KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Wednesday, Mar. 1, 1944
MRS. ALTA BEASON IS FATALLY SHOT
-HER FORMER HUSBAND IS UNDER ARREST
-CORONER'S INQUEST FINDS BERNIE BEASON RESPONSIBLE FOR EX-WIFE'S DEATH
Mrs. Alta Mae Beason, 42 of Brashear, a linetype operator for the Kirksville Graphic Printing Co., was shot and fatally wounded about 8:45 a.m. this morning as she was walking on the sidewalk in front of Bus Eaden Restaurant on West Washington Street. Her former husband, Bernie Beason, is under arrest. She died while being taken to the Grim-Smith Hospital in the Summers & Powell ambulance.
At the coroner's inquest held this afternoon at the Summers & Powell Funeral Home, the jury returned a verdict that "we find that the deceased came to her death from a bullet fired from a gun in the hand of Bernie Beason".
Beason was arrested by Sherrif Bob Love, Jr. and City Officer Pearl Arnold in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo and placed in jail.
Mrs. Beason, who lived with her mother, Mrs. Etta Garlock at Brashear, had been driving back and forth each day with Mrs. Gladys Sees and J.A. Johnston. She had just gotten out of the Johnston automobile in front of the Bank of Kirksville about 8:45 a.m. this morning and went south, according to Johnston's testimony at the inquest this afternoon.
Mrs. Beason then went into McLellan's Store and made a purchase, according to the testimony of Miss Genevieve Johnson, of Brashear, a clerk at McLellan's. While making the purchase, Beason walked in and Mrs. Beason said "There comes Bernie". He asked his former wife how the babies were getting along. They left the store by the way of the south door, Mrs. Johnson said, and just after getting out the door she heard a shot. She stated that she went to the door and saw Beason standing by his wife who was lying on the sidewalk, saw him pull her dress down and say, "You deserve it". She said that all she heard Mrs. Beason say was, "Oh, my God".
Mrs. Addie Clevenger, who is employed at the Eades Restaurant, said she was standing near the front door when she heard a shot. She looked out and saw the woman on the sidewalk and a man standing nearby with a revolver in his hand. The man walked over to the prostrated body, pulled down her dress to view the wound, and then said; "It is all your fault". Mrs. Clevenger said the man looked up at her ant told her to call an ambulance.
Mrs. Clevenger said that she was afraid of him and went to the rear part of the restaurant and did not call anyone as there was no telephone in the restaurant. She said that the man stood around with the crowd for several minutes and then walked away. Although there were several men standing around, no one attempted to stop him.
Mrs. Clevenger, who did not know Beason, testified that the man the officers arrested and have in jail is the one she saw with the gun in his hand and talking to Mrs. Beason.
Mrs. Clevenger stated in an interview this morning that Beason had eaten breakfast at the Eades Restaurant a short time before the shooting and that he acted queerly, and she thought something was wrong with him.
Someone called the city police station but none of the officers were there. Mayor A.L. Bartlett went to the scene of the shooting. The man who allegedly did the shooting was pointed out to the mayor and he started to shadow him until officers arrived. He saw him go into another restaurant on S. Elson Street, and while he was calling the police station from Walkup's Durg Store, the man got away.
He was finally found in Atty. Alex Nimmo's office on the south side of the public square and offered no resistance to being arrested. Sherrif Love said he did not find a gun on Beason, but found a pocket knife. The two were joined by Chief of Police Crow and they placed him in jail. Sherrif Love said Beason did not make any statement to the officers.
The couple were married on Mar. 14, 1937 and have two children, Ellen, 5 years old, and Wynona, 3 years old, according to Circut Court records. She was granted a divorce while Beason was out West at the June 1943 term of Adair County Circut Court and given custody of the two children. When Beason returned last fall, the divorce was set aside, but on Oct. 22, 1943, she was granted a final divorce decree.
Beason is said to have been living in La Plata and Kirksville the past three or four months, and it was reported that he had threatened his former wife. It was stated at the Graphic office this morning that Mrs. Beason had said her husband had threatened her, and is reported to have had them place an extra lock on the front door so that he could not get in when she was working there by herself.
Mrs. Beason formerly lived in Kirksville several years ago and worked at the Graphic office at that time.
State Highway Patrolman, O.H. Kanan, testified that when he first talked to Beason this morning he denied that he had a gun this morning. On the second visit by Kanan and Traffic Officer, Pearl Hatfield, Beason, when asked about talking to his wife after the shooting, said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Officer Arnold testified that Beason told him that he gave the gun to a man named "Jack" but he didn't know his last name. He testified that Beason said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Mrs. Beason was shot with a .38 calibre revolver, which contained a steel jacket shell. The bullet entered the lower part of her neck, just over the collar bone on the right side and went through her body and came out between the shoulders. The bullet was found in her clothing when it was removed at the funeral home.
