Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-01
BEN. LONGENECKER.
The Remains Found on
the Hills
NORTH OF LOS ANGELES CITY.
Details Of DefaIcation, Disap-
pearance, Decease and Dis
eoyery.

The Nep Era, OF Lancaster, Pennsyl-
vania, which reached this Office by
mail to-day, has the following under
date Of November 80, 1885;
eat last we have sequel to the mys-
terious Disappearance Of Poor Director
Benjamin X. Longenecker which ere
ated quite local sensation early in last
MarcD, the particulars of which, so far
as then known. were printed in the NeD
Era OF the 10th Of that month. On the
Saturday previous we published the fact
Of tlie loss OF $4,000 in securities belong
lug to Miss Barbara Becker, OF Manor
township, in whose household he had
lived for foriy.ive years, entrusted with
the management OF all her business af-
fairs. Lougenecker, who had an-
nounced himself as candidate for re-
election, had left home about ten days
before, saying he was going to Philadel-
phia, on business, and would return the
next evening. Since then nothing OF
his whereabouts was known until
the present time. Reports OF foul play
were prevalent, and one report that his
body had been found in the Delaware
river proved to be incorrect. Friends OF
hi.ss Becker being at length convinced
that Logcnecker's disappearance might
be connected with her business interests,
on the 18th OF March they broke open
the missing mans desk, when it was
found that securities to the value OF
IS. 900, which were known to have been
there, were missing. The immediate
cause Of his flight was attributed to the
fact that Miss Becker had recently told
Loppenecker that size wished 20 use
$1,000 which he had represented as
having loaned 10 certain party, which
he had not done, and of course de-
mand for the money on that party
would have exposed his dishonesty.
There is no doubt that his embezzle.
ments had been going on for series OF
yeara. and the exact amount OF Miss
BecLer's losses has never been devel-
oped. as she was possessed OF ample
means and never took any legal steps
looking to the arrest and punishment OF
the fugitive.
MIR. Longenecker was single man
and has no near relatives. He was
raised in the Becker family, living first
with the father, John Becker, who died
some twenty five years ago, and then
with the daughter, who had the most
implicit confidence in his integrity and
honor, us had indeed everybody who
knew him. He was regarded as man
Of temperate habits, although he was in
the habit of using intoxicating drinks
and kept it at home. The fact that an
empty whisky flask was found by his re-
mains, would seem to Indicate that the
suggestion of the Coroner may have
been correct, that he probably died
through excessive drinking, brought
on throught remorse for his base ingrati-
tude to his hest friend and benefactor
THE poDY or LoNGENEoKER FOUND.
Thus the mystery has remained un.
solved for eight months, no clue being
had in the meantime Of the missing
man, until Thursday, when j. X. Mis-.
semer, ESQ.,, editor Of the Mount joy
Star and Ne,os, received the following
letter from the Coroner of Los Angeles,
California, which clearly identifies n
body found in the mountains near Los
Angeles City as that of BENZ. II. Longe-
necker,"
Here follows the letter, which is
signed by Mr. Frank Oakley of this
city, describing the remains found on
the hills near the Highland Park tract.
The Era adds: "The description fully
answers to that of Longenecker, who
was about go years of age. The letter
from MIR. Missemer, offering to insert
his card as candidate for Poor Direct
or; the bill from Edward kreekel, for
harness; the memorandum book con
thinning his address; and the names of
the firms marked on his clothing, leave
no doubt of his identity. We learn
from Myers & Rathcon that they had
sold him black coat, and at later
date he had purchased blue overcoat
from A. IL. Rosenstein, whose name the
Coroner has evidently Incorrectly tran
scribed 'Roaenbaum.