Mineral City Shaken: The Blast of 1933

A failed suicide attempt sparked a devastating explosion, a mysterious disappearance, and a bizarre kidnapping hoax.

Content warning: This post contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Click here for resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member.

Harvey Edison Hicks (1879-1966) was born in Oklahoma and spent much of his early life in Indiana after being orphaned following the deaths of his mother in 1880 and his father in 1882. He eventually established himself as a versatile professional, working as a licensed attorney in Indiana before transitioning into a career as a ceramic engineer. He moved to Mineral City, Ohio, by 1933 to work for industrialist George J. Markley (1854-1938), though his personal life was complicated by chronic alcoholism and a documented history of mental instability. Harvey earned $75 a month at the time while supporting his wife, Maude, and their young daughter.

During the first week in September 1933, Hicks engaged in a prolonged drinking excursion in Canton. His intoxication led to a domestic dispute where his wife scolded him severely, an interaction that left him deeply despondent and determined to end his life. In the early morning of September 6, 1933 he was seen entering a downtown Mineral City storeroom where Markley illegally stored a large quantity of dynamite and blasting powder. Once inside, Hicks lit a fuse, but lost his nerve as it began to sputter and fled the building when he was unable to put it out.

At approximately 6:20 a.m., a terrific explosion tore through the heart of Mineral City, wrecking the business district and shattering nearly every window in the village. The force of the blast was felt miles away, resulting in property damage in Mineral City estimated at upwards of $35,000 (almost $900,000 today). Initially, search parties believed Hicks had been killed in the detonation, but as days passed without the discovery of human remains in the debris, the investigation shifted toward a mysterious disappearance. The event drew thousands of spectators to the ruined village while the state fire marshal launched a probe into the illegal storage of the explosives.

While a search was conducted for him, Hicks hid out at the nearby brick plant, seeking refuge inside the firebox of one of the brick kilns. During his ten days in the brickyard, he suffered through a harrowing bout of delirium tremens, brought on by alcohol withdrawal. He managed to slip away to Dover one evening to purchase groceries and participate in another drinking session, yet he returned to his hiding spot unnoticed by authorities. Half-starved and covered in grime and soot, he eventually decided to return home and face his fate.

Hicks stumbled back to his Mineral City home on September 15th in a semi-conscious state and immediately provided a story of being kidnapped by three extortionists. He claimed that these abductors held him for a $10,000 ($250,000 today) ransom from his wealthy employer and had tortured him to try and secure the money. According to his fabricated tale, he was blindfolded and spirited away in an automobile, surviving on only a few sandwiches during his entire captivity. While his wife initially supported this kidnapping story, law enforcement officials remained skeptical of the conflicting details in his story.

The mystery was finally resolved after Hicks was sent to Massillon State Hospital for observation, where he eventually confessed that the kidnapping was a product of his imagination and admitted to his role in the blast. On September 28, 1933, he pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property and was sentenced to one to seven years in the Ohio State Penitentiary. Hicks became eligible for parole in August 1934 and eventually returned to Indiana. His employer, George J. Markley, died in 1938 having only paid a small fine for his role in the devastating explosion. Hicks lived in Indiana for the rest of his life, surviving his wife who died in 1956, before passing away on November 10, 1966, at the age of 86.

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© Noel B. Poirier, 2026.