davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
STRANGE MIXTURE
OF GIRL AND WOMAN
Has Always Longed for
Beautiful Things, She
ConfeSSeS.
REBELLED AGAINST
POVERTY OF HOME
Beck Showered Her With Gifts
and for a Time Her Dreams
Came True.

voice of this one man and oBeyed It
can not be blotted out.
Albert Wizards defense viii be his
daughters story. On that, and that
alone viii rest his case. In jail he IS
now a man Of little speech. as he has
been all hts life. He refuses 10 discuss
the case, but. when he is told OF some
new revelation of how Irving Beck
treated his daughter for nearly two
years, the veins in his neck become
great purple cords. and he clenches his
fists In silent rage and anguish
Story Caused Crime
VIII Be Counsel's Plea.
It win be argued BY his counsel that
the effect Of the story Of his daughters
wrongs was so great upon him that.
without any other thought than the
encrmity Of the thing. he went and
killed the man who had accomplished It
How he did the killing was simple and
direct. He walked into Beck's store
after having been refused for three days
the information Of the girls where
abouts.
How about i. Beck; where's Dor
othy?" he asked.
Upon Becks replying that Dorothy did
not want her parents to know where she
was. willard shot him TO death. He
fired three times. and Beck died that
evening
The excuse given by Beck and Dor
othy for the girls leaving the house
at lilo Sixth street was that she was
not happy at home because Of the fact
that she was upbraided by her father
and mother every day. This was the
4.-FI
rooming house at 106 Indiana avenue It
may be taken as another evidence that
the child was dissatisfied with her sur
roundings and lOnged for a change.
The Willard family wiz be in strait
ened circumstances II Mr.. Willard is
not allowed to leave the jail on bail ar
if he Is not given an early trial R5s
attorney, Thomas G. Taylor, wants an
immediate trial The case Eifl prob
ably be presented TO the grand jury
some time this week
It is another illustration OF the irony
OF -DOrOthy'S fate that, after her strug-
gle to escape the humdruu Of home
life. she must go back TO it with the
probability that her circumstances. for
in a financial sense than before. Wheth-
er she win be entitled, under the law,
to ons-third Of Beck's estate, has not
been determined
DerOLly " nkdrl ; SklIg ILLUSTRATES tLlE
splendid courage of the poor. ard it
affords an opportunity to guess at tho
hundreds of thousands OF those who
rise superior TO temptation, fight bsIttles
Of which the world never knows, and
win victories great as those OF the bat
tleheId. It lifts the curtain for while
on the struggles Of the many against
the evil calls that beset them, and IL
emphasizes the necessity OF the care
parents must exercise for their daugh-
ters-
The Washington times., 1909-05-16

ously estimated as somewhere between
thirty-five and forty.
Irving Beck had never been known as
a ''sociable man" He had started out
in life with practically nothing, had
saved the money earned as a clerk at a
small salary, mad started a little grocery
stand and had developed it into a pay
ing business. He had also dealt in real
estate. and, when he was killed by VIII
lard he owned eight houses. He was
an affectionate son and brother, soIi-
citous of the happiness and well-being
Of his mother and sister. he had never
been attentive to any woman, but had
given up his time TO his work Among
the men of the neighboehood he was
universally popular.
Then, apparently without cause, GER
tainly without any fesAsible explanation.
he became wrapped up in the child Dor
othy. For her part, she accepted his at
tentions at first as she had taken the
candy he gave her. To put it in her
own words:
''Irvie was always awfully good to
me-"
It did not take long. however, for her
to sense the affection the man felt for
her. AS she had attracted him. there
ana, when her parents, alarmed by the
criticism of the neighborhood. forbade
hsr to see Beck any more, the interdic-
ton was powerless. OF this time the
child. d.xife win not speak now, save TO
siNe a clear idea that she fancied her
self very much imposed upon by her
parents and that slre was miserably un-
happy.
She did not cease seeing Beck He
uyeed her to go out with him, and she
contrived to do so. At last. the father.
who is stern and domineering to a de-
gree when ne is reused. went to Beck
anc forbade a continuance of the in
timacy- Beck promised to obey his
wishes. but the promise was broken.
One effort father made to break or
the affair was TO go TO tl-e postoffice
and have his daughters mail held un-
til he called for it in person. This
was due TO the report that Beck was
In the habit of sending the girl money
by mail.
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
Child Wife'S Longing for
Ease of Life Ends
In Misery.
BACK OF BLOODSHED
is DEEPER TRAGEDY
Robbed of Girlhood and Innocence,
She Learns Too Early Life's
Deepest Sorrows.
Continued from First Page)

