Newton, April 26—The strange and unaccountable disappearance of Mr. L.C. Bickett from his home here and the absolute failure of any of his friends here in hearing form him since he unexpectedly left Newton has caused more comment in this city than has anything else that has taken place in quite a number of years, in that the surroundings are of such a strange setting that everyone is at a loss to explain, let alone account for it all. Governor Bickett, a brother of Mr. L.C. Bickett, has been in Newton looking into the matter of the disappearance of his brother and generally getting the matters of his brother in such shape as will permit handling by an outside party.
Mr. Bickett was a man of loveable disposition and was universally liked by every one in Newton.
This morning your correspondent interviewed Mr. John P. Yount, a leading citizen of Newton, and a staunch friend of Mr. Bickett, and from him gathered the following summary of the happening.
For a number of years Mr. Bickett has made Newton his home, coming here to engage in the wholesale grocery business from Monroe, where he had been prominent in the affairs of that city and of Union county, and while in that business did much to promote the many advantages of our city; form that day to this he has been doing a wholesale business in Newton with a varying success, and just recently took a venture in the retail business as a side line to his wholesale operations. In that engagement he was rapidly succeeding and was doing a retail business second to none in the city. Mr. Bickett was an indefatigable worker and was at his place of business at least 16 hours each day, always pleasant, affable and a friend maker by the score.
It seemed that when the sugar depression came on and when the wholesalers all over the country were caught in the drag net of the jobbers and forced to free themselves as best they could, that Mr. Bickett paid his demands made upon him by these people and through his act in upholding his contracts was forced to outlay a great amount of cash; that the hard times generally caught him, as it did other wholesalers and that his losses were terrific, enough to break the will power to make money of the strongest man. He was also suffering acutely with his eyes and had frequently remarked to friends that he had to find some cure for his ailment or that he was going to die, or certainly go blind in both of his eyes. It has only been a few weeks since he visited an eye specialist in Charlotte and elsewhere and it seems that he secured little consolation from any of them, however, through it all he was pleasant and in a good humor and seemed to take his affliction with the best of spirit and always thought of his home life and his friends in preference to his personal feelings.
Mr. Bickett was married by had no children and it is generally known that his home life was beautiful and that true hospitality was administered there as in the olden days, his home being one of the prettiest in this section and being widely known for the appearance it presented.
There is no doubt in the minds of any one in Newton conversant with all the facts but that Mr. Bickett was mentally deranged when he left the city and that he is still in that condition wherever he may be, wandering aimlessly around, suffering from the pains that are racking his body. HIs financial condition is not causing any great amount of alarm as his condition in that respect is just as good, if not better, than the usual run of dealers who have lost heavily through the depression of the markets.
Mr. Yount has been appointed receiver by Judge T.B. Finley and is now engaged in operating the business interests until final disposition is made of the effects.
Newton generally has a pall cast over it and everyone is vitally interested in locating Mr. Bickett and doing what they can to restore this valuable citizen to a condition of normalcy.
From the Hickory Daily Record, Tuesday, April 26, 1921
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