F.A. Eades testified that he was drinking a cup of coffee when he heard a shot fired. Going to the window, he saw a woman lying on the walk. He said people were standing around and as no one seemed to take any interest in the affair, he went to the Stephenson Hotel and called the police station. He said that after a while an ambulance came.
"Red" Jones, of the Stephenson Hotel Barber Shop, said this morning that he heard a shot and, on going to the door, saw a crowd in front of Eades place. He went there and, not knowing what had happened, asked Beason "What's the matter?". He said that Beason replied; "Nothing". He did not know Beason and did not know that he was alleged to have done the shooting. He said Beason kept walking around for several minutes and finally walked away. Someone then told him, he said, that Beason was the man who did the shooting.
KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Thursday, Mar. 2, 1944
OFFICERS HUNT GUN IN BEASON MURDER
-BULLET FOUND WITH MRS. ALTA BEASON'S BODY AND AN EMPTY SHELL RETRIEVED FROM
SIDEWALK, INDICATE BERNIE BEASON USED A .38-CALIBER COLT REVOLVER TO KILL HIS
FORMER WIFE; BEASON TOLD PATROLMEN HE "GAVE THE GUN TO A MAN NAMED JACK"
While the fatal shooting of Mrs. Alta Mae Beason of Brashear, by her former husband, Bernie Beason, yesterday morning near the Eades Restaurant on West Washington Street, continues to be the main topic of conversation in the business district this morning, officers are busy looking for the revolver with which the shooting was done.
The bullet found with the woman's body and an empty shell found on the sidewalk at the scene of the shooting, indicates that Beason used a .38 calibre Colt's automatic revolver. Beason told Highway Patrolman O.H. Kanan and Traffic Officer Pearl Arnold that he "gave the gun to a man named Jack".
Officers have searched for the gun in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo on the south side of the public square, where Beason was placed under arrest. They have also looked on top of buildings in that vicinity and also searched probable hiding places in the alley in that block.
Atty. Nimmo said this morning that Beason has been helping him getting to and from his office and other places for some time, but he failed to be with him after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. He said that Tuesday afternoon Beason had told him he wanted to buy a gun to hunt rabbits and said he would give $100 for a .32 calibre gun. Nimmo said he did not pay much attention to his talk at this time, but laughed at him for wanting to pay that much for a gun to hunt rabbits.
Nimmo said that Beason did not meet him as he came to the office yesterday morning, but came in soon after 9:00 a.m. He sat down in a rocking chair and did not have much to say. Atty. Nimmo asked him to get his mail, which he did, and again sat down in a rocking chair. Soon afterwards, someone called Nimmo and told him that there was a report that Beason had shot and killed his former wife, Nimmo said he asked Beason if he had shot a woman, and he replied "No", and did not say anything else. In a few minutes Nimmo went out of the office on a business matter and while going down the steps met officers who were going to his office to arrest Beason.
An information, charging Beason with first degree murder, has been filed by Prosecuting Attorney W.E. Shirley, and a preliminary hearing will be held soon, he stated today.
Beason, who is 50 years old, was born in Macon County, and formerly lived in Keota, where his father ran a livery stable. He has one sister and three brothers. Beason says he is a World War veteran and served in the U.S. Army for seven years. He was in the veterans camp here when it was located just east of the city limits a few years ago. Before returning to Kirksville last fall, he told officers he had been employed in Portland, Oregon.
Mrs. Beason had told friends she was afraid of her former husband and she believed he intended to kill her, but some of them had told her they did not think he would, she had told her friends yesterday morning. It is reported that Beason had followed her around in the business district the evening before the shooting. He followed her into the McLellan Store yesterday morning, where he talked to her and then followed her as she went out the south rear door on her way to the Weekly Graphic office where she was employed as a linetype operator.
Indications are that as Mrs. Beason stepped down on the sidewalk, and while Beason was still on the step at the door, he shot her as the bullet ranged downward from just over her right collar bone and came out between her shoulders. The bullet evidently struck a bone in it's course, as the nose of the bullet was flattened.
Mrs. Beason's body has been taken to Brashear and funeral services will be held there tomorrow.
RITES FOR MRS. ALTA BEASON FRIDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Alta Mae Beason will be held Friday afternoon at the Easley Funeral Home in Brashear. The body will lie in state at the Easley Funeral Home until time for the services.
