Struck by NYC train in Leoni Village.
From the Jackson Citizen Patriot Nov 1947:
The body of Harold Beck Jr, 17 year old son of Mr & Mrs Harold Beck of Leoni, who had been missing from his home since Thursday evening, was found adjacent to the Michigan Central tracks west of the village Saturday morning.
Crushed and broken, it lay sprawled in a dtich bordering this railroad right-of-way, in high weeds which hid it from view except at close range.
It was found approximately 100 yards west of the Leoni crossing by Clifford Smith and Jack Hayes, both 16, friends of the victim, a few minutes after they began a search of the region at the suggestion of the former's father, Norman Smith, Leoni service station operator.
Running back to the station, the boys notified Smith, who summoned Under Sheriff Floyd Riethmiller. With Coroner James E Way he examined the body and the accident area. They expressed the belief that young Beck had been instantly killed Thursday eveing when struck by a westbound passenger train, and Coroner Way said that no inquest will be held. The body was removed to the Bailey funeral home.
Harold Beck, father of the victim, told Coroner Way that his son left home about 7pm Thursday and that when he failed to return the family thought he had stayed with friends. When, however, he did not return on Friday, state police were notified.
They had talked with the youth's parents and were about to start and investigation of his disappearance when informed of the discovery of his body.
The youth, who was graduated from Grass Lake High school, was thought to have gone to the home of a friend, Ann Gregoroff, who resides south of the crossing. However, investigation by Coroner Way and Riethmiller disclosed that he had not been there Thursday evening.
Officers expressed belief that he might have waited at the corssing for an eastbound train to pass, then started across the tracks without noticing the westbound train bearing down upon him.
The lack of witnesses prompted Coroner Way to rule out an inquest. However, he said the accident would be investigated thoroughly by county law enforcement officers and railroad authorities.
The elder Smith said he and other residents of the village been looking for the victim since his disappearance but that results were not obtained until after he acted upon a "hunch" that Harold might have been the victim of a train.
With that thought in mind, he instructed his son and the Hayes youth to search the tracks adjacent to the village crossing. The youths required no more than 10 minutes to make the discovery and inform Smith of their find. He relayed the information to the sheriff's department.
Surviving besides the parents are a brother, Richard and a sister Mildred, both at home; two other sisters, Mrs Beatrice Curey of Litchfield and Mrs Dorothy Swank of Lemon Grove Calif; a half-brother Ralph Lee, also of Lemon Grove, and a half-sister, Agnes Thurston of Leoni.
Services will be held at the Bailey funeral home at 10am Monday, with burial in West Grass Lake Cemetery.
From the Jackson Citizen Patriot Nov 1947:
The body of Harold Beck Jr, 17 year old son of Mr & Mrs Harold Beck of Leoni, who had been missing from his home since Thursday evening, was found adjacent to the Michigan Central tracks west of the village Saturday morning.
Crushed and broken, it lay sprawled in a dtich bordering this railroad right-of-way, in high weeds which hid it from view except at close range.
It was found approximately 100 yards west of the Leoni crossing by Clifford Smith and Jack Hayes, both 16, friends of the victim, a few minutes after they began a search of the region at the suggestion of the former's father, Norman Smith, Leoni service station operator.
Running back to the station, the boys notified Smith, who summoned Under Sheriff Floyd Riethmiller. With Coroner James E Way he examined the body and the accident area. They expressed the belief that young Beck had been instantly killed Thursday eveing when struck by a westbound passenger train, and Coroner Way said that no inquest will be held. The body was removed to the Bailey funeral home.
Harold Beck, father of the victim, told Coroner Way that his son left home about 7pm Thursday and that when he failed to return the family thought he had stayed with friends. When, however, he did not return on Friday, state police were notified.
They had talked with the youth's parents and were about to start and investigation of his disappearance when informed of the discovery of his body.
The youth, who was graduated from Grass Lake High school, was thought to have gone to the home of a friend, Ann Gregoroff, who resides south of the crossing. However, investigation by Coroner Way and Riethmiller disclosed that he had not been there Thursday evening.
Officers expressed belief that he might have waited at the corssing for an eastbound train to pass, then started across the tracks without noticing the westbound train bearing down upon him.
The lack of witnesses prompted Coroner Way to rule out an inquest. However, he said the accident would be investigated thoroughly by county law enforcement officers and railroad authorities.
The elder Smith said he and other residents of the village been looking for the victim since his disappearance but that results were not obtained until after he acted upon a "hunch" that Harold might have been the victim of a train.
With that thought in mind, he instructed his son and the Hayes youth to search the tracks adjacent to the village crossing. The youths required no more than 10 minutes to make the discovery and inform Smith of their find. He relayed the information to the sheriff's department.
Surviving besides the parents are a brother, Richard and a sister Mildred, both at home; two other sisters, Mrs Beatrice Curey of Litchfield and Mrs Dorothy Swank of Lemon Grove Calif; a half-brother Ralph Lee, also of Lemon Grove, and a half-sister, Agnes Thurston of Leoni.
Services will be held at the Bailey funeral home at 10am Monday, with burial in West Grass Lake Cemetery.
