashes afterward.  I was there and all I could smell was the scent of burning wood.

     We had the spot where the house had been, covered over with soil thinking that since it was impossible to find any trace of the bodies, we would make it into a burial spot.  In this place, the Fire Chief buried the piece of flesh he claimed was part of a human body.  Later when we recovered enough from the shock to be more rational, we began to doubt the Fire Chief and became suspicious of all the circumstances concerning the fire.  The Fire Chief had never shown this piece of flesh to the Coroner. --  Why?  We decided to check this item out with the local Mortician.  We had this object removed (from the place where it had been buried), by excavation.  The Mortician swears on an affidavit that this object was a large piece of beef liver and had never been touched by fire.  There was nothing of this kind in our home at the time of the fire.

     We asked the Prosecuting Attorney to call in some people who were considered suspects in the case.  He said he could not question theses people because they were personal friends of his.  At another time he said, "Today they burned your house, but tomorrow they may burn mine and I have children too."

     The telephone wires had been cut during the fire.  The person who cut the wires had stolen during the time the house was burning, a pair of chain blocks.  These are used to hoist automobiles or motors, etc. to be repaired.  They were attached to the ceiling of the garage.  To steal them and carry them away would have required advance planning.  Since they had to be taken down from the ceiling of the garage it would have to started (the process of removing them) either before or during the fire.  Also the person who stole them had a taxi cab waiting to haul them away.  Evidently this person either set the house afire himself or knew someone else was supposed to do so.  He was supposed to appear in court.  He never appeared.  They fined him a small amount of money and forgot the whole thing.

     I, being the oldest daughter, usually saw that the children went upstairs to bed, before going to sleep myself.  The night of the fire I fell asleep downstairs and the last time I saw the children they were still up playing.  It's our belief that they were kidnapped before the fire or possibly at the beginning of the fire.

     Mrs. Ida Crutchfield of Charleston, West Virginia, owner of the Alderson Hotel, claims to have seen four of the children at her hotel three or four nights after the fire.  She has signed an affidavit to this fact.

     We asked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for help.  They said they would step in if they could get the permission of the county authorities to investigate the case.  The local authorities refused to sign anything giving them their permission.  They certainly did not do anything themselves to solve this crime, why then would they refuse help from the Federal Bureau of Investigation?  Is it because some of them may be involved in this crime? 

     We have written to each president in turn.  Each one refers the case to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (The Justice Dept), then the Federal Bureau requires the permission of the local authorities.  They refuse permission, so it has become a useless cycle, leaving this crime unsolved for the last twenty-three years.

     My father has hired private detectives and they have turned up some very good evidence that this whole thing was planned.  But what is the use?  They are warned by certain people to stay off the case.  Even some of the state police have admitted that "their hands are tied."

     If this had not happened to my family, I would have said that such a heinous crime as this, could not have been committed in the United States of America, without some justice being done.  But here it is and it almost seems fantastic.

     If you wish to print this, you have my parents' permission.  If you wish to communicate with them, their address is (Mr and Mrs George Sodder, Route 2, Fayetteville, West Virginia).  Their telephone number is 1-304-574-1678

     Perhaps publicity on this case would cause some interest in someone who would try to help solve this crime.

     Yours Sincerely  

 

        

The Buffalo Creek Disaster

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         Learn more at http://www.buffalocreekflood.org/history.htm

The Telltale Lilac Bush

     Okay boys and ghouls, it's Halloween time.  The leaves are changing colors and blowing around in the wind.  People are starting to think about costumes and Thanksgiving - and if you're like me, Christmas shopping.  Yep, it's that time of year again.  But for now let's just stick to Halloween.

     In elementary school I remember reading a book, a scary ghost story book.  It was even scarier because it was a book about ghosts from my home state, West Virginia!  Well, as an adult I decided that I wanted to get that book again - and I did.  You can get your own copy here.

     I've decided to post a few of my favorites in honor of Halloween, my youth and my beloved state - hopefully no one will be mad.

The Telltale Lilac Bush

     An old man and woman once lived by themselves along the Tygart Valley River.  There had been trouble between them for many years.  Few people visited them, and it was not immediately noticed that the wife had unaccountably disappeared.  People suspected that the old man had killed her, but her body could not be found, and the question was dropped.

