Quotations Mary Reeser

in 1961 article general magazine , history chronicle of university of pennsylvania, krogman wrote extensively reeser case. remarks included:

find hard believe human body, once ignited, literally consume -- burn out, candle wick, guttering in last residual pool of melted wax [...] did happen on night of july 1, 1951, in st. petersburg, florida? may never know, though case still haunts me.

with regard reeser s shrunken skull, krogman wrote:

[...]the head not left complete in ordinary burning cases. not shrivel or symmetrically reduce smaller size. in presence of heat sufficient destroy soft tissues, skull literally explode in many pieces. have never known exception rule.

krogman concluded:

cannot conceive of such complete cremation without more burning of apartment itself. in fact apartment , in should have been consumed. [...] regard amazing thing have ever seen. review it, short hairs on neck bristle vague fear. living in middle ages, d mutter black magic.

later, having put statement on record, krogman moved away position. instead put forward theory reeser had been murdered @ location. murderer had access crematorium-type equipment , had incinerated body. hypothetical murderer had transported results of partial cremation apartment , used portable heat-generating equipment add finishing touches, such heat-buckled plastic objects , warm doorknob.