Struck by NYC train in Leoni Village.
From the Jackson Citizen Patriot Nov 1947:
The body of Harold Beck Jr, 17 year old son of Mr & Mrs Harold Beck of Leoni, who had been missing from his home since Thursday evening, was found adjacent to the Michigan Central tracks west of the village Saturday morning.
Crushed and broken, it lay sprawled in a dtich bordering this railroad right-of-way, in high weeds which hid it from view except at close range.
It was found approximately 100 yards west of the Leoni crossing by Clifford Smith and Jack Hayes, both 16, friends of the victim, a few minutes after they began a search of the region at the suggestion of the former's father, Norman Smith, Leoni service station operator.
Running back to the station, the boys notified Smith, who summoned Under Sheriff Floyd Riethmiller. With Coroner James E Way he examined the body and the accident area. They expressed the belief that young Beck had been instantly killed Thursday eveing when struck by a westbound passenger train, and Coroner Way said that no inquest will be held. The body was removed to the Bailey funeral home.
Harold Beck, father of the victim, told Coroner Way that his son left home about 7pm Thursday and that when he failed to return the family thought he had stayed with friends. When, however, he did not return on Friday, state police were notified.
They had talked with the youth's parents and were about to start and investigation of his disappearance when informed of the discovery of his body.
The youth, who was graduated from Grass Lake High school, was thought to have gone to the home of a friend, Ann Gregoroff, who resides south of the crossing. However, investigation by Coroner Way and Riethmiller disclosed that he had not been there Thursday evening.
Officers expressed belief that he might have waited at the corssing for an eastbound train to pass, then started across the tracks without noticing the westbound train bearing down upon him.
The lack of witnesses prompted Coroner Way to rule out an inquest. However, he said the accident would be investigated thoroughly by county law enforcement officers and railroad authorities.
The elder Smith said he and other residents of the village been looking for the victim since his disappearance but that results were not obtained until after he acted upon a "hunch" that Harold might have been the victim of a train.
With that thought in mind, he instructed his son and the Hayes youth to search the tracks adjacent to the village crossing. The youths required no more than 10 minutes to make the discovery and inform Smith of their find. He relayed the information to the sheriff's department.
Surviving besides the parents are a brother, Richard and a sister Mildred, both at home; two other sisters, Mrs Beatrice Curey of Litchfield and Mrs Dorothy Swank of Lemon Grove Calif; a half-brother Ralph Lee, also of Lemon Grove, and a half-sister, Agnes Thurston of Leoni.
Services will be held at the Bailey funeral home at 10am Monday, with burial in West Grass Lake Cemetery.
From the Jackson Citizen Patriot Nov 1947:
The body of Harold Beck Jr, 17 year old son of Mr & Mrs Harold Beck of Leoni, who had been missing from his home since Thursday evening, was found adjacent to the Michigan Central tracks west of the village Saturday morning.
Crushed and broken, it lay sprawled in a dtich bordering this railroad right-of-way, in high weeds which hid it from view except at close range.
It was found approximately 100 yards west of the Leoni crossing by Clifford Smith and Jack Hayes, both 16, friends of the victim, a few minutes after they began a search of the region at the suggestion of the former's father, Norman Smith, Leoni service station operator.
Running back to the station, the boys notified Smith, who summoned Under Sheriff Floyd Riethmiller. With Coroner James E Way he examined the body and the accident area. They expressed the belief that young Beck had been instantly killed Thursday eveing when struck by a westbound passenger train, and Coroner Way said that no inquest will be held. The body was removed to the Bailey funeral home.
Harold Beck, father of the victim, told Coroner Way that his son left home about 7pm Thursday and that when he failed to return the family thought he had stayed with friends. When, however, he did not return on Friday, state police were notified.
They had talked with the youth's parents and were about to start and investigation of his disappearance when informed of the discovery of his body.
The youth, who was graduated from Grass Lake High school, was thought to have gone to the home of a friend, Ann Gregoroff, who resides south of the crossing. However, investigation by Coroner Way and Riethmiller disclosed that he had not been there Thursday evening.
Officers expressed belief that he might have waited at the corssing for an eastbound train to pass, then started across the tracks without noticing the westbound train bearing down upon him.
The lack of witnesses prompted Coroner Way to rule out an inquest. However, he said the accident would be investigated thoroughly by county law enforcement officers and railroad authorities.
The elder Smith said he and other residents of the village been looking for the victim since his disappearance but that results were not obtained until after he acted upon a "hunch" that Harold might have been the victim of a train.
With that thought in mind, he instructed his son and the Hayes youth to search the tracks adjacent to the village crossing. The youths required no more than 10 minutes to make the discovery and inform Smith of their find. He relayed the information to the sheriff's department.
Surviving besides the parents are a brother, Richard and a sister Mildred, both at home; two other sisters, Mrs Beatrice Curey of Litchfield and Mrs Dorothy Swank of Lemon Grove Calif; a half-brother Ralph Lee, also of Lemon Grove, and a half-sister, Agnes Thurston of Leoni.
Services will be held at the Bailey funeral home at 10am Monday, with burial in West Grass Lake Cemetery.
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