March 28, 1889 — One of the most terrible and atrocious murders ever committed in this county was perpetrated near Rileyville on last Saturday night.
A reporter for The Courier visited the scene of the tragedy early on Sunday morning and gathered the following particulars of the terrible affair.
B.F. Beahm, who had been in the employ of the S.V.R.R. for some time as watchman at Jeremiah Run trestle, was shot dead while asleep in his bed in his watch box.
It is the custom of the watchmen to keep their lanterns burning during the night, so as to be ready to follow any train that may pass.
The foul fiend who did the deadly work fired through a window pane, a distance of only four or five feet from the unconscious victim, lying asleep on his cot, whose body was revealed to the murderous view of the assassin by the friendly glare of the lantern.
The hour was about 10 o’clock, and the report of the pistol as it rang out on the silent night air was heard by several parties in the neighborhood, who little dreamed of this ghastly work till the next morning when the news went from house to house that Frank Beahm had been shot dead in his watch box.
The ball entered nearly behind the ear, piercing the jugular vein, causing instant death.
The murderer seems to have committed the deed for the purpose of robbery as the victim’s pocket was found cut open and his purse taken, which however, is thought to have contained only a small amount of money.
Young Beahm was a son of Geo. W. Beahm, and was regarded as a quiet, orderly citizen.
He was about 23 years of age, had been married about a year and leaves a wife and child only a few weeks old.
~ From the public archives of the Page News and Courier
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