Charlevoix county herald., 1919-01-10
KILLED BY MAN SHE
TRIED TO UPL|FT
THEN pERELIcT TRIES TO BE.
sMIRcH CHARACTER OF MIS-.
SION WORKER
WAS A GOOD WOMAN" HE ADMITS
Momentary Return Of Impulse to De.
generate Career Causes Him to
Shoot Friend

Shoot Friend
Cincinnati. O.-Steadfastly and with
seemingly unwavering confidence,
Mrs. Mamie Beatty strove for ten
years to rekindle the flame of self
respect and self-reliance in the breast
The result of it all was the loss of heI
life at his hands and an attempt by
him to throw upon her character a
b'otch that failed to adhere, because
her whole life in its bearing and in
fluence repealed il.
= Mrs. Beatty was shot five times and
killed by Toker, in her apartment in
the Ideal Hotel here. a few minutes
after she had arrived from visit OF
some weeks to Zion City, near Chicago
Her slayer made no denial of his
crime. His first plea was that he did
il because he loved her: then he at.
tributed 1t to craze for drink, and fin
ally, under realization of the enormity
Of his deed and the peril into which 1t
plunged him, he claimed that it had
been precipitated by his jealousy OF
other men, after "she had induced me
to live with her eight months ago."
Almost in the same breath he paid her
the tribute Of being good woman"
And the entire record establishes
the fact that Mrs. Beatty was a good
woman. Her devotion to mission work
in which her sole aim was the lifting
Of derelict men and women to a level
where they might perceive the light
and the higher ideals of life, bear tes-
timony to her character. and to this
is added the evidence of her writings
and the tribute of those who knew
her.
Toker himself is living evidence
of the unselfishness of her life, al.
though shattered at last as result
of momentary return of the impulse
to the degenerate career from which
she had for years endeavored to res
cue him.
Mrs. Beatty was the widow of the
Rev. Sherrard Beatty, founder of one
o. the oldest and most successful mis-.
sions in this city. When he died, sew
eral years ago, she continued the
work which he had commenced. Ten
years ago the Beattys found Toker in
their mission one night. At that time
he was distinct specimen of the der.
eiict. But he was human, and that was
to the workers enough to draw him
a fIyIl IF hai hnl
teaching and influence.
Apparently their efforts were not
wasted. Toker gave evidence of a de-
sire to lead the life to which they
pointed him, but there was no mistak
ing the fact that it was a hard task
Traits of making against reform clear
ly were deeply imbedded in him, and
mis- countenance mirrored them plain
ly. Nevertheless, neither Mrs. Beatty
nor her husband despaired, and when
the latter died Toker was given the
management of the Ideal hotel, which
Mrs. Beatty conducted in connection
with her mission work.
During Mrs. Beatty's recent visit tC
Zion City, Toker relapsed into his ole
habit Of dissipation to a greater ex
tent than usual. Word of this mus
have reached Mrs. Beatty-probably
he himself informed her In his replies
to her letters-for in all her letters tC
him from there she admonished and
encouraged him to sobriety. "Glad you
are sober" she wrote in one. God Is
able to keep you from all sin. With
my blessing, your friend" In another
there was this message designed to
sustain: MAY the Lord Jesus keeI
you always to Himself and there be
Increase of him and decrease of us
for without him we can do nothing,
The letters were signed MRS. Sher
rard Beatty"
1t must be said for Toker that he
has shed many tears since his arrest
Whether this be from remorse over
re wanton Staying of the woman who
revived and nurtured, as best she
could, whatever Of redeeming quality
has remained with him since that
night ten years ago, or whether it be
due to a realization that justice prob
ably will exact from him heavy pen
atty, is a matter with his inner con
seriousness.