The original destination was New Orleans, but the voyage ended in March 1908 near Memphis when Bechly learned via forwarded mail that a reporter job was waiting for him in Chicago.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Philosophy from Iowa State University, Bechly worked as a reporter for several local Midwest newspapers including The Muscatine Journal, the St. Joseph Gazette, the Des Moines Capital, the Des Moines Daily News, the Sioux City Tribune; and Chicago newspapers the Inter-Ocean, the Record-Herald, and the Chicago Tribune.

His objective was to obtain exclusive access, for the Chicago Tribune, to the signed confession of Ray Lamphere who was central to the famous Belle Gunness serial murderess case.

Realizing the importance, Reverend Schell recorded Lamphere's verbal confession on paper, had him sign it, and then sealed it and locked it in his personal safe.

When Beckly returned Schell informed him that he had sent a telegram to Bishop William Fraser McDowell requesting guidance on the matter, and to stay local until the response arrived.

[5] The following Thursday (January 13, 1910), the St. Louis Post-Dispatch issued a feature story regarding the Gunness Farm murders, and offered speculation regarding the confession of Ray Lamphere.

In the president's office, Schell was more receptive to using the confession as a way to clear the nationwide speculation that was causing strain for the family members of the victims, but he still feared bringing discredit to the Methodist Church.

[8] Edward Bechly gained notability early in his career as the Chicago Tribune reporter that broke the story of Ray Lamphere's confession in the famous Belle Gunness case.