     The old man lived a gay life after his wife's disappearance, until one night when a group of young men were sitting on his porch, talking of all the parties which the old man was giving.  While they were talking, a large lilac bush growing nearby began beating on the windowpane and beckoning towards them as though it were trying to tell them something.  No one would have thought anything of this if the wind had been blowing.  But there was no wind - not even a small breeze.

     Paying no attention to the old man's protests, the young men dug up the lilac bush.  They were stunned when the roots were found to be growing from the palm of a woman's hand.

     The old man screamed and ran down the hill towards the river, never to be seen again.

The Old Horse

      When my father first started working in the Grant Town mine, the men had horses to pull the coal buggies instead of machinery as they have today.  The horses were the men's best friends, and it was a sad say when they were taken out of the mines.  One man liked the horses so much that he quit working when they were taken out.  This story is about that man and how he became so attached to one particular steed.

     My father started working the midnight shift when he first entered the mines, along with another buddy, Flora Santa.  In those days a miner had to use a pick and shovel to dig out coal, and it was hard work, especially if one ran into slate or sulfur balls.  When the buggy was loaded, it would be pulled down to the mine shaft by a horse to unload the coal.  The horses were often slow, and it usually took several hours to make the trip.

     One night, when my father finished loading the buggy, Flora said he would take the load down to the tipple.  It was supposed to be my father's turn to make the trip, but Flora said,  "You're not as strong as I am, boy.  You sit here and take it easy, and I'll make this trip for you."

     My father was tired, so he didn't argue with Flora.  To reach the tipple, Flora had to pass a section that had had a cave-in just a few days before.  As Flora reached the section, the horse started whinnying.  Flora cursed the horse under his breath for making so much noise.  Then he heard a rumbling sound coming from overhead.  Now he knew why the horse was making so much noise.  The ceiling was caving in.

     When Flora opened his eyes, he found he was still alive.  He was half covered with slate and he was almost choked from the rock dust that was in his mouth, but he was alive.  With the help of his free hand, he was able to get out from under the slate pile.  The horse too had lived through the cave-in.  Dazed, Flora got to his feet and started walking in the direction of the tipple.  He walked for a long time, but seemed to be getting nowhere.  When he came to the caved-in section he knew that he had been walking around in circles.  He sat down on a lump of slate and waited for someone to come and rescue him, but then he realized that nobody would come for him, because nobody knew that he was missing or hurt.  My father wouldn't think anything had happened to him because he knew it usually took two or three hours to make the trip to the tipple.  The men at the tipple would think that he and his buddy were still working up in their section.  Flora was a goner and he knew it!

     Flora felt the air getting heavy and knew that it was only a matter of time before all the oxygen would be used up.  He laid his head against the side of the ribbing and prepared himself for death.  Then he heard a deep, far-off voice say, "Get up, Flora.  Get up, Flora."

     Flora opened his eyes, but there was nobody in sight - nobody but the old horse.  Thinking that he was only dreaming, he closed his eyes again.  Just as he was about to give up, he felt something hot against his face, and the same voice said, "Get up, Flora.  I'll show you how to get out of here."

     When Flora shut his eyes again, the horse put his head against Flora's shoulder and turned him over on his side.  Again, the deep voice said, "Get up, Flora.  Get up, Flora, and I'll lead you out of here."

     More dazed than ever, Flora managed to get to his feet and follow the old horse.  It was as if some spell were compelling him.  When Flora came to his complete senses, he was at the tipple.  He didn't tell anyone how he got out of the cave-in, because he knew no one would believe him.

     Years later, when the horses were all replaced with machinery, Flora quit the coal mines.  And he didn't quit because he was ready to retire.  He quit because he knew that a piece of machinery could never take the place of an old horse.

Help

      Many years ago Doctor Anderson was awakened by a persistent knocking at his front door.  Accustomed to getting calls at all hours, he dressed quickly and hurried downstairs.

     The red glow from the hearth cast flickering shadows through the room.  Glancing at the large wall clock, he noticed it was just past midnight.  Outside the moon shone brightly on the white snow.

     He opened the door and was surprised to see a young girl twelve or thirteen years old standing before him.  He had never seen her before.  She was dressed in a blue coat, carried a white muff, and her cheeks were ruddy from the cold.

     "Please come to my mother," begged the girl.  "She's sick, and I'm afraid she'll die."

     "Who is your mother?"  asked the doctor.

     "Mrs. Ballard," replied the girl.  "Please hurry."

     Then the girl explained that they had only recently moved to the old Hostler place about three miles away.  She said she thought her mother had pneumonia, and since her father was dead, there was no one else to come for help.

