Bechtel, Norman R. (d. 1932)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Jan 27 p. 4

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LOCAL

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— The Review this week received from Rev. S. M. Grubb of Philadelphia, Pa., excerpts of newspaper reports concerning the brutal murder of Norman R. Bechtel in Philadelphia early Wednesday morning, January 20. Mr. Bechtel was a member of the Hereford Mennonite church, where funeral services were held last Sunday. A complete account of the tragedy will appear in next week's Review.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Feb 3 p. 1

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Philadelphia Church Worker Meets Tragic Death.

Leaving a committee meeting of young people at Lansdale, Pa., late Wednesday night, January 20, Norman Bechtel of Philadelphia, Pa., was brutally attacked in his car before he reached his home. Two other young people from Philadelphia who attended the meeting and accompanied him in his car to their homes were the last to see him alive. Some time later he was found dying on a vacant estate in the Germantown district, his body badly mutilated by knife wounds and his forehead carved with wierd [sic] designs.

Rev. S. M. Grubb of Philadelphia, in writing to the Review, makes the following note of explanation: "My belief is that he was taken for Judge McDevitt by the fiends. The judge has been a terror to criminals and Bechtel's body was found within sight of his home. In a general way there was a resemblance to the Judge and I am informed they both drive the same make of cars."

The following additional information is taken from a Philadelphia daily of January 12:

"A careful hunt for fingerprints on Bechtel's blood-stained automobile ended in failure. Apparently the slayers either wore gloves, or were so splashed with blood that everything they touched left only an indistinct smear. Blood smears were found on the steering wheel and doorhandles but no finger prints.

"The car was found abandoned at 32d and Pearl streets nine hours after the discovery of the murder. It had been seen at the corner as early as 4 a. m.

"Around Boyertown, where investigators are seeking the meaning of the symbols cared on Bechtel's forehead, residents agreed that he was the section's "model young man."

"His family founded Bechtelsville, five miles from Boyertown, and many relatives live in the nearby towns of Palm, Congo, Bally, Barto and Gablesville.

"Reading, Pa., Jan. 22 — There is no belief in hexerei or witchcraft among the Mennonites," the Rev. Emanuel N. Cassel, pastor of the Mennonite church in this city, said today in discussing theories that belief in the occult may have figured in the murder of Norman R. Bechtel, native of berks County.

"Members of the Mennonite faith have no belief in 'hexerei' or 'witchcraft,'" Mr. Cassel said. "As for resenting the charges, the Mennonites are little concerned over what is aid about them in this connection.

"Their faith in God and the tents of their religion are too sincere to permit them to believe in the occult or in 'powwow' arts. If there are pole and religious groups freer of such beliefs than the Mennonites, i have never heard of them."

The funeral of Bechtel will be held in the Hereford, Berks County, Mennonite Church at 2 p. m. Sunday. The Rev. Dr. E. E. S. Johnson will conduct the service, assisted by the Rev. C. J. Landes, pastor of First Mennonite Church, Philadelphia. Bechtel was a member of both congregations.

The body will be brought to the church from the home of Dr. James Rohrbach, at Palm, uncle of Bechtel. A brother, Wilbur Bechtel, lives with Dr. Rohrbach. Burial will be in the Mennonite cemetery at Hereford.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1932 Dec 14 p. 1

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Officer Loses Life in Investigating Death of Mennonite.

The Berne Witness of Berne, Ind., releases the following news story of developments incident to the death of Norman R. Bechtel of Philadelphia early this year:

Persons here are interested to know that two days after he is believed to have uncovered important information in the mysterious knife murder of Norman R. Bechtel, young Mennonite church worker, Michael G. Croskey, a city detective, met a similar death Wednesday night in West Philadelphia.

His neck and chest slashed with some sharp instrument, Croskey died without being able to reveal the name of the assailant who attacked him in his private garage.

Bechtel was known personally by Rev. A. J. Neuenschwander formerly of Berne, past pastor of the First Mennonite church of Philadelphia, in which Mr. Bechtel was active in Christian Endeavor work. Others her are acquainted with the Bechtel families in that region of the country.

They recall distinctly that Bechtel was found stabbed to death in an untenanted estate in the Germantown section of the city last January 20.