Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-14
BECK WAS MURDERED
Verdict of the Jury in the Case Rend ere
Saturday.
Detective Making a Thorough Inves-
legation to Ascertain the Perpetra-
tor but Slight Clues.

he mad been absent for nearly two months,
as published in Saturdays Star, showed
that the old man was murdered and mis-
boGy afterward thrown overheard. 1t is
the belief of the doctors and the police
that the body was thrown in the water
soon after the murder was committed, but
n emberS of the dead mans family are Of
a different opinion. They believe the re-
mains were deposited in the river but a
few days ago.
inspector Matsingy yesterday afternoon
detailed Detective Muller on the case, and
he is making a thorough investigation.
The autopsy made by Deputy Coroner
GlaZebrook showed four distinct wounds on
the head, as we'll as a number of broken
ribs and other evidences of violence about
different parts of the body. 1t is possible
that these wounds were made by dull.
Ratchet or some similar weapon, or by
blackjack or sungshot, and after being
Knocked down he was doubtless stamped
upon by those who assaulted him.
1t is certain, DIR. Glazebrook said, that
death had taken place before the body was
thrown in the water. but just what length
of time he could rot tell There could be
no doubt about the cause of death. the con-
ditio7 of the lungs showing that it did nos
result from drowning. DR.. GlaZebrock also
believes that the injuries to the chest were
inflicted after the victims death.
Testimony of Witnesses.
Clarence Rowland, who found the body
in the shallow water near Gesboro' Point,
appeared before the jury and described the
position of the body when he first saw it.
Policemen Reagan and Dyer, to whom the
finding was reported. told of how they got
the body ashore. The condition of the
clothing on the dead man may help the
police in the efforts to establish a motive.
Part of the trousers had disappeared, as
- ,,-I boil hn nn1n on
material. But there was the coat left, and
in the inside pocket of this garment the
dead mans lodge books and some cards
were found. They had evidently not been
disturbed. Beck carried no pocket book.
Henry Beck, son of the dead man, told the
jury about his fathers movements the
right of January IL, and said the latter
only took ~ cents from home with him
when he left carly in the evening. His
father. he said had told him that several
colored men had held him up on the bridge
crossing the canal about two weeks prior
to the night CT the murder. He expressed
the belief that his father was killed and
his body thrown in the James Creek canal,
from where it was afterward washed out
in the river.
Detectives at Work.
Mrs. Beck, widow of the murdered man.
was visited by Detective Muller and she
told him all about her husband. Her hus-
band. she said. had been crossing the
canal for forty-two years and never be-
fore, she said, had he been troubled. About
his experience on the bridge two weeks be-
fore he was killed. she said, he had been
drinking and when he stopped at mans
wagon he was ordered away. Even this
experience. he had told her, he did not re-
member Mrs Beck said her husband had
worked regularly at Berger s bakery Dur
ing the week he never drank anything,
but he would have his beer Saturday
nights
Had it not been that he was badly
beaten up, Mrs. Beck declared, she would
believe he had fallen in the canal acct
dentally. She believes the body was kept
in shed or house somewhere in the vi
cinity, and thrown in the water only a
short time ago. She says her husbands
life was insured for about enough to de-
fray his funeral expenses and pay the re-
ward of SIS offered for the finding of his
body. AS heretofore published in The Star
Mr.. Beck had visited several friends in the
neighborhood of AZ and M streets on the
night of his murder 1t was only short
while before the hour of midnight that he
was seen to start home.
1t had been his custom to walk through
NJ street, a direct route to his home, and
it is presumed he started home this way
on the fatal Saturday night. No one seems
to have seen him after he left AZ street.
A Singular Feature.
This is a singular part of the nights
transaction for NJ street is the principal
thoroughfare in that section. and a number
of pedestrians are usually to be seen be-
tween Az street and the bridge, as well as
east of the bridge.
1t was ascertained this morning that on
the night of the murder. or early Sunday
morning, the store of Leonard A. Ehrman-
traut, on NJ street not far from the bridge
was robbed, and if Beck was murdered
near the bridge the burglars may have
,v,,ft tod h0fh nrfr
A Star reporter learned that people in the
vicinity of the canal had been indulging in
some gossip about an occurrence on NJ
street the night the two crimes were COM
mitted. One report was that two men had
been seer standing the street acting
suspiciously. One of them, the report
stated, standing near an excavation
in the street, while another was standing
mantraut's store. At the approach of
pedestrian. Mrs. Ehrmantraut was told.
one of the men gave a whistle, and then
both disappeared.
John Beams Story.
A colored man lamed John Bean, who
was reported to have seen the men, was
interviewed by Star reporter. He said
he had seen but one man. This man was
standing at the corner, and asked him for
the time Before reaching the corner, how
ever, he saw a man standing in the street
near all SACdhdsloi, udu uiSoP-
peared when he Beam reached the exca-
vation and he supposed he was the one
who had been at the corner. He heard no
one whistle. The night was dark. and he
was unable to tell whether the man was
white or nolored. This happened at a late
hour. he said, but he could not tell just
what time lit was.
Absence of Motive.
Detective Muller has found nothing In the
case as yet to show a motive for the crime.
1t may have been robbery. but in this
event it is thought that the inside coat
pocket of the victim would have been rified,
ard it is not believed that the mans assail-
ants would stop to examine the books and
papers and then replace them. 1t is sug-
gested that when on his way home Beck
reached Half street about the time the
burglars were operating.
He had probably said something to the
burglars. The latter, fearing Identification
and term in prison, put out the old mans
life in order that his lips would be sealed
Hands Across the Flag.
= f. Kfspr in the Cleveland Leader.