Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-30

Street bridge and continued it to the place
where the woman's companion drew his
razor from his pocket and proceeded to
slash her.
Cripple Saves Her Life.
Leo Thomas, John Smith and Ernest
Holmes, colored. who were On the street
at the time of the assault, saved the
woman's life, the police believe. Thomas,
who is a cripple, broke his crutch on
Beckham while endeavoring to prevent a
possible murder
When the men had succeeded in driving
Beckham away from the woman they
shouted for the police. Policemen String
fellow. Maloney. Braden and Garfield re-
sponded.
Beckham had not gone far away. No
trouble was experienced by the policemen
In apprehending him.
They sent the wounded woman to the
hospital and Beckham to the station.
The police searched for the razor and
found it on the parking in front Of St.
Stephens Church.
1t as stated to the police that the couple
were engaged to be married and the cere-
mony was to have been performed today.
The police say the prospective bride and
groom had been indulging in intoxicants
last night. and that two brothers Of the
young man tried to persuade him to go
home instead of crossing the bridge from
Georgetown 10 the city.
Refuses to Leave Woman.
"I'll not go home. 1 intend to remain
with Blanche as long as 1 live" Beckham
is reported to have told his brothers.
The brothers left him and his companion
near 18th and NJ streets and went in
the direction of their home. Shortly after
their departure. Beckham. it is charged,
made his attempt to kill the woman.
alleges
ed her for money and that he attacked
her because she refused to give him the
cash he wanted. He made no statement
of the. cause of the cutting.
1t Is the belief of the police that Beck
ham had the razor with him for the ex-
press purpose to use it on the woman:
that he was probably jealous of her, and
that the assault was prompted by jeal-
Ousy rather than by refusal of the
woman to give him cash
Just how the trouble between the lovers
started nobody other than the couple
can tell.
The three colored' men, when they oh
served what Beckham was doing, shouted
to him to let the woman alone. They
hurried to her assistance.
Beckham. 1t Is said, threw his COM
panion to the pavement and proceeded to
use his razor while she was partly hid
den from view by bushes. 1t was while
Beckham was thus engaged that the col
ored men proceeded to take hand in the
affair and the crutch was broken on the
man who was welding the razor.
Policemen Arrive.
The policemen heard the calls for as
sistance. They captured Beckham, who
was only a short distance away.
''She made me do it, he declared to
the policemen. "Will you let me look at
her to see how bad she's hurt?''
Beckham was permitted to go with the
policemen to the place where the woman
was lying, but was not permitted to
touch her or say anything to her. His
conduct there. the police say. indicated
he was sorry for what he had done, al
though he refrained from speech.
The ambulance from the Emergency
Hospital reached the scene of the slash
ing without delay The woman was hur-
ried away To be given treatment in time
to save her life.
Reckham and the Davis woman are not
strangers In police circles. The pair
had been arrested during the Christmas
holidays by Detectives Baur and Corn
Well for alleged shoplifting in several de-
partment stores. At that time they were
living at 62!' & street southwest
Five charges We're preferred against
them: Fines aggregatng 1928 or fifteen
months Imprisonment Were imposed on
each OF them. About three weeks ago
the woman settled her fine and WAS re-
leased. Beckham succeeded in getting o,lt
last week.
Unless bond for the appearance NJ
Beckham Is given he will be taken tn the
Police Court tomorrow and committed to
Jail. tn be detained until his victim is abba
To appear