The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Beadle \Bea"dle\, n. [OE. bedel, bidel, budel, OF. bedel, F.
   bedeau, fr. OHG. butil, putil, G. b["u]ttel, fr. OHG. biotan,
   G. bieten, to bid, confused with AS. bydel, the same word as
   OHG. butil. See. Bid, v.]
   1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites
      or bids persons to appear and answer; -- called also an
      apparitor or summoner.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. An officer in a university, who precedes public
      processions of officers and students. [Eng.]
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and
         bedell (Cambridge) are preserved.
         [1913 Webster]

   3. An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of
      duties, as the preservation of order in church service,
      the chastisement of petty offenders, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

beadle
    n 1: a minor parish official who serves a ceremonial function
    2: United States biologist who discovered how hereditary
       characteristics are transmitted by genes (1903-1989) [syn:
       Beadle, George Beadle, George Wells Beadle]