Beverly Mastny, age 15
Missing since 23 September 1953LINK:
OH OH - Beverly Mastny, 15, Broadview Heights, 21 Sept 1953
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Pipsissiway_Potts
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It's just not you. She looks like she's well in her twenties in the photograph.
DrowsyLobster
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I did some digging on C.B. Lewis, the guy reportly she ran away with. The Clifford B. Lewis that is referred to in the news articles later committed suicide at his trailer park in 1975. He was born in 1919 in Joaquin, TX, and at some point prior to 1940, joined the navy (he's listed as being in the navy in the 1940 census). It appears from the draft card that he was discharged at some point after 1940.
A B Clifford Lewis born in 1920 in Texas is present in the 1950 census, and is listed as an inmate in a jail in Ogden, Weber, Utah. It is possible it is him, and a criminal record may explain a change in career from Heavy Equipment Operator to truck driver. I was unable to find criminal records in Utah, so the question is still up in the air. His Huntsville Prison record lists his marital status as divorced as of 1954.
His obituary lists three children all without his last name (possibly was an absent father?), and a widow. His findagrave profile lists him being married to a Bobbie Coward in 1970, who married another man two years later, just three years before his suicide. It seems he married another woman shortly after his marrage to Coward, up until his death. I feel Lewis may have been a serial marryer, as his marital status is in constant flux throughout records. That could be a subject of future research.
That all is to establish Beverly Mastny was not a signficiant figure later in Lewis' life.
Beverly Mastny's father and grandfather were both truck drivers and my personal speculation is that Lewis lured her into following him through a shared truck stop or work place or something.
Anyway, I had some freetime today and decided to take a look at this case. This is just what I've been able to find, and I added some records which I felt are the most crucial in establishing his identity. Being the only substantial lead in this case I thought I may be beneficial to do some digging on this person. I had to cut down some files for space, so let me know if you would like images of better quality or want my specific sources.
A B Clifford Lewis born in 1920 in Texas is present in the 1950 census, and is listed as an inmate in a jail in Ogden, Weber, Utah. It is possible it is him, and a criminal record may explain a change in career from Heavy Equipment Operator to truck driver. I was unable to find criminal records in Utah, so the question is still up in the air. His Huntsville Prison record lists his marital status as divorced as of 1954.
His obituary lists three children all without his last name (possibly was an absent father?), and a widow. His findagrave profile lists him being married to a Bobbie Coward in 1970, who married another man two years later, just three years before his suicide. It seems he married another woman shortly after his marrage to Coward, up until his death. I feel Lewis may have been a serial marryer, as his marital status is in constant flux throughout records. That could be a subject of future research.
That all is to establish Beverly Mastny was not a signficiant figure later in Lewis' life.
Beverly Mastny's father and grandfather were both truck drivers and my personal speculation is that Lewis lured her into following him through a shared truck stop or work place or something.
Anyway, I had some freetime today and decided to take a look at this case. This is just what I've been able to find, and I added some records which I felt are the most crucial in establishing his identity. Being the only substantial lead in this case I thought I may be beneficial to do some digging on this person. I had to cut down some files for space, so let me know if you would like images of better quality or want my specific sources.
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Quoththeraven
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I'd rule out B. Clifford Lewis of Utah.
B. Clifford Lewis, not Clifford B. Lewis, the date of the census, May 5, 1950, his year of birth is listed as 1920, not 1919, he's widowed, he's in the city jail, not prison, and his occupation is heavy equipment operator in the mining industry, not a trucker in the trucking business. I think all those would show they're not the same person. Here's another article by the way showing Clifford B. Lewis living in Midland, TX, in 1958.
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John/Jane Doe
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John/Jane Doe
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Beverly Mastny has been added to The Doe Network.
Brightchaser47
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Her physical description states "shoulder length blonde hair" and has her age as 15. She definitely looks much older than 15, and her hair is definitely not blonde. How do you correctly identify someone (dead or alive) when their photo and description don't match? Not trying to be critical, just wondering. jmo
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Quoththeraven
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The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Sunday, June 19, 1955, states she was missing from Brecksville, OH, not Broadview Heights, OH. Source: Newspapers.com. I wonder why there's a discrepancy in the circumstances and date she went missing.
Her grandfather listed her as living in his obit 1956. Her father listed her as deceased in his obit in 1989. Source: Findagrave.com
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Brightchaser47
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Lots of discrepancies in this story. Makes it awfully difficult to investigate. jmo
HBelusky
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She lived in Broadview Heights near the border of Brecksville.
Yes, her hair appears dark in the photo. I assume it's because it was a black and white photo, and the newspaper print made it look dark. Her parents described her as looking old for her age.
Yes, her hair appears dark in the photo. I assume it's because it was a black and white photo, and the newspaper print made it look dark. Her parents described her as looking old for her age.
