Triple Funeral Wreck Victims Held Saturday

Testimony shows car out of control before reaching fatal crossing. Funeral services held last Saturday morning at the Catholic church in this city for Mr. and Mrs. John Bechen and their daughter Madeline, victims of a train-auto crash on Monday morning previous, brought to the last rites a large congregation of friends of the long years that the family had lived in this community, as well as many from a distance who knew them in the course of life and were stricken by the poignancy of circumstances which brought death to three members of one family at one stroke.

Funeral mass was said by Rev. Father JM Reuter of Colman, pastor also of St. Mary's church in the northwest part of Moody County, of which the wreck victims had been members. Interment was made in the Catholic cemetery at Flandreau beside the body of a sone and brother who died years ago.

Arrangements for funeral rites were concluded Friday evening after arrival of two sons and one daughter--Lloyd Bechen of Vallejo, California, Vincent Bechen of Los Angeles, and Mrs. Larry Saylor of Bellflower, California, accompanied by her husband.

Mrs. Bechen, born and reared in this community, and Mr. Bechen, who came here about the time of his marriage, had been residents here except for seven years from 1913 to 1920 when they lived in the vicinity of White, South Dakota.

Mr. Bechen was born in Dubuque, Iowa, August 17, 1885. He removed to Brookings, South Dakota in 1908 to be employed and on October 25, 1911 he and Mary Doyle were married. He as followed the occupation of a farmer ever since, and it was only on November 4 that he made a sale of farming equipment to carry out plans to go to California to live near three of their children who had established themselves in that salubrious climate. Mr. Bechen ws preceded in death by his parents and one brother. Surviving him are three brothers, Theodore Bechen of Flandreau, Emil and Joe Bechen of Dubuque, Iowa, together with three sisters, living at Dubuque, Iowa.