and the ease of life. She has never
known the time when the amusements
and pursuits of other children of her age
satisfied her. She has never had girl
chum- She has never wanted to go
with boys OF her age.
When she left school to be married.
she was In the sixth grade. and her
fellows were playing hop-scotch and
Jacks or envying the fortunate pos
SCISSOR of a pair Of ballbearing roller
skates But she cared nothing for the
games or the skates, and she was the
only child who had plenty of money
TO spend. Occasionally. she exhibited
her purse containing $50.
Longed For Diversions
That "Grown-Ups" Had
when other children were playing and
romping, she was longing for the the
ater and the diversions of the grown
ups" At the age Of thirteen. the be-
ginning OF Beck's attentions to her, she
was filed with the same desire.
How long have you wanted the
things beyond your means?" she was
asked.
Ever since I could walk" she said
simply.
She had filed her days with dreams,
and she had not been born In a place
where dreams come true In childhood.
Her world was a world of poverty and
privation- There were tasks for her in
the evening and tasks in the morning.
There are 40 lace curtains at the win
dows Of the Willard home, and some
times the bills for the necessaries of
life have gone unpaid. Want long ago
crowded luxury out OF the house.
She rebelled against her condition.
and she was rebeliious when Beck Of
fered her all she wanted. That he was
devoted to her in q way, cannot be
doubted. for he 1avisheS upon her all
the gifts the promptings Of generosity
could devise. AS II by magic, the pleas
ant paths of life had opened before her,
and she had the realization of hei
dreams at her command. Now she
knows that the pleasant paths led to
inevitable sorrow. Instead Of walking
the heights. her feet went 20 the brink
OF one OF life's dark abysses.
Indeed. 1 love candy" she said with
great enthusiasm, clasping her hands
in childish gesture Of delight. 'Trvie
used to give It to me whenever wanted
Al -
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
Laughs AZ Idea
OF Being Shocked.

It was scarcely three minutes later
when, in reply to a suggestion that she
might be shocked, she said with her
grotesque air of cunning and worldly
wisdom:
"Oh. I'm rather hard to shock. you
know. I don't mind"
The transformation from child TO wo-
man was as sudden as II was complete.
1t was as If a beautiful picture had
been blemished by crude marks.
In order to understand the full forcc
OF the tragedy Of this chiId's fate. it is
necessary TO comprehend fully the cir
cumstances in which she was placed
and the manner Of life she was Obliged
TO lead She is the daughter OF an en-
plcye Of the Washington navy yard He
is an expert crane man, and his wages
were $3.50 a day. Besides the father
and mother, there are in the family
Dorothy. an older sister, and two young
er children, a boy and a girl
Until comparatively recently. the fam
ily lived in little house at 2o4 n street
southeast. two doors above the grocery
store OF Beck, who had prospered from
a small beginning and built up a busi-
ness OF about 500 q week. The neigh
borhood Is one of poor families and
humble homes. AS a woman expressed
II:
ANY good kind Of clothes cause Cos
sip in this neighborhood."
To the child's upbrilging. her parents
devoted all the care and attention pos
sible. Like other children, she was
taught to say her prayers. to 90 to
school, and 10 assume her share OF the
work about the house. There was moth
ing inspiring or uplifting in the routine
OF such an existence, and Dorothy did
not like II.
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
Gift of Piano
Refused BY Father.

Three months ago, the Willard fam
lily moved to 1110 Sixth street southeast.
their present home. 1t is more than
six blocks frcm the Beck store and
was selected for this reason The
move did not change the situation.
Beck gave Dorothy a piano. a set OF
30 books and numerous less costly
IA esents.
When the piano arrived, there was
a troublesome scene Of which Doro-
thy was the center, contending for her
light to keep the gift. Was Il not one
Of the thingr about which she had
dreamed and for which she had longed
with all her heart? She wept bitterly
and pleaded and stormed by turns, but
the father was obdurate, and the plano
was not kept
Upon the girls mind this made a
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
Mother Intelligent
And Hard Working.

