Curse on Stolen Fishing Tackle Kills Thief

Lucas: A letter to the Editor of the Irish Grove Ledger published on August 9 has a number of Irish Grove residents alarmed that the letter was not only a curse but one that killed its intended target.

     "Many in my congregation now believe Satan is truly at work in this community," stated Reverend Harold Godwinson of the Irish Grove First Congregation of God Church.

     The letter , written by Thaddeus MacArthur, 78, on August 5, complains of the theft of fishing rods and tackle from his Ford Bronco during the last week of July.

     "Who ever stole my rods and tackle I just hope you get as much enjoyment out of them as I would have," writes MacArthur. "I am dying of a terminal illness and had hoped to end my days doing something I loved. Not only did you rob me of my property but also of what short time for happiness I have left. If you hook a big one, think of me because I hope it kills you."

     The following day, The Ledger published MacArthur's obituary. He had died of advanced heart disease.

     But the story didn't die there. On Sunday morning, August 10, the Lucas County Rescue Squad responded to a report that Roger Faust had been pulled from a bass boat into the Chariton River. Sunday evening, rescue workers recovered Faust's remains, which according to one diver who asked not to be named, "...was all tangled up in fish line and looked like the fish'd been at him a while."

     According to eye witness Russell Binkley, Faust had wanted to show off his new fishing gear. "I don't know where Rog got it from. He barely ever had nuff gas money fer his truck. But he called me up Saturday night and said he had to show me his new rod. So, we got out on the river in my old boat and he's showin' me all his new stuff. I asked him what the 'TMA' on the plastic tag stood for on the tackle box. He said it stood for the name of the company he got it from: 'The Model Angler', he said. Looked like initials to me. He kept pulling out lures and things and showin' 'em off to me and saying, 'those guys at Three Mile Angler know their stuff'. He never told me the same name twice. That's when I thought somethin' was---well, fishy.

     "When we got to our spot in the river, he cast his line and bam, right off he's got a big strike. So, he's haulin' on the line and pulling and suddenly, what ever it was starts towin' the boat! So, I try to start up the trawlin' motor to maybe help tire it out when all of a sudden, I hear Rog go overboard. I saw him come up and yell something, but then he went down and I never saw him alive again."

     Irish Grove Police have meanwhile identified the tackle box and rods Faust had in his possession as belonging to the late Thaddeus MacArthur.

     MacArthur's friends are not surprised that their late friend seemed to get his revenge from beyond the grave, but they are a little concerned.

     Victor Wingate says of his long time friend, "When Tad found out he was dying, he got really bitter. He started spending a lot of time over at that cafe and bookstore in town talkin' with that Dorn fellow---the Devil worshiper. God knows what nonsense that man put in his head. I just hope nothing else comes of it."