MRS. ALTA BEASON IS FATALLY SHOT
-HER FORMER HUSBAND IS UNDER ARREST
-CORONER'S INQUEST FINDS BERNIE BEASON RESPONSIBLE FOR EX-WIFE'S DEATH
Mrs. Alta Mae Beason, 42 of Brashear, a linetype operator for the Kirksville Graphic Printing Co., was shot and fatally wounded about 8:45 a.m. this morning as she was walking on the sidewalk in front of Bus Eaden Restaurant on West Washington Street. Her former husband, Bernie Beason, is under arrest. She died while being taken to the Grim-Smith Hospital in the Summers & Powell ambulance.
At the coroner's inquest held this afternoon at the Summers & Powell Funeral Home, the jury returned a verdict that "we find that the deceased came to her death from a bullet fired from a gun in the hand of Bernie Beason".
Beason was arrested by Sherrif Bob Love, Jr. and City Officer Pearl Arnold in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo and placed in jail.
Mrs. Beason, who lived with her mother, Mrs. Etta Garlock at Brashear, had been driving back and forth each day with Mrs. Gladys Sees and J.A. Johnston. She had just gotten out of the Johnston automobile in front of the Bank of Kirksville about 8:45 a.m. this morning and went south, according to Johnston's testimony at the inquest this afternoon.
Mrs. Beason then went into McLellan's Store and made a purchase, according to the testimony of Miss Genevieve Johnson, of Brashear, a clerk at McLellan's. While making the purchase, Beason walked in and Mrs. Beason said "There comes Bernie". He asked his former wife how the babies were getting along. They left the store by the way of the south door, Mrs. Johnson said, and just after getting out the door she heard a shot. She stated that she went to the door and saw Beason standing by his wife who was lying on the sidewalk, saw him pull her dress down and say, "You deserve it". She said that all she heard Mrs. Beason say was, "Oh, my God".
Mrs. Addie Clevenger, who is employed at the Eades Restaurant, said she was standing near the front door when she heard a shot. She looked out and saw the woman on the sidewalk and a man standing nearby with a revolver in his hand. The man walked over to the prostrated body, pulled down her dress to view the wound, and then said; "It is all your fault". Mrs. Clevenger said the man looked up at her ant told her to call an ambulance.
Mrs. Clevenger said that she was afraid of him and went to the rear part of the restaurant and did not call anyone as there was no telephone in the restaurant. She said that the man stood around with the crowd for several minutes and then walked away. Although there were several men standing around, no one attempted to stop him.
Mrs. Clevenger, who did not know Beason, testified that the man the officers arrested and have in jail is the one she saw with the gun in his hand and talking to Mrs. Beason.
Mrs. Clevenger stated in an interview this morning that Beason had eaten breakfast at the Eades Restaurant a short time before the shooting and that he acted queerly, and she thought something was wrong with him.
Someone called the city police station but none of the officers were there. Mayor A.L. Bartlett went to the scene of the shooting. The man who allegedly did the shooting was pointed out to the mayor and he started to shadow him until officers arrived. He saw him go into another restaurant on S. Elson Street, and while he was calling the police station from Walkup's Durg Store, the man got away.
He was finally found in Atty. Alex Nimmo's office on the south side of the public square and offered no resistance to being arrested. Sherrif Love said he did not find a gun on Beason, but found a pocket knife. The two were joined by Chief of Police Crow and they placed him in jail. Sherrif Love said Beason did not make any statement to the officers.
The couple were married on Mar. 14, 1937 and have two children, Ellen, 5 years old, and Wynona, 3 years old, according to Circut Court records. She was granted a divorce while Beason was out West at the June 1943 term of Adair County Circut Court and given custody of the two children. When Beason returned last fall, the divorce was set aside, but on Oct. 22, 1943, she was granted a final divorce decree.
Beason is said to have been living in La Plata and Kirksville the past three or four months, and it was reported that he had threatened his former wife. It was stated at the Graphic office this morning that Mrs. Beason had said her husband had threatened her, and is reported to have had them place an extra lock on the front door so that he could not get in when she was working there by herself.
Mrs. Beason formerly lived in Kirksville several years ago and worked at the Graphic office at that time.
State Highway Patrolman, O.H. Kanan, testified that when he first talked to Beason this morning he denied that he had a gun this morning. On the second visit by Kanan and Traffic Officer, Pearl Hatfield, Beason, when asked about talking to his wife after the shooting, said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Officer Arnold testified that Beason told him that he gave the gun to a man named "Jack" but he didn't know his last name. He testified that Beason said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Mrs. Beason was shot with a .38 calibre revolver, which contained a steel jacket shell. The bullet entered the lower part of her neck, just over the collar bone on the right side and went through her body and came out between the shoulders. The bullet was found in her clothing when it was removed at the funeral home.
