WHITTINGTON, Clyde - murdered
Source: Kokomo Tribune Sat 2 Aug 1947
Indianapolis, Aug 2 – State police reported today that Irwin Beckley, 20, a farmer living near Cates (Fountain County), had been arrested on a charge of suspicion of murder in the death of Clyde Whittington, 67, a Cayuga salesman who had been believed fatally injured in an automobile accident July 12. Beckley is in Fountain County jail at Covington awaiting grand jury action, following his arrest yesterday by Sheriff Chester Cooper and State Police Detective Abe Taylor of the Lafayette post. Taylor said that Beckley had signed a statement that he had beaten Whittington after he found him visiting his 20-year-old wife, Helen at their home July 12. The statement said that the farmer accused Whittington of being attentive to his wife and that he had forced her to write a letter inviting the salesman to their home. The latter said that Beckley would be away. When the elderly salesman arrived, the statement continued, Beckley beat him and knocked him through a door. He then placed Whitting on a chair where he remained for five hours, the statement said. Beckley admitted taking Whittington to the salesman’s automobile and then the vehicle was started down an incline on the road, the statement continued. The vehicle left the highway and overturned in a ditch. The farmer entered his own automobile and drove past the scene of the accident, picked up a neighbor, Glenn Groves and they informed another neighbor of the accident, the statement set out. Authorities were notified and Whitting was taken to a Danville, Ill hospital where he died. State police said that an investigation was started after there were reports to authorities that the salesman had met with foul play.