The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-06-26
Il. F. Becker. a st. Charles Banker,
Committed Suicide While
Temporarily Insane.
FELL IN A WELL LAST WEEK.
Fearful Experience Unbalanced
His Mind-HiS Cousin. William
Becker of st. Louis, Who Was
Visiting Him Has Returned.
REPUBLIC SPECIAL.

REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
ST. Charles Mo-. June 25.-Beniamin
Franklin Becker. president of the First Ma
tional Bank of ST. Charles. committed sui
eide this afternoon by jumping from the
upper deck Of the ferry-boat Fawn into the
Missouri River while the boat was in mid
stream.
The act Is considered the direct result Of
injuries he received on last Tuesday by
falling into a well 10 feet deep at his home.
After the fall he climbed out. using rope
hanging in the well. IL is thought that the
strain he underwent during this fearful ex-
perience unbalanced his mind. as he had
been acting erratic since. He was 80 years
old and a widower. and leaves two daugh-
ters. the Misses Vivian and Grace Becker.
aged IS and is years respectively. Mr.. Beck
er was descendant OF one OF the odes:
families in ST. Charles County.
The body has not been found, and the rel
atives offer sivp reward for its recovery.
Mr.. Becker transacted several items or
business at his bank this morning. HIS
cousin, William Becker of St. Louis. came
to St. Charles on a morning train. and aft
er dinner Mr. Becker left him at his home.
saying he would te back shortly. He walked
down to the river. where the Fawn was an
chored. and went on the boat. Only Cap
tain Bergfeld. the pilot. the engineer and
the fireman were on board. and they were
surprised to see MIR Becker come aboard,
as ne seldom crossed the river. He spoke
10 Captain Bergfeld and later went up
stairs. anu presently appeared on the hur-
ricane deck. IL happened. when the boat
was in nlidstream. that the fireman was
standing In the pilot-house. He saw Mr..
Becker stoop ana place his umbrella ana
his hat in the lifeboat. Then the banker
threw up his arms and poised for leap.
The fireman heard him say "Good-by. all"
and then saw him spring from the deck.
When the persons on the boat rushed for
ward, as the alarm was sounded by the
solitary witness. they saw Becker in the
river. sinking for the third time but max
ing no effort to save himself attract
help.
Efforts to find the body being futile tn.
Charles.
When Mr.. Becker's hat and umbrella
were picked up 1t was found tina: he had
taken the precaution to place his card In
his hat so that he might easily be iden-
tilted
Ever since he fell into the well, on last
Tuesday morning. Mr.. Becker's friends
have remarked that he had acted in a Pc
tuliar manner. but they hoped that the
cloud would pass away with time. II
Eis custom to go to the well every morning
very early to get z fresh glass of water.
y had rained on Monday night and when
Mr.. Becker went to the well on last Tues
Gay morning the ground was very slippery.
As he stopped over 10 pull up the bucket
his feet began 10 slip and he could not
seyenty-five feet into the dark well. His
head struck the rocky sides and 1t is prob
able that he sustained d conclusion of the
BRAIN but he managed to keep his nose
above water and grab the rope.
The agonies he suffered ne never men
toned. but when he reached the top of the
well and scrambled out he was too ex-
hausted to move. He was discovered hy
some of his servants and carried into The
house. For the first few days he was out
of his mind. But he seemed to get rapidly
better.
Mr.. Becker was born on the old William
Fecker homestead in St. Charles County
and was wen known alt over the State.
He was identified with almost every husi-
Tess enterprise in ST. Charles. besides being
the head of the First National Bank. His
fortune is estimated at $500 60.