F.A. Eades testified that he was drinking a cup of coffee when he heard a shot fired. Going to the window, he saw a woman lying on the walk. He said people were standing around and as no one seemed to take any interest in the affair, he went to the Stephenson Hotel and called the police station. He said that after a while an ambulance came.
"Red" Jones, of the Stephenson Hotel Barber Shop, said this morning that he heard a shot and, on going to the door, saw a crowd in front of Eades place. He went there and, not knowing what had happened, asked Beason "What's the matter?". He said that Beason replied; "Nothing". He did not know Beason and did not know that he was alleged to have done the shooting. He said Beason kept walking around for several minutes and finally walked away. Someone then told him, he said, that Beason was the man who did the shooting.
KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Thursday, Mar. 2, 1944
OFFICERS HUNT GUN IN BEASON MURDER
-BULLET FOUND WITH MRS. ALTA BEASON'S BODY AND AN EMPTY SHELL RETRIEVED FROM
SIDEWALK, INDICATE BERNIE BEASON USED A .38-CALIBER COLT REVOLVER TO KILL HIS
FORMER WIFE; BEASON TOLD PATROLMEN HE "GAVE THE GUN TO A MAN NAMED JACK"
While the fatal shooting of Mrs. Alta Mae Beason of Brashear, by her former husband, Bernie Beason, yesterday morning near the Eades Restaurant on West Washington Street, continues to be the main topic of conversation in the business district this morning, officers are busy looking for the revolver with which the shooting was done.
The bullet found with the woman's body and an empty shell found on the sidewalk at the scene of the shooting, indicates that Beason used a .38 calibre Colt's automatic revolver. Beason told Highway Patrolman O.H. Kanan and Traffic Officer Pearl Arnold that he "gave the gun to a man named Jack".
Officers have searched for the gun in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo on the south side of the public square, where Beason was placed under arrest. They have also looked on top of buildings in that vicinity and also searched probable hiding places in the alley in that block.
Atty. Nimmo said this morning that Beason has been helping him getting to and from his office and other places for some time, but he failed to be with him after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. He said that Tuesday afternoon Beason had told him he wanted to buy a gun to hunt rabbits and said he would give $100 for a .32 calibre gun. Nimmo said he did not pay much attention to his talk at this time, but laughed at him for wanting to pay that much for a gun to hunt rabbits.
Nimmo said that Beason did not meet him as he came to the office yesterday morning, but came in soon after 9:00 a.m. He sat down in a rocking chair and did not have much to say. Atty. Nimmo asked him to get his mail, which he did, and again sat down in a rocking chair. Soon afterwards, someone called Nimmo and told him that there was a report that Beason had shot and killed his former wife, Nimmo said he asked Beason if he had shot a woman, and he replied "No", and did not say anything else. In a few minutes Nimmo went out of the office on a business matter and while going down the steps met officers who were going to his office to arrest Beason.
An information, charging Beason with first degree murder, has been filed by Prosecuting Attorney W.E. Shirley, and a preliminary hearing will be held soon, he stated today.
Beason, who is 50 years old, was born in Macon County, and formerly lived in Keota, where his father ran a livery stable. He has one sister and three brothers. Beason says he is a World War veteran and served in the U.S. Army for seven years. He was in the veterans camp here when it was located just east of the city limits a few years ago. Before returning to Kirksville last fall, he told officers he had been employed in Portland, Oregon.
Mrs. Beason had told friends she was afraid of her former husband and she believed he intended to kill her, but some of them had told her they did not think he would, she had told her friends yesterday morning. It is reported that Beason had followed her around in the business district the evening before the shooting. He followed her into the McLellan Store yesterday morning, where he talked to her and then followed her as she went out the south rear door on her way to the Weekly Graphic office where she was employed as a linetype operator.
Indications are that as Mrs. Beason stepped down on the sidewalk, and while Beason was still on the step at the door, he shot her as the bullet ranged downward from just over her right collar bone and came out between her shoulders. The bullet evidently struck a bone in it's course, as the nose of the bullet was flattened.
Mrs. Beason's body has been taken to Brashear and funeral services will be held there tomorrow.
RITES FOR MRS. ALTA BEASON FRIDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Alta Mae Beason will be held Friday afternoon at the Easley Funeral Home in Brashear. The body will lie in state at the Easley Funeral Home until time for the services.
KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Wednesday, Mar. 1, 1944
MRS. ALTA BEASON IS FATALLY SHOT
-HER FORMER HUSBAND IS UNDER ARREST
-CORONER'S INQUEST FINDS BERNIE BEASON RESPONSIBLE FOR EX-WIFE'S DEATH
Mrs. Alta Mae Beason, 42 of Brashear, a linetype operator for the Kirksville Graphic Printing Co., was shot and fatally wounded about 8:45 a.m. this morning as she was walking on the sidewalk in front of Bus Eaden Restaurant on West Washington Street. Her former husband, Bernie Beason, is under arrest. She died while being taken to the Grim-Smith Hospital in the Summers & Powell ambulance.
At the coroner's inquest held this afternoon at the Summers & Powell Funeral Home, the jury returned a verdict that "we find that the deceased came to her death from a bullet fired from a gun in the hand of Bernie Beason".
Beason was arrested by Sherrif Bob Love, Jr. and City Officer Pearl Arnold in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo and placed in jail.
Mrs. Beason, who lived with her mother, Mrs. Etta Garlock at Brashear, had been driving back and forth each day with Mrs. Gladys Sees and J.A. Johnston. She had just gotten out of the Johnston automobile in front of the Bank of Kirksville about 8:45 a.m. this morning and went south, according to Johnston's testimony at the inquest this afternoon.
Mrs. Beason then went into McLellan's Store and made a purchase, according to the testimony of Miss Genevieve Johnson, of Brashear, a clerk at McLellan's. While making the purchase, Beason walked in and Mrs. Beason said "There comes Bernie". He asked his former wife how the babies were getting along. They left the store by the way of the south door, Mrs. Johnson said, and just after getting out the door she heard a shot. She stated that she went to the door and saw Beason standing by his wife who was lying on the sidewalk, saw him pull her dress down and say, "You deserve it". She said that all she heard Mrs. Beason say was, "Oh, my God".
Mrs. Addie Clevenger, who is employed at the Eades Restaurant, said she was standing near the front door when she heard a shot. She looked out and saw the woman on the sidewalk and a man standing nearby with a revolver in his hand. The man walked over to the prostrated body, pulled down her dress to view the wound, and then said; "It is all your fault". Mrs. Clevenger said the man looked up at her ant told her to call an ambulance.
Mrs. Clevenger said that she was afraid of him and went to the rear part of the restaurant and did not call anyone as there was no telephone in the restaurant. She said that the man stood around with the crowd for several minutes and then walked away. Although there were several men standing around, no one attempted to stop him.
Mrs. Clevenger, who did not know Beason, testified that the man the officers arrested and have in jail is the one she saw with the gun in his hand and talking to Mrs. Beason.
Mrs. Clevenger stated in an interview this morning that Beason had eaten breakfast at the Eades Restaurant a short time before the shooting and that he acted queerly, and she thought something was wrong with him.
Someone called the city police station but none of the officers were there. Mayor A.L. Bartlett went to the scene of the shooting. The man who allegedly did the shooting was pointed out to the mayor and he started to shadow him until officers arrived. He saw him go into another restaurant on S. Elson Street, and while he was calling the police station from Walkup's Durg Store, the man got away.
He was finally found in Atty. Alex Nimmo's office on the south side of the public square and offered no resistance to being arrested. Sherrif Love said he did not find a gun on Beason, but found a pocket knife. The two were joined by Chief of Police Crow and they placed him in jail. Sherrif Love said Beason did not make any statement to the officers.
The couple were married on Mar. 14, 1937 and have two children, Ellen, 5 years old, and Wynona, 3 years old, according to Circut Court records. She was granted a divorce while Beason was out West at the June 1943 term of Adair County Circut Court and given custody of the two children. When Beason returned last fall, the divorce was set aside, but on Oct. 22, 1943, she was granted a final divorce decree.
Beason is said to have been living in La Plata and Kirksville the past three or four months, and it was reported that he had threatened his former wife. It was stated at the Graphic office this morning that Mrs. Beason had said her husband had threatened her, and is reported to have had them place an extra lock on the front door so that he could not get in when she was working there by herself.
Mrs. Beason formerly lived in Kirksville several years ago and worked at the Graphic office at that time.
State Highway Patrolman, O.H. Kanan, testified that when he first talked to Beason this morning he denied that he had a gun this morning. On the second visit by Kanan and Traffic Officer, Pearl Hatfield, Beason, when asked about talking to his wife after the shooting, said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Officer Arnold testified that Beason told him that he gave the gun to a man named "Jack" but he didn't know his last name. He testified that Beason said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Mrs. Beason was shot with a .38 calibre revolver, which contained a steel jacket shell. The bullet entered the lower part of her neck, just over the collar bone on the right side and went through her body and came out between the shoulders. The bullet was found in her clothing when it was removed at the funeral home.
