Los Angeles herald., 1906-05-17


Whether r. C. Beggs. who shot his
wife five times yesterday morning at
II o'clock, was governed in his action
by the weakness of character which
made of him an embezzler on one oc-
casion and forger on several others,
or whether it was the result of the long
drunken debauch, are the questions
which the detectives who are working
on the case are trying to solve.
The attempted murder took place in
the flat at 10111a Dmond street, where
Beggs. his wife and three children have
lived for about a year. Mrs. Beggs was
taken to the receiving hospital and
later to the county hospital. Her con-
dition is critical and the physicians at
the hospital state that there is little
hope for her recovery. United States
Secret Service Agent j. +. Cronin has
known Beggs since he first got into
trouble in Oakland, and according to
his statement, he is a degenerate.
Stole Several Thousand Dollars
In 1893 Beggs had a good position as
bookkeeper and paymaster of the Con-
solidated railroads in Oakland. He was
stationed at the Grove street power
house He induced a track laborer
named Gallagher to assist him in steal
the company.
Beggs and his ignorant accomplice
were arrested at Redding and taken
back to Oakland and tried for the crime.
Although Gallagher was the more in
nocent of the pair, he was sentenced TO
serve ten years in the penitentiary at
San Quentin, while Beggs escaped with
a seven-year term. Influential friends
secured his release after he had served
ha xKr1c e. in 10 i
tentiary he learned to be an expert in
the laundry trade, and with the assist
ance of his friends, secured a position
in the United States laundry in San
Francisco.
Owing to his continued persecution
of the women employed in the United
States laundry, he lost his position
there. Beggs' friends again came to
his aid and he was given the position
of foreman in the Contra Costa laundry.
p. E. Dalton, one of the proprietors of
the laundry, suspected that Beggs was
an ex-convict and he was discharged
after he had stolen small amount of
money! He then was employed in a bot
tling establishment in Oakland. He de-
faulted to the extent of 5000 and was
discharged, although, owing to his
friends, he was not prosecuted.
Sentenced for Forgery
In 1908 Beggs came to Los Angeles
with his family. Soon after his arrival
he forged checks to the amount of $500.
He was convicted of the crime and in
1904 was sentenced to serve two years
in San Quentin. He was released from
prison in December, 1905, after which
he returned to Los Angeles.
His wife, who was the victim of his
murderous assault, never lost hope that
her husband would reform. During the
time he was employed in the power
house in Oakland, she supported herself
and the children by dressmaking.
Friends of the family say that Beggs'
treatment of his wife always had been
cruel in the extreme and his attempt
to kill her yesterday was the culmina-
ton of long series Of brutal attacks.
No Witnesses to Crime
There was no witness to the crime
yesterday Beggs' Oldest daughter,
Mrs. F.. Rojo, was not at home at the
time of the shooting and his youngest
daughter, Gertrude c. Beggs, was
down stairs in the back yard. She
was afraid to go upstairs Immediately
after she heard the shots, but when
she did go to the fiat, she found her
mother sitting on a chair, while from
wounds on her head and body streams
of blood stained the floor.
Beggs had made his escape from the
house by that time and was not in
sight. The daughter gave the alarm
and when the police ambulance arrived
Mrs. Beggs was taken to the receiv-
ing hospital. There it was found that
her wounds were serious and she was
taken to the county hospital.
The criminal taint in the blood of
the father would seem to have been
transmitted to one of the children, as
Edison, the youngest son, was con-
mitted to the reformatory at lone sew
eral months ago for stealing bicycles.
The police stated that the boy was
one of the cleverest juvenile thieves
ever known to them He was known
as "Raffles," from the cunning which
he exhibited in committing his
crimes. The other members of the
family are, according to the statement