Friday, January 23, 1942

FATHER, DAUGHTER DIE IN SHOOTING, SUICIDE TRAGEDY

Arthur F. Beck Kills Daughter, Self; No Motive Evident. A double tragedy in an east side Champaign home shortly after 8:30 p.m. Thursday took the lives of Arthur F. Beck, 108 East Hill Street, proprietor of an auto repair establishment and his six year old daughter, Joyce.

Sheriff Bert S. Walker said that Beck, apparently without motive, shot his small daughter in the living room of their home and then turned the .32 caliber automatic revolver on himself, firing two shots through his chest.

Beck died almost immediately after being brought to Burnham hospital in Nelson's ambulance. The girl was brought to the hospital at the same time in a Champaign police squad car by Officers Roy Baum and William Stubbs and died at approximately the same time.

THREATENED TO LEAVE

Sheriff Walker, who handled the investigation for Coroner William J. Stode who is confined to his home by illness, said that Mrs. Beck told him her husband came home from his establishment at 71 East Chester Street shortly before 8:30 p.m. and went into the basement. She said he soon came up into the living room, the sheriff related, and announced calmly:

"I'm going to leave you and I'm going to take the baby (Joyce) with me."

The sheriff said that Mrs. Beck, taken by surprise, told him she started to remonstrate with her husband when he drew the revolver and fired at the child who was seated on a chair in the living room. He fired one shot at the daughter, and she toppled from the chair. Beck then fired two shots into his chest on the right and left sides and fell to the floor near the entrance to the living room.

MOTIVE UNKNOWN

Champaign Patrolman Allen Rivers who was patrolling his beat nearby, heard the three shots and saw Mrs. Beck run screaming form the home into the yard. A son, Robert Beck, 15, ran from a neighbor's house across the street and called an ambulance.

Champaign Patrolman Roy P. Baum, who lives at 104 East Hill Street, hurried over to the Beck residence where he found both the father and daughter unconscious in the living room. Sheriff Walker, Champaign police and neighbors of the Beck's were unable to account for the motive for the tragedy. Persons who knew Beck well suggested to authorities that he had been strained by overwork. He frequently worked until late hours of the night at his establishment on Chester Street.

WAS 'GOOD NEIGHBOR'

He apparently had the reputation of being a good neighbor and family man and was known as an excellent auto mechanic, handling repairs for Champaign police cars and other city vehicles. If there were any family troubles it was not known to neighbors. An inquest will probably be conducted some time Saturday, although a definite time had not been set at noon today because of the illness of Coroner Strode. The bodies were taken to the Mittendorf funeral home. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in St. Peter's Evangelical and Reformed church and burial will be in Roselawn cemetery. Rev. Ruben J. Bierbaum will officiate.

In addition to his wife, Mrs. Bernice Smith Beck, and three sons, William Arthur, age 18, Robert Lewis, age 15 and Oliver Jack, age 14, Beck leaves two brothers, Otto H. Beck, Rantoul and Oscar Beck, Champaign, and seven sisters, Mrs. Elsie Ingold, near Ludlow Mrs. Minnie Chapman, Mrs. Emma Godzesky, Mrs. Lena Dowling, Mrs. Marie Hinds and Mrs. Dorothy Maley, all of Champaign-Urbana, and Miss Esther Beck, Chicago,IL.

FORMER I. C. WORKER

He was born Sept. 22, 1901, on a farm near Bondville and was married January 28, 1923. He had resided in Champaign practically all of his married life. Beck was employed with the Illinois Central Railroad for a number of years and with the E. V. Kirby Co. for eight years, before setting up his own business a number of years ago.

The daughter, Joyce Carol, was born July 26, 1935, in Champaign and was a pupil in the first grade of Marquette school.

Submitted by: Pat Maley-Curtis