Mrs. Willard is an intelligent and
hard-working woman, but. Ike her hus-
band. she is Of few words Gradually
there came into the child Dorothy's
life the habit Of dreaming By herself.
and OF not telling what she thought.
She felt that after all. perhaps, no one
about her could share her thoughts with
sympathetic ears. Had things been diff
ferent, this little dreamer, this child
rebel against the dull routine OF her life,
might nave become a great artist
She is more than pretty. Undeveloped
physically as she is. there is about her
that which makes her beautiful In re
nose, she has an expression OF seraphlc
simplicity. II is only when she is
aroused that there comes into her eyes
the light which transforms her into the
srrotesouely wise woman. People who
have known her all her life say her
appearance two years ago was about
what It Is now
IL was then that Beck began 90 take
notice Of her She used to go to the
grocery store 70 buy provisions for the
family
when did you first meet Beck?" she
was asked.
II never met him exactly" she an
swered: but I remember the first time
ne gave RE some candy"
He continued TO give her candy. and,
after a few weeks, he took her to scent
picture shows" or to the theater. The
two went car-riding together, and they
were much in each others company.
Such companionship naturally caused
gossip among the neighbors as well IT
might. on the one side was the little
slip OF a girl On the other was the
hsb!tuaIly quiet. unassuming, successful
business man whose age has been vari-
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
Gained Control
By His Kindness.

This brief resume Of the facts in the
case is made TO show that the child
clung persistently to Beck after the
first six months OF their acquaintance.
He had. apparently. gained control of
her by giving her what she craved, hap
piness. Nothing was too good for her
III money could get It, so far as he was
concerned. He found her hungry for
light and pleasure and comfort. Had
she known more OF the world. she would
cafes. the bubble and laughter OF
amusen,ents by day and by night
But-and here lies the tragedy, the
ugliness Of the thing-he transformed
her in the two years that he knew her
from child to an unnatural being with
the heart of a woman. helpless without
the wisdom and the intuition Of wom-
an. Each human life has it's character
as its foundation. In her case. the
foundation had been weakened when
she came into the world. by her love
Of pleasure and ease. 1t was a weak
ness which has been remedied many
times. But, with her, there came the
man who found the weakness. and used
it evilIy.
How evilly he did use 1t, car only be
inferred. He taught her to view life as
he wished her 10 see it. She took his
words as the truth in all things He
gave her more than anybody else had
given her. He secured her boundless
gratitude. After that he was her guide
and mentor She did not care what
other people thought or said, nor did
she pay particular attention 10 the
wishes Of her parents.
What his influence on her was iH
strongly illustrated by an occurrence
at the house, 1O6 Indiana avenue. where
he took her when he hid her from her
parents. One evening a woman in the
house went to their door and knocked.
Beck opened the door. and the woman
saw Dorothy, the child. in short skirts
The Washington times., 1909-05-16
.8G so
O. V 1UCh

great impression. Even when thsre had
come on the scene the means Of graft
flying her longing for pleasure and COM
fort, her father stood ready to deny
them to her. The friendship with
Beck went on undated, went too far.
Again the gossip of neighbors becanAe
strident. and its threats Of disgrace
grew so loud that Willard went to the
Rev. ]. Edgar Smith and said he had
reluctantly consented to the marriage
as the best way out Of the trouble
A week later the marriage took place,
and :or two weeks Beck kept his prom
ise not TO take Dorothy away from her
home. Monday. May 3, he did take her
away, and refused to tell willard
where sha was. His persistent refusals
ended in his death.
When Dorothy was told that Irving
was dead, she was prostrated with
frief. and 50 heart-breaking was her
s-11ering that a physician had to be
summoned to relieve her.
New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
OAMBRTDGE AND OXFORD.