     When the doctor said he would come at once and do all he could, the girl darted away, running up the road in the direction of the old Hostler place.

     Doctor Anderson bundled up in his sheepskin coat, pulled down the earflaps of his cap, picked up his bag, and went to the barn for his horse.  He lost no time in throwing on the bridle and saddle, picking up a blanket because it was "blue cold," and heading for the Hostler place, for in those days pneumonia was a dreaded illness.

     As he hurried his horse up the cold snow-covered road, he kept thinking of the bravery of the young girl who had faced the severe cold to seek help.  She had run off before he could ask her in to warm herself, yet she hadn't appeared to be cold.

     His thoughts soon turned to his own discomfort, because his feet and hands began to feel numb before he saw the glow of a lamp on the old Hostler house.

     Quickly tying his horse to the gatepost, he threw the blanket over it and hurried up the snow-covered walk to the porch.  There was no answer to his knock, so he opened the door and walked in.  The sight was a common one to him.  There in a bed lay the sick woman.  The fire was almost out, but the oil lamp still burned.  He felt the woman's pulse and found that she had a very high fever.

     He placed more wood on the fire because the room was cold, then set to work with confidence that comes from having handled many emergencies.  He knew if he could break the fever, he could possibly save the woman's life.

     After giving her medicine, he heated water and applied poultices to her chest.  She soon rallied enough to ask, "How did you know to come?"

     The doctor replied that her daughter had come for him and that she was a brave girl to go out on such a bitter night.

     "But I have no daughter," whispered the woman.  "My daughter has been dead for three years."

     "What!"  exclaimed the doctor.  "Why a young girl twelve or thirteen years old called me out of bed and begged me to hurry here."

     "It couldn't have been my daughter.  She died from pneumonia three years ago."

     "Who could it have been then?"  asked the doctor.  "And how did she know you were ill?  She was dressed in a blue coat and white muff."

     "My daughter had a blue coat and white muff,"  whispered the woman.  "They're hanging in the closet over there."

     Doctor Anderson strode over to the closet, opened the door, and took out a blue coat and white muff.  His hands trembled when he felt the coat and muff and found them still warm and damp from perspiration.   

State vs Ellen Fluharty Part 2

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 8, 1905

CASE WILL BE TRIED AGAIN AT

THE AUGUST TERM OF

COURT.

     The jury in the Fluharty case failed to agree and was discharged at 11 o'clock this morning.  It is reported that they stood 10 to 2 for conviction from the first vote to the last.

     Ellen Fluharty was recognized in the sum of $200, and Daisy Blodgett in the sum of $100, to appear for retrial on the first day of next turn, August 15.

     The jury took a recess from six o'clock Saturday night, after having been out three hours, until nine this morning, when they were again sent to their room until eleven.  At that time Judge Kendall had them recalled, when the foreman stated that they were unable to come to an agreement.

The Fairmont West Virginian., October 24, 1905

     The Fluharty trial had begun this morning.  The jury empaneled consisted of the following members:  Charles Crim, Shorden Murphy, Dan Toothman, Jonathan E. Jolliffe, Bud Merrifield, Jack Jones, Ezra Keener, John M. Millan, J.D. Radford, Jacob Carpenter, Charles Linn, Lonnie Hayhurst.

     Ellen Fluharty is accused of keeping a house of ill fame at Mannington.  The case has been up for trial once before - at the May term - and the jury failed to agree.  The principal witnesses for the State are .G. Jones and his daughter, Mrs. E.B. Hayes, who are, or have been, next door neighbors of the Fluhartys.  Both Jones and Mrs. Hayes have given most startling testimony as to what they have seen next door.  Mrs. Fluharty's daughter, Daisy Blodgett, is under indictment for loitering at the house of ill-fame, and Daisy's conduct, according to Jones' and Mrs. Hayes' evidence, is a long way past the limit of decency and morality.

     So, my source for old newspapers doesn't have any more information on this second trial.  People submit copies of these old newspapers, and those from October 25-31 are unfortunately missing - which is when the second trial most likely took place  I did however, find one more thing with the name Ellen Fluharty in it, and it looks like she was indeed convicted in the October trial.

 The Fairmont West Virginian., December 19, 1905

State vs Ellen Fluharty Part 1

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 5, 1905

State vs. Fluharty.

