"Eugene" was the nickname of a man found in Sabina, Ohio, on June 6, 1929.
Case[]
The victim was found near Borum Road beside US Highway 22. The Littleton Funeral Home was notified and Dr. C.E. Kinzel was called and he declared the victim died of natural causes.
A piece of paper with an address of 1118 Yale Avenue, which belonged to a vacant lot in Cincinnati, Ohio, was found with him. Since the closest person who lived near the address was a man named Eugene Johnson, the victim was nicknamed "Eugene" by Littleton's mortician Olin Moon and owners Roger and Harry Littleton.
Eugene's body was embalmed at the Littleton Funeral Home in hopes someone would recognize him. No one recognized him, although Moon stated there was one person who recognized him but did not say anything. Additionally, some of the locals saw Eugene the day before he died slowly walking through town.
Between his death and burial in 1964, Eugene became sort of a statewide interest, with a conservative estimate of over a million and a half people seeing Eugene in his own little home in the side yard of the Littleton home, especially during holidays and summer weekends. At lease a million people, including apparently famous celebrities, signed the register books kept at the building. Even charter buses passing through Sabina would pause while the groups went to see Eugene. The Littletons gave Eugene a new suit every year to make him presentable.
The Littletons had to build a wire screen across the room to protect him from curiosity and souvenir seekers. Additionally, Eugene was subject to abductions by pranksters, one time he was taken as far as Ohio State Campus in Columbus, Ohio.
It was not until October 29, 1964 when Eugene was buried in Section 3, Lot 33 at the Sabina Cemetery.
Sources[]
- Eugene at Find a GravePOSTMORTEM WARNING
- The Sabina Historical Society