The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-17
BEGGS' EVIL GENIUS.
Mysterious Tie Between the Sec.
rotary and the LabOrer.
The Latter Wore Whits Shirt and Kid
Gloves and Had Baneful Influence
Over His Friend

Every morning at 10 o'clock two blue
coated, brass-buttoned young men call at
the Oakland city prison. They only re-
main a few minutes, and when they go
away there is weil-dressed. light-com-
plexioned young man in their company.
Upon leaving the city prison the trio
walk TO Thirteenth street. Hele they board
the electric car going north to Forty-hith
and Grove streets
The blue-coated young men are Ofticers
Moore and Goodwin, and the well-dressed
young man is Richard C. Beggs. The latter
stole $4,000 from the Oakland Consolidated
Street Railway Company. lie ran away to
Sisson with the booty, was captured, re-
turned and has confessed.
He was the company's trusted secretary
Now he is closely guarded prisoner. To-
day the date for his preliminary hearing IN
the police court will be set.
But he still MAKES daily trips out TO the
pOwer-house of the company he robbed.
lie goes to help the expert accountants audlt
his books.
Meanwhile his partner in crime, b. I.
Gallagher, the man who ran away with
Beggs was captured, returned, and dld con-
TESS, languishes in his cell. lie viii not
talk to reporters and viii NOS say anything
And now while Beggs Is auditing and
Gallagher is languishing, the Oakland
detectives are trying to unravei the seeming
mystery of the connection between the eX-
secretary and the ex-laborer.
They think it strange that gentleman
in appearance-and a common individual
should be hand-in-g glove In bold robbery,
or in any other business or social transac-
ton.
There Is not much doubt who Richard c..
Beggs is for he has q wife and tour children
in Oakland, and he Is known to the presl-
dent of the road and several OF the directors
They know his business and his past lie,
and they know his present difficulty, as
Chief T0mpkins tenderly puts It,
But who knows Gallagher?
Where did he come fromP
What is bis record?
Beggs?
Has he "hold" on Beggs9
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.
These are pertinent questions now, and
the authorities are anxious to have them
answered. But most OF all Beggs' friends
and lie has many Of them IN Oakiand-wouid
like to unrayel the problem Of his cOnnec-
ton with Gallagher.
Beggs himself denies the story OF his being
hypnotiZed by Gallagher, but does maintain
that he was under GallaGher's malign in
fuence when he committed the crime for
which he is now suffering keenly.
Yet Beggs is mum when asked to an swer
these questions regarding Gallagher, and de-
clines 10 descend 10 particulars when blam-
ing his evil genius.
From the superintendent of the road it is
learned that Beggs introduced Gallagher at
the Office aud recommended him for a posi-
ton IN the sireet-ab0rers' gang
BegGs had not been long iu his new posi-
ton as secretary Of the company before he
began to talk to the powers that be of his
friend Gallagher, but not until three months
ago was there an opening for Gallagher.
Then, through the good offices of Beggs, be
WAS given position in the street gang as q
says he wore white shirt and gloves 10 pro-
tee. his hands while at work.
Naturally enough such a man gained the
dislike Of his fell0w-labOrers who dOnned
"biled" shirts only on holidays and Sun
DAYS and never wore gloves.
Gallagher was surly and unsocial with the
street gang. They say he tried 10 put on
airs and make them believe he was better
than bis surroundings.
And every body noticed that he haunted
Beggs. lie went to Beggs' house every
night and on Sundays. He waited for
Beggs at night and even at luncheon his
evil shadow hung over the secretary.
Those around the power-house maTyeled
much at the extraordinary intimacy between
Beggs and Gallagher-the secretary and
the laborer.
GENERAL FAyORITE.
The former was a general fav0rite
Everybody liked Beggs and everybody is
sorry for him now. But Gallagher-his was
a name to eonjure evil spirits with, and
mothers in the neighborhOod scared their
children into good behavior by telling them
that Gallagher would get them. Figura-
lively this is true. if not literally and all
agree that Gallagher was heartily disliked.
He boarded at the Telegraph House, near
the poweT-hOuse, with the rest OF the gang.
One day Gallagher grew reminiscent to the
landlady and told her that he used to be an
engineer, but that he had been black baled
By every railroad company in the country.
And then | asked him how that conld
be, and he young mau who ought to have
every door open to him." says the landiady
of the Telegraph House. And he told me
he had been young and foolish, had run a
train off the track and killed some folks in
an accident, or something like that, some
time, somewhere. l wasn't paying too much
attention to him, for ! was thinking
whether there was oatmeal enough in the
house for breakfast next morning. | had
my own thoughts to remember, you know"
1t is said that Gallagher has had many
aliases and a checkered career. 1t has been
said that he is wanted in Los Angeles for
felony and in San Francisco for betrayal,
but he denies these things and says he is
pure ana guiltless.
He says he came from Boston and admits
having been in Southern California. He
will not tell where lie first met Beggs nor
disclose the power he holds over him.
Perhaps the police may find out these
things for they are working diligently