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Scene Of Fayetteville Fire Tragedy . Flames Raze Seven-RoomHome Christmas MorningOnly rubble remained of the Sodder family's frame bungalow after the fire early Christmas morning which claimed the lives of five of their children. The tragedy came after the family had prepared a gala Christmas reunion. Spectators view’ the ruins.Petrillo Bans ForeignMusic ProgramsRobber Returned Too Many TimesParents And Four Children Escape Blazing Sodder Home ; Fayette Officers Are Investigating Tragedy ; Only Bones Remain of VictimsFAYETTEVILLE, Dec. 25.—Christmas was a day of bitter tragedy for George Sodder and his wife, Jennie, after five of their ten children were burned to death in a fire that destroyed their seven-room frame home two miles north of Fayetteville on route 19-21.The blaze was discovered about 1:30 a. m. Tuesday.Mrs. Sodder was first awakened by smoke. She went to use a telephone in a hall room in the back of the house, used as an office ior the family transfer business. She was unable to phone the fire department because the room was in flames, and the electric current was off.Fire Chief Forrest Morris got the call from a neighbor’s hlt;but was told the house was already completely razed. The fire department was not sent to the scene until 9 a. m.Casualties were Maurice Sodder, 15; Martha Lee Sodder, 12; Louis Sodder, 9; Jennie Sodder. 8; and Betty Sodder, 6.Those who escaped, besides the ~ - —....... — - ---------parents, were Sylvia Sodder, Marion Sodder, George Sodder, jr., and John Sodder.An unidentified son who is in the army was not in the house when it burned.According to F. E. Springer of the state police, the house had a basement, five downstairs rooms, and two upstairs rooms, where the victims were sleeping. The fire apparently started in a downstairs corner of the house near the place where electric wiring and the jnetpr box entered the home. A strong wind was blow-ProiAgByrne1A R E HURT FALLS HERE CHRISTMAS EVEBy n for* i( j nW * 1B’FV IThe4 Vt IA hwhich (jjjj ducted i t re me coNFW YORK Dpp 2S_.f AP)Twice within three hours the, anc^ the^house was completely jCHICAGO, Dec. 25 — (AP) American radio stations have been told to ban all musical programs originating in all foreign countries except Canada, James C.are not members of the American Federation of Musicians.”same holdup man night manager andHMjHHHjlopt itor at the idtown hotel tolie on the floor of the lobby soordered the I destroyed within a few minutes, an elevatorThe father, John Sodder, and George Sodder, jr., were staying in a little market building near theOak Hill Resident IsInjured In CrashAt Price HillcfI IByrnes, Ernest FCiII*nrmPetrillo, in a letter to the Na~ register.that he could rob the desk cashIhouse today after the fiie. TheAt least six persons were hospitalized because of falls andtional Association of Broadcasters, said “we considered this a neces-Pftnllo, president of the AFLjsary wartime measure to promote ....... .........American Federation ot Musicians, jgoodwill and good relationship after telling his victims he didn’tOn his first visit, the holdup man, identified by police as Thomas Curtin, 28, walked off with $79Red Cross, the fire department one Qak Hill resident was in-usaid today. The edict becomes ef-%• yfec‘ive Dec. 31.Petrillo said the order is being reinvoked “to protect the Ameri-v.’ith other countries, and were very happy to cooperate.“However, now that the war is over, we believe that we shouldwant the money in their pockets because it was Christmas.Henry Walker, the manager, and Charles Paul, the elevator operand the board of education provided stoves, food and other commodities for them. Sodder, his wrist cut in lt;g, is confined to bed, and under medical i paralyzing treatment for shock. and vicinity.Mrs. Sodder, Marion Sodder, B» ginninfwrecki sleetiured in an automobile on Christmas Eve, win n HHH storm swept over this section,gmmrnrnM traffic in Beck levwith a steadycan musician against foreign com- get back to normal as rapidly as ator, notified the police and resumed their work. Four later the front door opened.“It’s him again,’’ Paul whisperedpetition,” he declared, “that possible, therefore, will you kindly through international short wave idiscontinue the broadcasting of radio a foreign musician could dis- any musical programs emanating place an American’s services with- from foreign countries effective I to Walker.out entering the United States.” Dec. 31, 1945. This, of course, does! “On the floor again,” the holdup He said that the ban is not new, j not apply to the Dominion ofjman said, that there has been an understand- Canada, where the musicians are) A guest, Glen Roberts, ap-the members of the American Federa-1 proached the desk and was ordering between the union and radio stations before the war to stop the foreign musical programs but “during the war the AFM waived, its objections to networktion of Musicians.”Petrillo said that broadcasts Christmased to join the others on the floor.and Sylvia Sodder went yesterdayto the home of Mrs. Sodder’s the countv hours brother, Jimmie Cipriani, at Smith-ers. Springer stated that Mrs.Sodder was “doing her best to bear up bravely under the weight of the tragedy.”Prosecuting attorney Carl H.Vickers of Fayetteville, and Magistrate W. H. Level, of Oak Hill, visited the scene of the fire ves-downpour of rain, highways ofHHMHHHHtioon became a solid sheet of ice Monday night, causing numerous accidents, state police reported. ||g|The only highway wreck reported and investigated by Beckley sta e police occurred around midnight Christmas Eve at Price Hill, near Bailey’s Cabins. State Troop-n R. L. Tabscott said Clarencereligious Then, the holdup man turned to t0: r|av morning, and decided to p0Xt 20, of Oak Hill, was injuredbroadcasts-of programs emanating from the Vatican and Jerusalem,from foreign countries, eventhough music tor these programs was furnished by musicians who1such as the annual his business. Up from the floor and Easter programs came Walker, Paul and Roberts.