MASON, Joseph P. (d. 1872)
Fire in Greeneville
About 1 o’clock on Wednesday morning the fire alarm was given. On looking out we saw the large frame store house of Joseph MASON wrapped in flame. The building was situated about one hundred yards south of the E. Tenn., Va. & Ga., depot. The roof was falling in when the fire was first discovered by Mr. McCOY; a near neighbor who rushed to it to wake from sleep Mr. MASON, who was supposed to be within, but the flames was issuing from his bedroom. The night was very calm and no other building being close the fire was not communicated to any other property. The building contained dry goods, groceries, produce and a half a dozen barrels of whisky, amounting in value to probably six thousand dollars, or more, upon which there was no insurance. But the loss of property was forgotten in the dreadful appearance of the fate of Mr. MASON. In a half hour the inside of the building could be discerned, and a large iron safe was seen to be wide open, which led those present, to the belief that the house had been entered by a burglar, Mr. MASON killed, the safe rifled, and the house set on fire to conceal the atrocious crime. Some thought that the unfortunate man on discovering the fire, opened the safe and was trying to secure his money and valuable papers and was unable to escape the devouring element. Others hoped that he had absented himself, and would return by daylight.
Since writing the above the worst has been realized. The mortal remains of Joseph P. MASON have been found, blackened and charred, mid the ruins of the burning building. The head and limbs were separated from the trunk, which looked like it had ever been the body of a human being. The unfortunate man was found not far from a back door in the opposite end of the building from where he slept, some eight or ten dollars in silver, fused into two parcels, were found by him, and these facts with the further fact that the key to the iron safe was found in the door, make most persons believe that the unfortunate man, on discovering the fire, unlocked the his safe, and gathering what was most valuable attempted to escape by the back door and was suffocated. Others, still, think he was murdered and the building fired. Joseph P. MASON, was a man about 40 years of age, unmarried, and a brother of John A. MASON, of the Mason Hotel, Greeneville, and a brother to Robt MASON, who was some years ago, shot and killed by A.J. FLETCHER, in Greeneville.
Source: Cleveland Banner, March 22, 1872