F.A. Eades testified that he was drinking a cup of coffee when he heard a shot fired. Going to the window, he saw a woman lying on the walk. He said people were standing around and as no one seemed to take any interest in the affair, he went to the Stephenson Hotel and called the police station. He said that after a while an ambulance came.
"Red" Jones, of the Stephenson Hotel Barber Shop, said this morning that he heard a shot and, on going to the door, saw a crowd in front of Eades place. He went there and, not knowing what had happened, asked Beason "What's the matter?". He said that Beason replied; "Nothing". He did not know Beason and did not know that he was alleged to have done the shooting. He said Beason kept walking around for several minutes and finally walked away. Someone then told him, he said, that Beason was the man who did the shooting.
KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Thursday, Mar. 2, 1944
OFFICERS HUNT GUN IN BEASON MURDER
-BULLET FOUND WITH MRS. ALTA BEASON'S BODY AND AN EMPTY SHELL RETRIEVED FROM
SIDEWALK, INDICATE BERNIE BEASON USED A .38-CALIBER COLT REVOLVER TO KILL HIS
FORMER WIFE; BEASON TOLD PATROLMEN HE "GAVE THE GUN TO A MAN NAMED JACK"
While the fatal shooting of Mrs. Alta Mae Beason of Brashear, by her former husband, Bernie Beason, yesterday morning near the Eades Restaurant on West Washington Street, continues to be the main topic of conversation in the business district this morning, officers are busy looking for the revolver with which the shooting was done.
The bullet found with the woman's body and an empty shell found on the sidewalk at the scene of the shooting, indicates that Beason used a .38 calibre Colt's automatic revolver. Beason told Highway Patrolman O.H. Kanan and Traffic Officer Pearl Arnold that he "gave the gun to a man named Jack".
Officers have searched for the gun in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo on the south side of the public square, where Beason was placed under arrest. They have also looked on top of buildings in that vicinity and also searched probable hiding places in the alley in that block.
Atty. Nimmo said this morning that Beason has been helping him getting to and from his office and other places for some time, but he failed to be with him after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. He said that Tuesday afternoon Beason had told him he wanted to buy a gun to hunt rabbits and said he would give $100 for a .32 calibre gun. Nimmo said he did not pay much attention to his talk at this time, but laughed at him for wanting to pay that much for a gun to hunt rabbits.
Nimmo said that Beason did not meet him as he came to the office yesterday morning, but came in soon after 9:00 a.m. He sat down in a rocking chair and did not have much to say. Atty. Nimmo asked him to get his mail, which he did, and again sat down in a rocking chair. Soon afterwards, someone called Nimmo and told him that there was a report that Beason had shot and killed his former wife, Nimmo said he asked Beason if he had shot a woman, and he replied "No", and did not say anything else. In a few minutes Nimmo went out of the office on a business matter and while going down the steps met officers who were going to his office to arrest Beason.
An information, charging Beason with first degree murder, has been filed by Prosecuting Attorney W.E. Shirley, and a preliminary hearing will be held soon, he stated today.
Beason, who is 50 years old, was born in Macon County, and formerly lived in Keota, where his father ran a livery stable. He has one sister and three brothers. Beason says he is a World War veteran and served in the U.S. Army for seven years. He was in the veterans camp here when it was located just east of the city limits a few years ago. Before returning to Kirksville last fall, he told officers he had been employed in Portland, Oregon.
Mrs. Beason had told friends she was afraid of her former husband and she believed he intended to kill her, but some of them had told her they did not think he would, she had told her friends yesterday morning. It is reported that Beason had followed her around in the business district the evening before the shooting. He followed her into the McLellan Store yesterday morning, where he talked to her and then followed her as she went out the south rear door on her way to the Weekly Graphic office where she was employed as a linetype operator.
Indications are that as Mrs. Beason stepped down on the sidewalk, and while Beason was still on the step at the door, he shot her as the bullet ranged downward from just over her right collar bone and came out between her shoulders. The bullet evidently struck a bone in it's course, as the nose of the bullet was flattened.
Mrs. Beason's body has been taken to Brashear and funeral services will be held there tomorrow.
RITES FOR MRS. ALTA BEASON FRIDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Alta Mae Beason will be held Friday afternoon at the Easley Funeral Home in Brashear. The body will lie in state at the Easley Funeral Home until time for the services.