     The notorious case of the State vs. Ellen Fluharty for keeping a house of ill-fame at Mannington, finally came to trial at eleven o'clock. J.G. Jones was the first to witness called for the State. Jones testified that the Fluhartys had lived in the house next to his for two years; that all kinds of drinking and carousing had been going on there at all times of night and day; that a Welsh woman and a woman named Rose Sturgeon had been living at the house; that the reputation of these two, as well as of Ellen Fluharty and her daughter Daisy Blodgett, was that they were prostitutes; that through a window he had seen Daisy Blodgett and a man in a nude state and compromising condition.
     On cross-examination the witness got one on the lawyer for the defense that made even that gentleman himself smile. When asked in what "capacity" Rose Sturgeon lived in the Fluharty house, he said he did not understand what was meant by "capacity" as used.

     "I am not a lawyer," he said.

     "What are you?"

     "I am a man."

     Jones is an honest looking, straightforward man, however, and the effect of his testimony on the jury will be hard to overcome.

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 6, 1905

THE FLUHARTY CASE ONE OF

THE RACIEST EVER TRIED

IN THE COUNTY.

----

     In the case of the State vs. Ellen Fluharty, before Judge Kendall yesterday afternoon, the witness L.G. Jones continued his testimony by saying that he had seen several Mannington citizens at the Fluharty house, whom up to that time he had considered respectable.  He swore the Ed. Cunningham, 64 years of age, had made an indecent exposure of his person at the door in broad day light.

     Mrs. E.B. Hayes, a daughter of Jones, gave most startling testimony.  She said that she was at the rear of her father's house one afternoon last summer, when, looking across at the Fluharty house, she saw Daisy Blodgett and a man whom she did not recognize, in a compromising position outside the Fluharty kitchen door.  Mrs. Hayes also testified to being called to the Fluharty house on the occasion of the serious illness of Daisy Blodgett's child, and to seeing on one occasion Daisy Blodgett lying across the bed with one Clarence Fluharty, a third cousin, and on another occasion Daisy's  skirts lifted to a most indecent height while men were in the room.

     Several citizens of the neighborhood testified to the reputation which the inmates of the house bore of being common prostitutes.

     The defense put Mrs. Fluharty on the stand first.  She testified that she her husband and her three daughters slept in the same room.  She said her husband was a very free-hearted man, and never refused admittance to any men or women that came to the house.  She had had trouble with Jones about six months before because of a story Jones had told, so she said, about her younger daughter going to the woods with a man.  She declared that Jones was sore, and not "neighboring" with them any more, and was responsible for all the trouble.  She stated that Rose Sturgeon was turned away from home and came to her for a refuge until she could find work, and that Emma Welch came and stayed under similar circumstances.  She said that men drank at her house.  It was not denied to her friends to drink.  "Most everybody drinks now-a-days."  She admitted that Rose Sturgeon and Emma Welch didn't bear good reputations, but that she had never seem anything wrong with them.

     On cross-examination she admitted that the girls had "beaux," and that she considered it all right for her married daughter to have men to see her.  She became considerably worked up in talking about Jones.  She declared that Jones had had the State's witnesses summoned and that she had something to tell on Jones.  The prosecuting attorney urged her to tell what it was, but she sid she was going to tell the June grand jury.

     At the continuation of the trial this morning the prosecutor had Mrs. Fluharty on the stand again and asked her if the notorious story was true that she herself helped to hold her 14-year-old daughter, Ida Fluharty, while a certain Mannington citizen took advantage of her.  Mrs. Fluharty denied the story.

     Michael Fluharty, the husband of the accused, took the stand next.  He corroborated his wife's testimony about the two girls coming to his home, and said that they slept in the same room with him and his wife and daughters.  He said they usually hung a skirt up at the window when they went to bed.  He said that he had engaged in some of the fighting in the house himself.  He related how Mart Looman had been in the house and gotten into some kind of altercation with "old man Burdine."  He said that Burdine had long chin whiskers, and that Looman was pretty drunk and seized the whiskers.  Fluharty grabbed a stove-poker and Looman let go his hold on Burdine and made for him, whereupon he hit Looman over the head with the poker.  Then he and his son threw Looman out.

     On cross-examination Fluharty said he went to bed usually about nine, but that his wife stayed up with the younger crowd often until a late hour.

     Ida Davis testified to having been at the Furhartys' frequently, and to having been in the kitchen when the son, Alf, was in bed, and in one of the other rooms when the rest of the family was in bed.  She said that a fight which Jones had mentioned in his testimony had occurred after a dance at her house, and that the Fluhartys were not mixed up in it.

