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Miner Claims His Children Are Alive FAYETTEVILLE, W. Va. (UPI) Fifteen years ago this Christ mas fire swept through a seven room frame house here — and touched off years of grief and frustration for an Italian immi grant coal miner. The miner is George Sodder. Five of his children were sup posedly burnt to death in the fire. Sodder does not believe this, and to this day contends the children were kidnapped. He substantiates his story with the fact that few if any human remains were found in the ashes of the home. Conflicting stories have arisen out of the incident and it is not known exactly what was taken out of the fire. But it is known that no large remains were found. Ladder said only four very small veterbrae were found and they were not the remains of his children. Others say nothing was found and some say a bone and a human organ were discovered. Pathologist Agrees Sadder says the fire couldn't have destroyed the bodies of five of his children so completely. He gets agreement from a Charleston pathologist who wished to remain unidentified. “No ordinary house fire could completely consume five bodies,” the pathologist said. Dr. Goff Lilly, Kanawha Coun ty coroner, when asked for his opinion, replied “I wouldn't say is impossible, but its highly im probable.” “I have seen about 120 burning ths and there was always some remains left,”’ he said. If this is so why hasn't the case been reopened? Mr. Zane Summerfield, Fayette County prosecutor, said he would be glad to reopen the case if some evidence of murder or kid naping were shown. ~ Summerfield indicated the cor oner’s inquest gave the official verdict when it ruled death by fire or suffocation. However, he added, “something is haunting this family and I would do any thing I could to put their minds at ease.” However,, W. H. Level, Oak Hill, the justice of the peace who presided at the inquest, said noth ing was found in the fire as near as he could remember. He said that ruling was given because no one saw the children leave the house. “Carl Vickers, prosecutor at that time, said that as he remembered it,” a piece of backbone and a human organ were found.” Jon Unanswered But the death certificate was not signed by a physician, coro ner or a justice of the peace— instead by an undertaker who has since died. Vickers said he did not believe any medical investigation was made by authorities. If the children were kidnapped, Why? Sadder says he has several ideas on this but no proof. He said a clerk at a Charleston hotel reportedly saw the children a few days after the fire. And again, the children were allegedly spot ted in Cortez, Fla. Some authorities discount Sod der's stories to grief over the loss of the children. The Sodder family has spent a large amount of mon ey for investigations by various private defective agencies but no trace of the children has been found. Yet as Sodder put it—“If no re mains were found. Where are they?”
Newspaper Details
Morgantown Post
Morgantown, West Virginia, US
Sat, Dec 24, 1960
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Danielle B.