The boatraee OF yesterday on the Thames.
which resulted, contrary to general expectation
in victory for Oxford, puts the record Of those
classic contests another point further from eoual
division between the rival universities This was
the eightieth anniversary Of the first Oxford
Cambridge race, the first, which resulted in an
easy victory for the older university, having
been rowed in 1923. In the eighty years there
have been sixty-six races there having been
none between 1929 and 1886, between 1886 and
1889, between 1912 and 1s45 and between 1S4e
and 1S49, and there having been two races in
1649. OF the sixty-six, oxford has now won
thirty-fve and Cambridge thirty, and there has
been one tie, in 1877, which, however would
doubtless have resulted in a victory for Oxford
had not the bow man of that crew "caught a
crab" and sprung an oar' while the boat was
leading. On the whole. then, the record Is in
favor OF Oxford. though curiously enough, in
point OF time there is practically no difference
between the two, each having won a race in
the quickest time on record, IS minutes At sec
onds, oxford IN 1893 and Cambridge in 1900
These famous races have spanned the whole
history Of the development Of modern oarsman-
ship, In boats, oars, rigging and stroke. The
earlier boats used were comparatively broad
and heavy barges, and It was not until 1S46
that outriggers were used, permitting the boats
to be made Just wide enough for the men TO sit
In them Five years later keels were aban-
doned, but not until 1873 were sliding seats
introduced In 1S41 the Oxford boat was car
vel built and the Cambridge boat was clinker
built Once or twice one of the crews has used
short boat, but generally the two boats have
been practically alike In size and construction.
In the very first race in 1929, the captain Of
the Oxford crew at the moment Of victory
waved a dark blue flag, and thus associated
that color for eli time with the Oxford crew,
and in the next race, in 1895, Cambridge car.
ried throughout the course q light blue flag
Probably the most remarkable contest be-
tween the universities on the Thames was that
of 1913 There was no regular interuniversity
regatta that year, but crews from both univer-
stiles entered the Grand Challenge contest at
Henley. Cambridge had won In 1841 and 1912
and put forward particularly powerful crew
In hope Of winning a third time All other
crews were beaten, and the final and decisive
heat was to be pulled by the two univeraties
Just as the Oxford men were entering their
New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau ]


Washington. April 3.-The President took advan-
tage of the good weather this afternoon, and in
company with the Viee-President. General Ed
White House at 2:20 o'clock in touring for
the Chevy Chase golf links for match game.
President Taft received silver golf stick to-day
from Representative Gouden on behal: of Wolf
Bumblick. of New York. The Presidents name Is
engraved on the head Of the stick. Judge Norman
s. Dike OF New York, called to tell Of his luck on
the Chevy Chase golf links, having made the long
hole in five.
The tariff question still occupies a great deal Of
the Presidents time. Speaker Cannon and Repre-
sentatives Payne and DalzelI had conference
with him this afternoon, and Representatives Per
kins and Vreeand talked tariff with him this
morning.
Senators Dick and Burton called this morning TO
introduce to the President George Mooney, Speaker
of the Ohio House, and Frank ", Milholland, OF
Toledo and TO discuss the appointment OF a sur
veyor of customs at Dayton and postmaster at
Sandusky. 1t is said that both Senators favor
George c. Schipple for the postmastership
Other callers were Representative Olcott. Repre-
sentatives Ellis and Hawley. who are urging ex-
Representative Smith. who called with Mrs. James
a. Leroy. of Pontiac. Mich, who taught the Taft
children and whose husband Mr.. Tafts prf-
vate secretary in the Philippines, and Albert N
Schenck, a packer. of Wheeling. The President
shook hands with large number Of visitors who
are spending the Easter holidays in Washington
President Taft said to-day that he expected TO
visit San Francisco in the summer. He made the
announcement to NJ. s. Alexander and Leo Alexan-
der who were presented to him by Representative
Kahn.
New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
IN WASHINGTON SOCIETY.
tE-nn The Tribune Bureau.l


