Orville Beckwith, died August 21, 1920

BECKWITH, LINCOLN, LUTZ, AMBLER, GARNER

Posted By: Pat Ryan White (email)
Date: 3/8/2014 at 17:49:24

ORVILLE BECKWITH COMMITS SUICIDE IN MT. PLEASANT
Member of Prominent Henry County Family Despondent From Sickness.

Orville Beckwith, scion of a noted Henry county family shot himself thru the head in the garage of his home in Mt. Pleasant shortly after 6 o'clock Saturday morning. He was found by his ten year old son Warren, unconscious, with a revolver beside him and died two hours later.

The suicide is attributed to worry over ill health and financial responsibilities. For several years he has suffered from chronic trouble that several surgical operations failed to relieve. Almost a daily visitor to the Henry county fair last week, Mr. Beckwith appeared to be in better condition than he has been for some time. Few men in southeastern Iowa are better known. A son of Captain Warren Beckwith, pioneer and stockman, who died leaving a large fortune some fifteen years ago, and a brother of Warren Beckwith, who married a granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln, Orville Beckwith occupied an enviable position in Mt. Pleasant, where he had inherited a large estate.

FOUND IN GARAGE.
Close friends, who knew of his sufferings, have been apprehensive for some time. A neighbor saw him walking the street at 6 o'clock Saturday morning. A half hour later his son went to the garage and discovered the tragedy. He called Edward Lutz of Eldon, a visitor in the Beckwith home. The revolver shot had not been heard.

He never became conscious, altho physicians attempted to give some relief. Despite his affliction he had never greatly complained, and only near friends knew that his health was shattered.

MANY FRIENDS IN BURLINGTON.
Mr. Beckwith was well known in Burlington where he had business relations and a number of close friends. Harry Ambler, 312 Franklin street, was a boyhood companion. He talked with him two weeks ago, but did not find him despondent. "Orville Beckwith was a fair, frank, dependable man and the last man among my acquaintance whom I would have suspected of planning suicide," Mr. Ambler said. Mr. Beckwith was a popular member of the Burlington Elks lodge.

Mr. Beckwith leaves his wife and four children: Mrs. Pauline Lutz of Eldon, Iowa, George Beckwith in California, Warren and Miss Luzenia Beckwith at home. He leaves his brothers, Capt. Warren Beckwith of Los Angeles and Everett Beckwith of Aurora, Ill., and a sister, Mrs. Trigg Garner of Los Angeles, and a step-mother, Mrs. Warren Beckwith.

The funeral arrangements have not been made. It will be largely attended, for in years Mt. Pleasant has not experienced a tragedy that has caused more excitement than the death of Orville Beckwith.

["Burlington Hawkeye", Sunday, August 22, 1920, page 1]