IN MIDST OF DISASTER RECOVERY: To Some People it Seemed the World Had Come to an End.
By Michael Gibson

[Newspaper editor's note: This is an eyewitnesses account of numerous details concerning Saturday's devesting explosion and fire at Bingman's Drug Store. The writer was in the store when the bomb exploded.]

A peaceful Saturday afternoon for about 30 people in Bingman's Drug Store was quickly turned into a nightmare. The sudden transition erupted at about 12:50 p.m. when a man, later identified as Lee Holbrook, walked in the store with a lighted bomb.

A woman employee who first saw him did not understand until Holbrook took her by the arm and said: "You had better get out of here, I have a bomb."

Holbrook, headed to the back of the store, was stopped by the manager, Charles Schieber, who apparently recognized the parcel to be a bomb. He grabbed for the box.

A horrible game similar to touch football resulted, as a stockboy who had grabbed the bomb in the scuffle dropped it because of interference from Holbrook. Proprietor Schieber had almost made it to the rear door with the bomb when Holbrook caught up to him and started fighting with him.

People in the store were in different stages of awareness when the bomb exploded. Those who did not realize the situation did not have time to take cover. Others who saw everything were glued to the spot, no one had time to dash for the door.

One woman, the one Holbrook warned when he first entered the store suffered blast effect and multiple cuts from flying glass.

At the instant of the explosion some three themselves on the floor. Immediately after the explosion smoke and falling bricks hampered rescuers. No one knew how many persons to look for at first.

City Patrolman Jack Mills and Dennis Brown were among the first persons in the store. Mills personally saved six persons lives who were in a state of shock. Some could not see because of concussion.

General confusion reigned as fire and police tried to maintain order. Many, in a state of shock stood horrified at the sight. Onlookers could not believe it. One person in the store during the blast, said he thought the world had come to an end.

After he had warned the woman in the front of the store Holbrook supposedly said, "Don't try to stop me, I have a bomb and I mean business."

The building entire was destroyed in a matter of a few minutes as wind shipped the fire into a frenzy. Heat grew so intense it melted signs on nearby buildings and kept firemen at a distance.

 

---

[photo] Grim Sight--This is all that remains of three business firms rocked by Saturday's explosion and fire on W. Main St. A despondent husband carrying a homemade bomb is blamed for the disaster. The loss is expected to reach hundred of thousands of dollars.

 

---

 

Mass Funeral Rites Slated

[photo] Charles A. Schieber, Ted Foster, Mrs. Lawrence Lagore, Mrs. Charles Willison

Funeral arrangements have been completed by the Mader Funeral Home for four persons associated with Bingman Drugs who lost their lives in Saturday's tragic blast and fire.

Joint services have been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Circleville First Methodist Church for Mr. Charles Schieber, 595 Ridgewood Drive, and for Ted Foster, Knollwood Village. The Rev. Paul Wachs will officiate.

Services for Mrs. Martha Mary Lagore 117 W. Mill St will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the First EUB Church with the Rev. Eugene Flowers officiating.

Services for Mrs. Frances A. Willison Route 4 will be held 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Mader Funeral Home with the rev. Delbert McKenzie officiating.

Mr. Schieber, 48, was born in Crawford County. He was the son of Vern W. and Bertha Kiess Schieber. His mother a resident of Bucyrus, survives. He is also survived by his widow, Jean Weidemaire Schieber; two children Larry and Karen; one brother Frederick Scheiber Columbus, one sister Mrs. Caroline Luidhardt Bowling Green. Mr. Schieber was a member of the Circleville First Methodist Church, the kiwanis Club, a past president of the Circleville Area Chamber of Commerce, the local Masonic Chapter Council, Commander and Shrine, a member of the board of directors of the Circleville Parking Lot Corporation, the Pickaway County Club and the Ohio State Pharmacists Assn., A graduate Ohio Northern University, he was a veteran of World War II. Graveside Services will be held 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Oakwood Cemetery; Bucyrus by the Wise Funeral Home.

Mr. Foster was born July 18, 1939 [date very hard to read], in Portsmouth the son of Clifford M. and Naomi Smith Foster. His mother survives. She is a resident of Portsmouth. A graduate of Ohio Northern University, Mr. Foster was a member of the Ohio State Pharmacists Assn., Circleville Rotary Club, and the local Masonic Lodge. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by his widow, Eileen Morgan Foster, five children, Karen, Ty, Joni, Robert, and Donald. Burial will be in Forest Cemetery. Friends of Mr. Scheiber and Mr. Foster may call at the Funeral Home beginning 1 p.m. Tuesday, memorial donations to the First Methodist Church Building Fund would be appreciated by both families. Members of the Pickaway County Medical Society will serve as honorary pallbearers for the two druggists. Joint Masonic services will be conducted 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Mader Funeral Home.

Mrs. Willison 36, was born Nov 11, 1930, in Barberton, the daughter of Samuel and Olivia Decker Starkey. She was a ____ [?]. Is survived by her husband Charles W. Willison who was employed by [illegible] 3 sons Richard, James, and Gary. [Article continues illegibly.] [S]he will be buried in Floral Hills. Friends of the family may call at The Mader Funeral Home.

Mrs. Lagore was born in Circleville the daughter of Wayne and, who live a short distance from the drugstore.

 

 

---

---

 

Blast, Inferno Claim Lives of Five Persons
Bomb Carrier Listed as Victim, Mss Funeral Rites Set

Circleville is slowly but surely recovering from what is considered the worst tragedy in the city's history.

Disaster struck quickly at 12:50 p.m. Saturday when a despondent husband carried a homemade bomb in to Bingman Drug Store, 148 west main Street. The explosion and fire of tremendous proportion that followed claimed at least 5 lives, destroyed three downtown businesses and numerous upper level apartments and left the community grief-stricken.

The casualty list compiled after a round the clock inspection of the demolished area disclosed this toll:

Charles A. Schieber 48, of 595 Ridgewood Drive proprietor of Bingman Drugs: Ted Foster 37, [DOB should be 1930], Knollwood Village -- pharmacists: Mrs. Lawrence O. Lagore, 117 E. Mill St, clerk; Mrs. Charles Willison 36 Route 4--bookkeeper; Lee Holbrook, Circleville; identified as the man who carried the bomb in the store.

The only slight consolation is the sudden holocaust is that the death toll was held to five. Initial reports indicated at least seven or more persons were missing. Estimates note that more than 30 people were in the store when the blast occurred.

Rubble and debris remain today on W. Main St. as a grim reminder of what happened. This along with Saturdays spouting flames following smoke and fateful reality that lives were lost will be a tragedy.

 

 

---

Circleville Herald - Circleville OH - 17 Apr 1967