‘'Hello, police,”! Walkerl phoned and special overseas musical pro-i West 68th street station detectives.“He’s back, but this time he’s on the floor.”continue the inquest until this morning. When the ashes were searched for the remains of the victims, only a few bones were found.in the crash.Fox sustained injuries to his head and knees in the crash and is now being treated at the Oak Ion anyv 6uthe Euro;Itgestit h e n e w C hristmavin wen ligSitedThe fi 11 esuits o'issued julisters atmas Evewhich G sided asI At thedi unk,Secret.;* nhave ami!y. Stalir land all r u n a i r o 1 lif* imp]1 * 4S ci I n w * i sInformd a v t h a t(Continued on Page 4)HungerndId Attendlate yesterday afternoon. Only a rubble of masonry remained ofChristmas Day Abradf. .... ,, . Hill hospital. His condition wasThe fire was still smoulder,ng; ted lfl . night ..' ' t f 4 t * / w.k\ t \v \ l \ r rAccording to Tabscott, an auto-4, , , • , i u .i mobile driven by Carl Robinette,H,e home, whic h was used by the 0ak Hill. with whom Fox wasDempsey Transfer company be-,,. rnl.ldf.rl with another car fore the Sodders bought it. Char- ‘ ,! ! !!red utensils, fruit jars, a stove, and H , slick r . ‘ bedsprings were littered it. ^fvS * , ’Almost uncharred by the flames 01 car wai! nlt;) known by po-Winter Throws‘Book’ At NationBy The Associated Press , ., _. . ^A storm mixture of every:hmg _ r ,uIla's. vein the weatherman’s winter catalogue was moving northeastwardBy The Associated PressA world at peace for the first! Yuletide in six years celebrated Christmas with the holiday spiritdimmed in many lands by priva-j tion and suffering.In the town ot Bethlehem, the f birth of Christ was re-enacted at iin theChurch of the Nativity by hgh! churc dignitaries before an over- jSOLDIERSPROTESTSHIPCANCELLATIONMANILA, Dec. 25 — (AP) Four thousand demonstrating S. soldiers marched on the 21st-.r’into'' New “Englai id'“'iast' 'night n°w, Pilgrims from all over the I todayTn(Tuesday) after leaving virtuallyail the northern half of the United States east of the Rockies locked in snow, sleet or glaze. Rail, air and highway traffic was hampered.The storm extended as far southward a* Northern .Georgia,w0rBri'ish military authorities in Palestine made special efforts toenable as many service personnel as possible to take part in the pilgrimage. tTo many lands, short of foodacementprodepot headquarteii s t a 2 a i n s t Icancnid-which had ad the varieties, and .threat than promise.westward through Nebraska, wlieie Shattered Berlin managed the snowfall ranged upward to 1 * collect more than $300,000 fr»i inches at Lincoln, with consider- ^ 1 fts and food, and some resta i-abie drifting. rant owners offered free mealstion of a scheduled transport sailing for home.The soldiers carried banners proclaiming “We Want Ships.”Thev were met bv Col. J. C. ampbell, f depot commander. I He!the season held more Iordered t’nem to return to their jbarracks. After listening to a brief to j talk by the colonel, The men mill-;around for about ten minutes,were little toys with which the children had played. In a barn near the house was a red wagon, j John, who returned only a week iago after three years of service in the army, told this story of thefire:“Mother and father went to bed'about 10:30. We went to sleep up-ptairs about 11.15 oi 11 30. We hmi everything ready for Christmas. There was a set of Christmas lights in the window of mother’sU- bedroom. I was in the same bed as George, jr. He woke me up. I came down expecting to help put the fire out. When I got to the door, flames were already there, and I couldn’t get back. Fire had swept from the place where the desk was to the front door. George had started trying to wake the others up. I guess they either didn’t wake, or didn’t move fast enough.“I think somebody set the fire,”(Continued on Page I)bomb. H that thei.sters dilt;British-Ccontrol c their meiA coirbusinesse'nee 2 am.ern StHomes, Clubs At Hosts To StranSAN FRANCISCO, Dec, 25 —(AP) —Many thousand Ameri-cans who fought in foreign andlt;51 r £4 n 2 ^Ch ristn50jl forialthouhomewSIn ,PailandsDay tlandonPCkfuI V 4thlt; and )(f !'m» nnaVf)irnncii1$ rf vi noOlClfrom V-in privIIinti I2 r \i onthen filtered back to their quart-(( ontinued on Pagr 1)nPI sAokesma nfor the men■ a lt;There0,000 sast for as Day Thev !were beti» t j‘ ri 11 cj ( rilat least1I 111V*Wmmc j♦ci
Newspaper Details
Beckley Post Herald
Beckley, West Virginia, US
Wed, Dec 26, 1945
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