The Delta independent., 1908-01-17
Funeral Of Veteran
George Beckley.
Theory Of Son Regarding Death
Of the Respected Old Soldier

The body of Veteran George Beckley
was brought to Delta Monday from
Idaho by his son James Beckley, county
treasurer of Delta county, who left
for Idaho last week on receipt of news
that the body had been found
The death of Mr.. Beckley was par
ticularly sad occurrence.
While facts regarding exact details
. are lacking, the theory of Mr.. James
Beckley is probably correct and is as
follows:
December 23rd to visit his son and
married daughters at Blackfoot Idaho.
He arrived at Pocotello on time and
the train at that point waits 45 minutes
for other trains to arrive and make up,
that being an important division point.
Here there are numerous railroad
tracks as well as trains ready to start
for different parts of the country.
Mr.. Beckley became acquainted with
the newsboy on the trip, who stated
that he sat for some time after the
train had stopped and then getting
tired, got up and started out, saying he
would go and get some coffee. The
newsboy told him that he had better
not go now as he might miss his train.
Mr.. Beckley looked at his watch and
remarked that he would have plenty Of
time.
In leaving the Blackfoot train he had
to cross through other trains and in the
hurry of his return it is likely that he
boarded the wrong train. Discovering
this fact when about ten miles out, it
is supposed he left the train which, at
this point had run at an angle bringing
him about "a miles from Blackfoot, di-
rectly across the country.
He started on this walk and at about
i2 miles out met an Indian, whom it
was that furnished the clue TO the
finding of the body. This Indian re-
lated that Mr.. Beckley had asked for
matches from him and he gave them
b to him and invited him TO his camp. To
this Mr.. Beckley replied that he would
go on.
Shortly after leaving the Indian MIR.
Beckley discarded his overcoat, then
wandered on for five or six miles until
he came to an Indian tepee, which he
entered and evidently lay down in, ut
terly exhausted. Here his body was
found and there was no evidence what
soever of a struggle or of his having
moved from the place or position in
which he lay down.
Hence the conclusion was drawn that
he died from heart failure, superin-
duced by exhaustion.
Where found he was in what is
known as the Bottoms, about miles
from Ross station. and it is supposed
he had walked perhaps is or 20 miles.
An uninterrupted search had been
made since he failed to appear at
Blackfoot by his relatives who were
there to meet him, and the Indian who
had seen him, and who afterwards
found his overcoat. supplied the clue at
last which led to the discovery of his
body.
AT Delta the remains were met at
the train by the members of Geo. b.
Mcclellan Post G. A. r., of which de-
ceased was member and Past Com
mander, and by them he was laid to
rest.
George Beckley leaves a wife and ten
children, four boys and six girls, all
grown. Two of the daughters, Mrs.
james Hunter and Mrs. Ketchum, and
one son, N. C. Beckley, who married
Minnie Blair of Delta, live at Black
foot, Idaho. At Delta remain James
and Carrie Beckley and Mrs. James
Butler. Mrs. James McHugh and NJ.
S. Beckley live on Surface Creek in
this county, and Mrs. May b. Hunter
at Kcndrick.
Mr.. Beckley was a veteran of the
civil war, in the hard service of which
he contracted disease which weakened
an otherwise strong constitution. and
from which he never fully recovered.
He was an upright citizen whose sad
death all sincerely mourn.