MRS. ALTA BEASON IS FATALLY SHOT
-HER FORMER HUSBAND IS UNDER ARREST
-CORONER'S INQUEST FINDS BERNIE BEASON RESPONSIBLE FOR EX-WIFE'S DEATH
Mrs. Alta Mae Beason, 42 of Brashear, a linetype operator for the Kirksville Graphic Printing Co., was shot and fatally wounded about 8:45 a.m. this morning as she was walking on the sidewalk in front of Bus Eaden Restaurant on West Washington Street. Her former husband, Bernie Beason, is under arrest. She died while being taken to the Grim-Smith Hospital in the Summers & Powell ambulance.
At the coroner's inquest held this afternoon at the Summers & Powell Funeral Home, the jury returned a verdict that "we find that the deceased came to her death from a bullet fired from a gun in the hand of Bernie Beason".
Beason was arrested by Sherrif Bob Love, Jr. and City Officer Pearl Arnold in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo and placed in jail.
Mrs. Beason, who lived with her mother, Mrs. Etta Garlock at Brashear, had been driving back and forth each day with Mrs. Gladys Sees and J.A. Johnston. She had just gotten out of the Johnston automobile in front of the Bank of Kirksville about 8:45 a.m. this morning and went south, according to Johnston's testimony at the inquest this afternoon.
Mrs. Beason then went into McLellan's Store and made a purchase, according to the testimony of Miss Genevieve Johnson, of Brashear, a clerk at McLellan's. While making the purchase, Beason walked in and Mrs. Beason said "There comes Bernie". He asked his former wife how the babies were getting along. They left the store by the way of the south door, Mrs. Johnson said, and just after getting out the door she heard a shot. She stated that she went to the door and saw Beason standing by his wife who was lying on the sidewalk, saw him pull her dress down and say, "You deserve it". She said that all she heard Mrs. Beason say was, "Oh, my God".
Mrs. Addie Clevenger, who is employed at the Eades Restaurant, said she was standing near the front door when she heard a shot. She looked out and saw the woman on the sidewalk and a man standing nearby with a revolver in his hand. The man walked over to the prostrated body, pulled down her dress to view the wound, and then said; "It is all your fault". Mrs. Clevenger said the man looked up at her ant told her to call an ambulance.
Mrs. Clevenger said that she was afraid of him and went to the rear part of the restaurant and did not call anyone as there was no telephone in the restaurant. She said that the man stood around with the crowd for several minutes and then walked away. Although there were several men standing around, no one attempted to stop him.
Mrs. Clevenger, who did not know Beason, testified that the man the officers arrested and have in jail is the one she saw with the gun in his hand and talking to Mrs. Beason.
Mrs. Clevenger stated in an interview this morning that Beason had eaten breakfast at the Eades Restaurant a short time before the shooting and that he acted queerly, and she thought something was wrong with him.
Someone called the city police station but none of the officers were there. Mayor A.L. Bartlett went to the scene of the shooting. The man who allegedly did the shooting was pointed out to the mayor and he started to shadow him until officers arrived. He saw him go into another restaurant on S. Elson Street, and while he was calling the police station from Walkup's Durg Store, the man got away.
He was finally found in Atty. Alex Nimmo's office on the south side of the public square and offered no resistance to being arrested. Sherrif Love said he did not find a gun on Beason, but found a pocket knife. The two were joined by Chief of Police Crow and they placed him in jail. Sherrif Love said Beason did not make any statement to the officers.
The couple were married on Mar. 14, 1937 and have two children, Ellen, 5 years old, and Wynona, 3 years old, according to Circut Court records. She was granted a divorce while Beason was out West at the June 1943 term of Adair County Circut Court and given custody of the two children. When Beason returned last fall, the divorce was set aside, but on Oct. 22, 1943, she was granted a final divorce decree.
Beason is said to have been living in La Plata and Kirksville the past three or four months, and it was reported that he had threatened his former wife. It was stated at the Graphic office this morning that Mrs. Beason had said her husband had threatened her, and is reported to have had them place an extra lock on the front door so that he could not get in when she was working there by herself.
Mrs. Beason formerly lived in Kirksville several years ago and worked at the Graphic office at that time.
State Highway Patrolman, O.H. Kanan, testified that when he first talked to Beason this morning he denied that he had a gun this morning. On the second visit by Kanan and Traffic Officer, Pearl Hatfield, Beason, when asked about talking to his wife after the shooting, said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Officer Arnold testified that Beason told him that he gave the gun to a man named "Jack" but he didn't know his last name. He testified that Beason said; "After I shot her, I got down and talked to her".
Mrs. Beason was shot with a .38 calibre revolver, which contained a steel jacket shell. The bullet entered the lower part of her neck, just over the collar bone on the right side and went through her body and came out between the shoulders. The bullet was found in her clothing when it was removed at the funeral home.