Quoththeraven
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NAMUS also doesn't include a credible later sighting in El Paso, TX, in Jan 1957. The El Paso Herald-Post, El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, March 20, 1957 issue reports that an El Paso man recognized her picture in the current issue of true Detective magazine. She gave her name as Beverly and asked for money. He stated he gave her $4 and the girl said she would get a hotel room on San Francisco St. Source: Newspapers.com
CB Lewis of Midland, TX was arrested in March, 1954 in Joaquin, TX, three years earlier. Since he was sentenced to federal prison for two years around Feb 1958, I don't see them together during that time. Midland is halfway between El Paso and Joaquin.
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Brightchaser47
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I'm unable to access that article, but it sounds like she approached him for money, which immediately went toward a rendezvous. Is NAMUS leaving out that encounter because it isn't verified?
Quoththeraven
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Actually, the article is posted on NAMUS (I noticed that after looking again)
There is no information under Circumstances of Disappearance
Missing Person / NamUs #MP35164
View NamUs missing person case MP35164 for Beverly Catherine Mastny missing from Broadview Hts., Ohio. Date of last contact: Sep 21, 1953. NCMEC case number: --.
Quoththeraven
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Clifford B. Lewis, one man crime wave...
The Daily Times New Philadelphia, Ohio · Thursday, September 09, 1948 reports Clifford B. Lewis of New Philedelphia, OH, was indicted for grand larceny for writing bad checks. Source: Newspapers.com
The Ogden Standard-Examiner Ogden, Utah · Monday, December 12, 1949 shows Clifford B. Lewis, age 29, was returned from Prescot, AZ for passing bad checks in Ogden, UT. Source: Newspapers.com.San Angelo Evening Standard San Angelo, Texas · Tuesday, May 09, 1950, case dismissed for Clifford B Lewis of East Texas, chargeed with theft by false pretext. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama · Sunday, January 03, 1954, shows Clifford B. Lewis of Jaoquin, TX, age 34, was arrested in Montgomery, AL, for car theft in Gladewater, TX. He was arrested on suspicion after posing as a representative of A Seminole, Ok drilling concern and cashing bad checks. Lewis told officers he was also wanted in Shelby County, Center, Henderson and Ft. Worth, TX. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Opelika-Auburn News Opelika, Alabama · Monday, January 04, 1954, also stated the prisoner admitted passing bad checks on a Seminole, OK bank in Louisiana, Ohio,, Kentucky, Texas and Alabama. Source: Newspapers.com.
El Paso Herald-Post El Paso, Texas · Wednesday, February 19, 1958 reports a 39 year old Midland, TX man was sentenced to two years in federal prison after having his probation revoked. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Maryville Daily Forum Maryville, Missouri · Monday, March 28, 1960, states that bail was set at $1,000 in magistrate court for Clifford B. Lewis, alias Joseph Still, Joaquin, Tex for passing a no account check. He signed a check with the name Joe Still. He was apprehended in Richmond, Ind. Source: Newspapers.com
The St. Joseph News-Press St. Joseph, Missouri · Monday, April 18, 1960, states that Clifford B Lewis and another inmate escaped the Nowaway County Jail after sawing through two window bars and dropped 12 feet to the ground to make their escape. The article gives a physical description of Lewis, age 40, has a marked Texas drawl, is six feet tall, 210 lbs. Has brown hair and a ruddy complexion. He also has a noticeable limp from an injury to his right leg. He was being held for forgery and was wanted in Texas for parole violation. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Maryville Daily Forum Maryville, Missouri · Tuesday, April 26, 1960 showed he had a FBI 'rap' sheet dating back to Jan 2, 1947 and lists some of his arrests over the years. He addressed the court and gave a long story about his crimes to the judge. He mentioned nothing about the Beverly Mastny case. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Maryville Daily Forum Maryville, Missouri · Saturday, May 21, 1960, shows he got two years in the Missouri State Penitentiary for escaping from jail and writing bad checks. Source: Newspapers.com.
The Times Shreveport, Louisiana · Saturday, August 16, 1975, shows the obit for Clifford B. "Jack" Lewis of Joaquin, TX. Source: Newspapers.com.
Thanks for all that work. He looks like a really evil guy, though his record doesn't show any violent offenses.
He probably lured the girl away, then abandoned her. She was probably too ashamed and didn't have enough money to get home.
SimsGuy67
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I agree with this. While he seems like a horrible person, I don't think he ever harmed Beverly. I feel it's much more likely that he abandoned her, then she either found a way to live in her new environment, or met the wrong person and was murdered.
Brightchaser47
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He certainly was busy! I wonder if that limp came before or after that 12 ft. jump during the jailbreak (ouch!!). In any event, I agree he doesn't sound violent-- just devious.
Diane Redfern
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Actually the Lewis from Idaho, may very well be Clifford B (Jack) Lewis. I found a small article mentioning two LE officers were permitted monies to go to California and extradite a Clifford Lewis. He had fled Utah where he had been charged with writing back checks same as the Joaquin Clifford Lewis had done. The DOBs are very close and being off a year or two is pretty common in census reports, genealolgy sites.