The Monroe journal. [volume] (Monroe, N.C.) 189?-1965, 1921-04-29
WHEREABOUTS OF Mr.. l.. C.
BECKETT STILL UNKNOWN
Merton People. Concerned over Hi
Disappearance. Believe llis blind
: Affected.
PAIL CAST OVER COMMUNITY

The strange and unaceountable dis
appearance of L. c. Beckett from his
home here and the absolute failure
Of any OF his friends here ia hearing
from him since he Unexpectedly left
Newton has caused more comment IN
the city than has anything else that
has taken place in quite number OF
years. in that the surroundings are
OF such a strange setting that every
one is At loss TO explain. let alone
account Tor il all. says a Newton dis
patch. Governor Beckett. Q brother
of l.. c. Beckett. has been in Newton
looking into the matter of the disap-
pearance OF his brother. and generally
getting the matters OF his brother in
such shape as will permit handling
by an outside party.
Mr Beckett was a maa OF lovable
disposition and was universally liked
by everyone In Newton.
This morning the Daily News cor
respondent interviewed John p.
Yount. a leading citizen OF Newton.
and stauneh friend of Mr.. Beckett.
and from him gathered the following
summary of teh happening:
For a number OF years Mr.. Beckett
has made Newton his home. coming
here from Monroe TO engage in the
wholesale grocery business. where he
had been prominent in the affairs of
that city and of Union county. and
while in that business did much TO
promote the many advantages of our
city: from that day to this he has
been doing a wholesale business in
Newton with a varying success. and
| Just recently took venture in the re-
tail business as side line to his
wholesale operations; in this engage.
ment he was rapidly succeeding and
was doing a retail business second to
none in the city. Mr.. Beckett was an
indefatigible worker and was in his
place of business at least 16 hours
each day, always pleasant, affable
and a friendmaker by the score. II
seemed that when the sugar depres-
sion came on and when the wholesal-
ers all over the country were caught
in the drag net of the jobbers and
forced to free themselves as bes'
they could. that Mr.. Beckett paid his
demands made upon him by these
people. and through his act in uphold
ing his contracts was forced to outlay
a great amount of cash: that the hard
times generally caught him. as 1t die
other wholesalers, and that his losses
were terrific. enough to break tn
!, will power to make money OF ths
strongest man. He has also suffered
Iacutely with his eyes. and has FIRE
auently remarked to friends that M
had to find some cure for his allmen
or that he was going to die. or Ger
tainly go blind in both of his eyes
, II has only been few weeks that h
visited an eye specialist in Charlotte
and elsewhere. and II seems that h
secured little consolation from any o
them. However. through II all n
was pleasant and in good humor ant
seemed to take his affection with IN
best of spirit and always thought o
his home life and his friends in pref
erence to his personal feelings.
Mr.. Beckett was married but ha
no children. and 1t is generally know
that his home life was beautiful AM
that true hospitality was administer
/, ed there as In the olden days, nj
home being one of the prettiest |
; this section and being widely know
, for the appearance II presented.
There is no doubt in the minds Q
, any one in Newton conversant wit
: all the facts but that Mr.. Beckett wa
mentally deranged when he left IN
!, city and that he is still in that condl
, ton wherever he may be, wanderin
! aimlessly around. suffering from tn
pains that are racking his body. Hi
financial condition is not causing an
, great amount of alarm as his coma
ton In that respect is just as good
= If not better. than the usual run 0
, dealers who have lost heavily throug
p the depression of the market
A Mr.. Yount has been appointed re
e ceiver by Judge T. B. Finley. and
+ now engaged in operating the bus
ness interests until final dispositio
: Is made of the effects.
Newton generally has a pail cas-
n over Il and every one is vitality inter
Y ested in locating Mr.. Beckett and dc
Q ing what they can to restore this va
n liable citizen to a condition of norma