Washington. april 3-The Vice-Presloent am NJ
Mrs sherman were entertained at dinner to-Iisi. -
~, exRep-esentative and Mrs. Sibley. who invited
~ meet them Justice and Mrs Brewer sehaIoi
ana Mrs Burrows. Senator and Mrs Scott Senator
o,d Mrs BAILEY Representative and Mrs. weeks
REPRESENTATIVE and Mrs. James r. Manu. F@epIe-
sentative and Mrs Lowden. Commissioner and MIS-
Warner and MFR. and Mrs. ". E Curtis
Mrs Sherman the guest OF honor al 4
luncheon given by Mrs Alexander stewart IN tle
marty were Mrs Nathan B. Scott. Mrs. William
Alden Smith. Mrs Henry s. Boutell. Mrs Wallace
PsdcIine Mrs P Sheridan, Mrs. Thomas Moore.
y1scountess de sibour Miss Gillett and Miss Stew
art.
Mr. and Mrs Francis p. Crowninshleld lnvlted d
number of guests to dine with them tonight
Among the large breakfasts given to-day was one
NJ the home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Larz Anderson
Mrs Robert IIolllster Chapman invited 70 meet
Mrs Hills OF Auburn n Y, at luncheon to-day
Nfr. 7 van Vechten Olcott. Mrs. w B. Fadgely
Mrs Nathaniel Sinpkins. Mrs A c Barney MIS-
Morris Murray Mrs Charles d Walcott.- Mrs Lee
F,hiups Mrs Richard Rush. Miss Stickney ana
Miss Harlan. -.
Lieutenant De Witt Clinton Jones OF the army
srvineer CORDS whose marriage TO Miss Miriam
Pierce of Philadelphia. win take place In that clty
~, Arril II will have his brother. Lieutenant Chl-
,or1 tones as best man. and ushers Lieutenant
T,oh.r+ Thomas Lieutenant John \. Hodges. Lieu
+o,o,+ Rorer q Powell Lieutenant Carlos Stol-
br,rd Iieutenaut John A. Holabird and beuteh-
oft r,apieI Sultan all OF the engineer corps sta-
tior.4 nth the brideSroon-eIect at the Washing
80, Taarraclzs They viii accompany Lieutenant
Jones TO Philadelphia the day before the "euliiie-
New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
4 CHANGE SINCE MAGMA CH4RTA.


That the people of the North do not under
stand the difference between illiteracy and ig
norance is the unequivocaI statement Of THE
News and Observer of Raleigh, n. c. North
erners think according TO that authority. that
the terms are Synonymous. Taking as its text
the recent trial in Nashville, wherein justice
was vindicated by unlettered men, THE News
and Observer" reads the undiscriminating people
of the North a lecture on the error of their
ways It also admits some Southern newspa-
ners into the circle Of those critics Of the Cooper
Jury who Jumped at the conclusion that an
iIliterate Jury was necessarily an ignorant jury.
There has been a remarkable unanimity of
sentiment as to the justice Of the verdict rem
dered by this much criticised Jury. Southern
newspapers, with few exceptions, have been not
less outspoken in their expressions of Commen-
dation than the Northern papers have been
And If the conclusion which The News and
Observer" has reached is deduced from this
particular incident, it would seem that not
only some Southern papers" but a vast ma
ioritv Of the more influential OF them. have
fallen into the same error with the Northern
press in assuming that there is at least close
relationship between illiteracy and ignorance.
We may or may not dispute the soundness
Of the statement that 'our forefathers who
"vrenched the Magma Charta, the great pal
'ladium Of popular rights, from an unwilling
king could not even sign their names TO that
immortal document" and that they were not
on that account untitled for their task But
that 1.-The Anglo-Saxon heredity Of thousand
years of popular rights in England, followed
"by a century of popular government IN Amer
'ica" should be accepted as 4 sufficient quail
fcation for the voter of today, tusnfying, we
nav assume, the grandfather clause" and its
kindred makeshifts, is not quite so clear. In
the DAYS Of the Magma Charta the opportunities
for education were not so widely distributed as
was no disgrace, but in these times there Is
something radically wrong either with the IN
dividual who born in this country and growing
I'D in q well populated state, cannot read or
write or with the conditions which surrounded
him and in either case the presumption or his
unfitness for the highest duties OF citizenship
can hardly be overlooked.
There is however, In the average human
being an innate sense of justice, which is not
dependent upon the knowledge Of the schools
That the Cooper jurors possessed this sense has
been clearly demonstrated. But 1t does not
follow that these men would not be better fitted
for their civic duties II they possessed educa-
ton. We need not confound illlteracy with
ignorance In assuming that a jury Of men ca
pable of reading the newspapers and keeping up
with the march of events would have been
equally capable of reaching a Just decision, and
that time and money might have been saved
had such men not been excluded In large
measure from jury service