F.A. Eades testified that he was drinking a cup of coffee when he heard a shot fired. Going to the window, he saw a woman lying on the walk. He said people were standing around and as no one seemed to take any interest in the affair, he went to the Stephenson Hotel and called the police station. He said that after a while an ambulance came.
"Red" Jones, of the Stephenson Hotel Barber Shop, said this morning that he heard a shot and, on going to the door, saw a crowd in front of Eades place. He went there and, not knowing what had happened, asked Beason "What's the matter?". He said that Beason replied; "Nothing". He did not know Beason and did not know that he was alleged to have done the shooting. He said Beason kept walking around for several minutes and finally walked away. Someone then told him, he said, that Beason was the man who did the shooting.
KIRKSVILLE DAILY EXPRESS, Kirksville, Missouri, Thursday, Mar. 2, 1944
OFFICERS HUNT GUN IN BEASON MURDER
-BULLET FOUND WITH MRS. ALTA BEASON'S BODY AND AN EMPTY SHELL RETRIEVED FROM
SIDEWALK, INDICATE BERNIE BEASON USED A .38-CALIBER COLT REVOLVER TO KILL HIS
FORMER WIFE; BEASON TOLD PATROLMEN HE "GAVE THE GUN TO A MAN NAMED JACK"
While the fatal shooting of Mrs. Alta Mae Beason of Brashear, by her former husband, Bernie Beason, yesterday morning near the Eades Restaurant on West Washington Street, continues to be the main topic of conversation in the business district this morning, officers are busy looking for the revolver with which the shooting was done.
The bullet found with the woman's body and an empty shell found on the sidewalk at the scene of the shooting, indicates that Beason used a .38 calibre Colt's automatic revolver. Beason told Highway Patrolman O.H. Kanan and Traffic Officer Pearl Arnold that he "gave the gun to a man named Jack".
Officers have searched for the gun in the office of Atty. Alex Nimmo on the south side of the public square, where Beason was placed under arrest. They have also looked on top of buildings in that vicinity and also searched probable hiding places in the alley in that block.
Atty. Nimmo said this morning that Beason has been helping him getting to and from his office and other places for some time, but he failed to be with him after 5:00 p.m. Tuesday evening. He said that Tuesday afternoon Beason had told him he wanted to buy a gun to hunt rabbits and said he would give $100 for a .32 calibre gun. Nimmo said he did not pay much attention to his talk at this time, but laughed at him for wanting to pay that much for a gun to hunt rabbits.
Nimmo said that Beason did not meet him as he came to the office yesterday morning, but came in soon after 9:00 a.m. He sat down in a rocking chair and did not have much to say. Atty. Nimmo asked him to get his mail, which he did, and again sat down in a rocking chair. Soon afterwards, someone called Nimmo and told him that there was a report that Beason had shot and killed his former wife, Nimmo said he asked Beason if he had shot a woman, and he replied "No", and did not say anything else. In a few minutes Nimmo went out of the office on a business matter and while going down the steps met officers who were going to his office to arrest Beason.
An information, charging Beason with first degree murder, has been filed by Prosecuting Attorney W.E. Shirley, and a preliminary hearing will be held soon, he stated today.
Beason, who is 50 years old, was born in Macon County, and formerly lived in Keota, where his father ran a livery stable. He has one sister and three brothers. Beason says he is a World War veteran and served in the U.S. Army for seven years. He was in the veterans camp here when it was located just east of the city limits a few years ago. Before returning to Kirksville last fall, he told officers he had been employed in Portland, Oregon.
Mrs. Beason had told friends she was afraid of her former husband and she believed he intended to kill her, but some of them had told her they did not think he would, she had told her friends yesterday morning. It is reported that Beason had followed her around in the business district the evening before the shooting. He followed her into the McLellan Store yesterday morning, where he talked to her and then followed her as she went out the south rear door on her way to the Weekly Graphic office where she was employed as a linetype operator.
Indications are that as Mrs. Beason stepped down on the sidewalk, and while Beason was still on the step at the door, he shot her as the bullet ranged downward from just over her right collar bone and came out between her shoulders. The bullet evidently struck a bone in it's course, as the nose of the bullet was flattened.
Mrs. Beason's body has been taken to Brashear and funeral services will be held there tomorrow.
RITES FOR MRS. ALTA BEASON FRIDAY
Funeral services for Mrs. Alta Mae Beason will be held Friday afternoon at the Easley Funeral Home in Brashear. The body will lie in state at the Easley Funeral Home until time for the services.
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