DEATH OF REX BEACH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27259, 9 December 1949, Page 7

DEATH OF REX BEACH

Eminent American Novelist

NZPA—Copyright NEW YORK, Dec. 7. Rex Beach, aged 72, internationally known novelist, was found dead with a pistol wound in the head at his home near Sebring, Florida, today. His death was pronounced suicide by the county coroner. Beach had been suffering from cancer of the throat for three years, and doctors said he had no chance of recovery.

A prolific novelist, whose work achieved great popularity earlier this century, Rex Beach was born in Michigan in 1877. His first novel, “Pardners,” was published in 1905, and in the first few years he wrote in quick succession the well-known works, “The Spoilers,” “The Barrier” and “The Silver Horde.” Many of his books had a Western flavour and they included such popular novels as “The Iron Trail,” “Heart of the Sunset," “ Don Careless/’ “ The Winds of Chance ” and “ Flowing Gold.” Altogether he had to his credit over 50 novels, as well as countless magazine stories and articles, many of the latter being on serious subjects, such as diet and soil fertility, in which he was deeply interested. He was president of the Authors’ League of America from 1917 to 1921. He spent much of his life in Florida.