The New York herald., 1921-04-04
MURDER FRENZY
SEIZED BECKWITH,
NEAR MARRIAGE
Professor Who Slew Dean
Wharton Faced Another
Dismissal in Disgrace.
RECORD OF FAILURES
Six Colleges and Universi-
ties Had Turned Tutor Out.
Causing Him to Brood,

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
SYRACUSE. April 3.-Ten years Of
financial, professional and matrimonial
disasters that embittered him against
the whole world caused Prof. Holmes
Beckwith, Instructor in banking and
finance at Syracuse University, to kill
Dean John Herman Wharton of the
College OF Business Administration
and then kill himself.
1t became known to-day that since
his graduation from the University of
California ten years ago Prof. Beck
with had taught in six colleges and
universities. and from all Of them he
had been dismissed in disgrace. 1t Is
understood that he was soon to have
married a Syracuse woman whose
name is not known.
In nearly every instance Prof. Beck
with's trouble followed the Inauguration
Of such rigid discipline that his students
became dissatisfied and complained to
the college authorities. He began hav-
ing trouble with his students within a
very short time after he came to Syra-
cuse and was considered on the campus
as the most rigid disciplinarian the uni
versity ever had. He conducted his
classes under lock and key locking the
doors as soon as the bell rang for a
class. IF a student came late he was
compelled tn knock and was admitted
by the professor himself and for his
tardiness he received a cut that counted
against him as much as his absence.
1t also was noted among the students
and members Of the faculty that II one
of his classes completed its work few
minutes ahead of time he held the stu
dents in the classroom until the exact
minute scheduled for the closing of the
class.
The colleges and universities at which
Beckwith taught after leaving Califor-
mia include Dartmouth. Grinnell College,
Northwestern University and Colorado
College. In each of these he had diff
Guilty with his students and with his su-
periors and was dismissed, and 1t was
learned to-day that in each of these also
he threatened to kill himself and the
man Immediately responsible for his dis
missal. At Grinnell College Beckwith is
said TO have planned to murder Presi-
dent Mains and then kill himself, but
he changed his mind after he had OBJ
tanned another position. At Northwest
ern University he frequently said he was
going to kill himself. told his associates
OF his intentions and on one occasion a
member of the faculty talked with him
for two hours before he finally was dis
suaded.
Chancellor Day said to-day that he
knew little OF Beckwith personally and
that for his Information concerning the
man he had relied on Dean Wharton.
Prof. Beckwith must have been in
sane" the Chancellor said. He evil
Gently fancied that he had been un-
justly treated. but of course his record
Is nothing but cases In which he thought
injustice had been done him. l know
very little OF him directly. Dean Whar-
& n came 10 me some time ago and told
me he would be compelled to let Prof.
Beckwith go for the good of the de-
partment. I had confidence IN his judg-
ir. mt. and made no objection. but we
thought II would be better to tell Prof.
Beckwith Immediately. SO he would have
an opportunity to find other employment.
Dean Wharton accordingly told him.