     On cross-examination she she said there was no necessity for Rose Sturgeon and Emma Welch to be there so far as helping with the work was concerned. She said that she and Jones were not on speaking terms, that she would speak to him if he would to her, but that she wasn't going to speak first.

     Daisy Blodgett took the stand.  Her testimony was largely a denial of the stories told by Jones and Mrs. Hayes.

     On cross-examination she said she thought fighting would occur "any place," and that she thought there was no harm in her receiving men callers nor in their drinking "a little beer."

     Mr. J.L. Roup testified to going with Mr. J.W. McElroy to try to buy the Fluharty house and admitted to Mr. Lowe that he did it in an attempt to get the Fluhartys to leave the neighborhood.  He said that Rose Sturgeon, Emma Welch and Daisy Fluharty were regarded in the community as common prostitutes.

     Mr. Parks, counsel for the defense, put Fluharty on the stand again at this point and showed that he went to Mannington last night in an attempt to serve a summons on Clarence Fluharty.  Michael said he had searched for Clarence but that he was unable to locate him.

     Mr. Parks then called Nimrod Wells to the stand.  Wells testified to having heard Jones tell his son Alva on the train going to Mannington last night to "go ahead and get that fellow out of the way."

     Mr. Parks spoke strongly against this performance and urged that the prosecuting attorney haul Jones up before the grand jury on the charge of interfering with the course of the law.

     Counsel agreed to take a half hour each to argue the case and began at one o'clock to do so.

     

Big Posse Pursuing Masked Murderers

The Fairmont West Virginian., May 5, 1905

      PARKERSBURG, W.Va., May 5 - A posse of officers accompanied by a large number of infuriated residents are searching Calhoun county for three masked robbers who at an early hour yesterday morning shot to death Charles Berkshire, a farmer living near Brooksville, after inhumanely torturing his wife.  The family were aroused shortly after midnight by the robbers, who, after binding the wife, led the husband to the center of the room, turned up the lights and ordered Mrs. Berkshire to count ten, stating the if her husband did not tell them where his money was they would kill him on the tenth count.   The couple insisted that they had no money and the outlaws pinched and beat the woman and applied burning matches to the soles of her feet.

     Screaming in agony, Mrs. Berkshire finally consented to count ten, and on the tenth count a shot rang out and her husband fell dead.  The fiends becoming frightened, fled, and it was hours afterward when neighbors found the woman in such a pitiable state of collapse that it is feared she will die.

     I have searched but can find no more information about this event.  Nothing - not even if poor Mrs. Berkshire lived. 

Frank Fisher Killed His Sister

The Fairmont West Virginian, June 22, 1906

Coroner Amos Telephoned For

----

     A telephone message was received here this afternoon to the effect that Frank Fisher, on the head waters of Buffalo Creek, in Mannington district had shot and killed his sister this morning.  The message stated that the killing was intentional and was witnessed by a sister of the murdered girl.  Coroner Amos was asked to come to the scene of the murder but her has not gone yet.  He and Prosecuting Attorney Lowe will probably go this evening.

     The Fisher home is said to be within a half mile of the Wetzel county line.  Very few details of the affair could be learned at press time. 

The Fairmont West Virginian, June 23, 1906

Was Arrested Then Released

----

     As stated in yesterday's West Virginian, Coroner Amos was called to Mannington district yesterday afternoon to investigate the killing of a sister by Frank Fisher.  Coroner Amos started to the scene of the killing, but before her had gotten far from Mannington her met Deputy Sheriff J.D. Charlton, A.F. Millan and Brice Jolliffe, who had been at the scene of the shooting.  They reported that it was impossible to find out how the affair happened and that it was absolutely unnecessary to try to ferret out the facts in the case.  The Fishers seem to be a very trashy set of people, the father and one brother of Frank now serving time in the penitentiary.  The girl who was killed was said to be fairly good looking and had a brighter intellect than the others, but the lives of the whole family are said to be on a very low plane.

     An investigation by the officers failed to establish a sufficient number of facts upon which to base a further attempt and an order was issued to bury the girl without a coroner's investigation and Fisher was released.

     There's no more info to be found about this murder, not even what the girls name was or her age.  The whole thing just seems really strange, and I get the feeling the Fishers may be the inspiration for Deliverance.  Perhaps the police figured it best to just keep their distance!