Eagerness to earn price of suit brings sudden death to industrious little "Newsy"
Herman Beck, the 10 year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob M. Beck, 418 South Twenty-ninth street, was crushed beneath the wheels of a west bound freight train at a point midway between Twenty-seventh street and Broadway, about 8:30 o'clock yesterday morning. The tragedy occuried when the boy, who sold papers on the streets of the city, was crossing over the top of the freight cars. Death was instantaneous.

Little Herman arose long before daybreak yesterday to sell the Gazette to early morning customers. He had saved up $2.20 and was bent on earning 75 cents during the day, with which to purchase a suit of clothes that had caught his eye in a local store window. The morning trade had been brisk and the boy had 45 cents in his pockets when death overtook him.
About 8:30 he started to cross from the south side to the north side on North Twenty-seventh street. A westbound freight train blocked the way, but Herman was in a hurry and he climbed up the car ladder and started walking over the car roof intending to get off at Broadway. About midway between the two streets, his older brother, William, who was watching him, saw him sway and fall between the cars. He rushed screaming to the spot, and pulled the mangled body of his brother from underneath the moving cars. The wheels had passed over the upper part of the boy's body, crushing it as well as both arms and causing instant death.
The train did not stop, the crew were unaware of the accident. An inquest was held and the jury returned the verdict that the boy "had met his death by falling between two cars of a moving freight train."

Herman was one of a family of 12 children, eight of whom live with their parents in Billings. His father is employed in the baggage room at the Northern Pacific depot. Herman had been selling Gazzetts and Journals for several months and was an industrious salesman. The oldest son, Frederick is employed in the mailing room of The Gazette Printing company.
4 May 1916 The Billings Gazette
Youth Laid to Rest - A large audience of sorrowing comrades and friends attended the funeral services of little Herman Beck, the 10 year old newsboy who was mangled beneath the wheels of a freight train, near Broadway, last Wednesday morning [6 May 1916]. The funeral was held at the German church and a huge floral offering accompanied the youth's body to the final resting place in Billings cemetery. The boy was killed while trying to cross over a moving freight train. 6 May 1916 - The Billings Gazette
Kost Family Konnection - JS