The sun., 1890-01-26
A RECLUSES LONELY DEATH.
mrs BoDK FOUND FROZEN IN BED
IN HIS IsOLIThD FARM HOUSE

N HAS AbOLIThD FARM HOUSE
steries or DARK Crimes that Are safe 20
Have Lee e HE secluded Lirs-Bis Sis
tersin- -Law's HysteFious Death and His
Brothers Mysterieus DisappearaAee.
CONCORD, N. H., Jan. 25.-The discovery OF
the frozen body Of q wealthy reoluse at West
Hopkinton has removed the restraint which
has long rested upon the tongues OF neighbors.
and sensational story Of crime is being freely
told In connection with tho mysterious death
OF the mysterious man. Two murders are laid
at his door. and 1t is considered by the country
folk dispensation OF Providence that he. too,
should have died violent death. Perley Beck
10 the namo Of the man who, now that he is
dead. 10 openly accused Of dark crimes for the
sake OF controlling property, which, II properly
! cared for would be worth n handsome sum.
| His brother and his brothers vile were the
victims. The neiRhbors have long been aus
picious OF the miserly wretch. who secluded
himself on his farm, but mono dared face him
with the accusation OF murder. He lived alone
and rarely went to town, but his isolated farm
house was closely watched by all the neiah-
bors. Month In and month out he lighted his
firo every morning and cooked his lonely
meals. asking favors OF no one.
This morning no smoke was seen rising from
Beck's chimney, and as his tottering form was
not seen the fears Of Frank Hoyt, q neiGhbor,
were aroused, thinking the old man tfor he
was 70 years old had been taken sick. Mr..
Hoyt went to the house to offer his assistance.
but nobody responded to his knock. and as the
latch yielded to his hand he entered the house.
He called Mr.. Beck's name. and getting no
reply he began q search Of the house.
The result was that Becks frozen body
was found lying on his back on the
bed with his clothing on excepting one boot.
His feet hung over the edge Of the bed, and
his arms were uplifted as though he had died
In great suffering. The only indication OF foul
play was q bad bruise over one eye. Mr.. Hoyt
hurried from the house and notified the
authorities, who at once took possession OF
the place.
Tho frat thing the constables did was to
look for q motive for the murder, for such 1t
was thought to be; but there were no other in
dications that outsiders had had hand In the
old mans death than the wound on the face.
This wound might have been caused by q blow,
or Beck may have fallen in his icy dooryard or
Or been injured BY one OF his cattle.
house with sudden illness and hurt BY
a fall. These were the theorIes which were ad-
bors. In the whole township there was not q
.er who Se u5 pedS
clearly the tragic events that had led to Beek's
secluded lie Briefly told. the, story as told by
Many years ago he employed young woman
as housekeeper. and, after she had served him
out a, cent Of wages. subsequently, hearing
that she would bring 81 EVIL vi s1it S against him
boe be Ssn sehoo euoRe o S9
York. Afterward he wished to take back the
property. but his brother refused to give it
Calvin came to this town with his wife some
nine, years ago. and made his home with bis
Mrs. Beck was found burned to death in the
house. The position in which she was discov-
eEed s and other circumstances tended to pT9ve
were unable to obtain evidence sufficient to
warrant an arrest The brothers continued
about q year after the death OF the woman.
Calvin Beck suddenly disappeared, and from
nSs kInd Sim Percy tod the
neighborhood that Calvin went to North Weare
an and took the cars there for NeE York city, put
there was no truth in the story.
Calvin owned considerable property in New
the markets. He rented the stall. but from
the time he mysterously disappeared until
has % oseP Rs made by him or
Immediately after Calvin's absence Perley
began to heag manure and earth IN one OF his
year added to that accumulation. and the pub:
iic believe thai ,Perley Killed his brother and
are going 10 make thorough examination OF
the house and barnyard in the hope OF obtain
Ing some clue to the mysterious disappearance
Perloy never married. He was man OF good
education. took much interest in the high
subject he contributed many articles to the
press. But after the fatal quarrel with his
tirely from intercourse with the world. He
lived on good larm, but let 1t run down.
On entering the barn to-day largo stock
dtion. One COW was dead in her stall. |
and others were so poor IN Iesh that
gIua Of Re animals we're oSen to
Becks cruelty was shown in the fact that in |
his barn WAS nearly 100 tons OF hay and sew !
back Beck had been IN the habit of keeping his
cattle short of food, and accommodating from
grain. He was visited some. years ago by the
State agent for the prevention OF cruelty TO
animals. bnt somehow escaped punishment.
1t has always been supposed that Beck had
money concealed about the
house ! his would furnish motive for rob,
had been made for money.
II has been limited that Calvin Beck may not /
have been murdered, and that he had re-
pei him to divide the property: that he had
struck him down Just as he was about TO re:
she sensational think that Perey had years ago .
attempted to kill his brother. and had left him
tor dead that Calvin recovered, and kept
he had suddenly appeared before Perley, who. ,
him ghost had made no resistance /
alone could account for the awful look Of hor-
ror that is apparent on the dead mans lace:
Rose %no to
theory of Calvin's rehppearance. think that
death was caused by heart disease. and that
shield himself from the supposed ghost
The estate Of the two brothers will amount +
nieces nj '' living - somewhere % viii claim. An IN In
quest will determine the cause Of death.