Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-29
WHERE Is BEHRMAN?
Another Mystery That is
Hard to Solve.
PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES.
A Vigilance Committee Said to Have
Been Interested in
the Affair.

There is a strong undertow Of excite
ment moving in that part OF the city
where the Washington street line OF
street cars ends, concerning the fate OF
one of the residents OF that place, Louis
Behrman By name. 1t is more than
year ago now since Behrman first made
his appearance in Los Angeles in COM
pany with his wife. The couple took up
their residence at 319 Commercial street,
and Behrman, who is a barber by voca-
ton, at once set about obtaining EN-.
ployment in one of the shops
near by. He got it and being
sgood workman. secured steady employ.
ment, and he and his wife we're to all
appearances the happiest couple in the
City of the Angels. About two months
ago, however, his marital partner went
away to San Francisco, and Behrman
shortly afterwards removed his head
quarters, both for residence and busi-
ness purposes, to the end Of the Wash
ington-street car line. He rented little
redwood shanty on the corner of Beau
mont avenue and Washington street, the
front part of which he fitted up
with his tonsorial appliances, leas-
ing the rear part of the building
to an old shoemaker named Ward and a
colored couple known as the Tibbetts. II
the voice of rumor be true, Behrman's
habits were very suspicious from the day
of his settlement in the little colony
which has sprung up in that part OF the
city.
It is said that he was in the habit of in
viting young girls of immature years into
his premises, although no direct evidence
of wrong-doing is forthcoming from
any quarter. The citizens said
nothing, but they watched Behr-
man pretty closely and on Sunday
three weeks ago an incident occurred
which made their suspicious worse than
ever. 1t is said that during the afternoon
of that day Behrman enticed two Spanish
girls into his place, one of whom is but
II years of age and the other only g..
They remained in there, it is said, four
or five hours, Behrman keeping the
doors closed, and this matter being
talked about during the course of the
evening, action was finally decided on.
A vigilance committee, it is said, was
formed, but what occurred in the
counsels of that select body is known
only to those present. Behrman
was in his shop as usual the next morn
ing, and worked along that day and the
next evidently unconscious that he was
q marked man. On Tuesday evening"
telling the shoemaker, Mr.. Ward, who
occupied the building with him, that he
was going down town, he put on his hat
and strolled out. 1t is now over three
weeks since he took his departure in the
manner described, and he has not been
home since. 1t seems very improbable
that at the time he left the house he had
made up his mind to return to it no
more. for he did not even take with him
a change of clothes nor any of those
little treasured knick -knacks which every
man accumulates during the course of
his life.
What became OF him is the question
now agitating the minds of those directly
associated with him. All kinds of sup
positions are, of course, brought forward,
but running at the bottom of all, and
ever and anon showing itself in little
ripples, flows the idea that the members
of the vigilance committee could solve
the mystery, If they SO desired Many
think that, seeing their opportunity when
Behrman left his house after night
fall, they, by a preconceived plan,
seized and gagged him and carried
him away to the hills, which
form the western boundary of the city.
Once there, "a short shrift and long
rope" or, perhaps, the quicker medium
of bullet formed the crowning scene to
the tragedy of the night. If, however,
such thing has been done, it has been
only after the most conclusive evidence
having been obtained against Behrman.
1t has hard to ferret out any particulars
from the residents at the scene of the
mystery. They will not openly admit
that vigilance committee had been
formed, but they acknowledged that ar
rangements had been made to
run Behrmann out of that part of the
town. Whether the individual in ques-
tion will yet turn up and thus satisfactor-
ily clear up the affair, is matter for
time to solve. but wiseacres who live
around the Washington street stables
district will shake their heads mysteri-
ously whenever the subject is brought
under discussion.