F.J. Thrun Part II: Death in flames

Continued from previous week

“Met Death in the Flames,” The Marshfield News and Wisconsin Hub headline read just days after Halloween in 1892.

The story recounts the mysterious fire that burned the F.J. Thrun home several miles north of Spencer — at Romeo — and the events leading up to it.

“On Thursday evening last, Mr. Thrun had been in Spencer and was accompanied by N.L. Kaudy, of Colby, and Geo. Leichtman, of Abbotsford,” the article stated. “They left Spencer quite early for Thrun’s place at Romeo, where they were to stop over night, and the next morning go to Greenwood, at which place Mr. Kaudy had some business matters to attend to.

“Kaudy and Leichtman retired to one room and Thrun to another. Kaudy did not sleep well on account of a headache and about one o’clock became aware of the house being on fire.

“He at once aroused the other two men. All of them at once commenced removing furniture. While removing the organ, Thrun turned back and said he was going after some books and money in the pantry.

“No attention was paid to his absence for some time, but as he did not return and could not be found, it was feared that he had not gotten out and probably (had) been overcome by the heat and flames in that part of the house where he had gone.

“The fire soon devoured the whole house which burned like tinder. No effort was made to stay the progress of the flames as it would be a useless task and attention was paid to moving other light frames buildings nearby.

“(The) next morning, as the neighborhood gathered at the scene of the fire, the report having been spread that Thrun had been burned, a close search was made to see if any remains could be found.

“Portions of a human skeleton were discovered in the midst of the ruins where the fire was yet alive. Water was at once thrown upon them, and the charred and blackened remains taken out. A rule, a pocket knife and a couple of suspender buckles were also found.”

A judge and constable came from Spencer and impaneled a coroner’s jury. A doctor testified that the bones were in fact human, and Kaudy and Leichtman testified to the fact that Thrun had run into the burning house to retrieve the items, as did a neighbor.

But, in the hours that followed, rumors began to circulate on the validity of the bones belonging to Thrun.

While the story was deemed plausible, there was one sticking point: the skeleton had no teeth, but Thrun did.

To be continued