Evening star., 1909-05-06
GIRLS FATHER SHOOTS
Husband of Chi|d-Wife Is DAN
gerousIy Wounded.
CLAIMS WAS KIDNAPPED
Says Husband Is Keeping Her Con-
cealed From Parents.
THREE BULLETS TAKE EFFECT
Irving w. Beck in Hospital in
Critical Condition-Albert Willard,
Under Arrest, Makes Statement.

Irving W. Beck. a grocer at I'd and N
streets southeast. was seriously and per-
haps fatally shot at 1880 o'clock this
afternoon by Albert H. Willard, forty
years of age. the father of Beck's child
wife. The shooting occurred at Mr..
Beck's place of business. and caused
great excitement in the neighborhood as
the three shots rang out.
One bullet entered Beck's neck, another
penetrated his chest and the third struck
him in the side. After being shot the
grocer ran from the store. and W lizard
also ran into the street. Thomas w.
Smith. who was passing the place in his
automobile conveyed the badly wounded
man to the Casualty Hospital, where his
condition was pronounced critical.
Beck's grocery store stands upon ter
race, and as Willard was attempting to
descend the steps to the sidewalk after
the shooting, pistol in hand, he stumbled
and fell down the stairs. He struck upon
his face. cutting his nose open and other
arise he was seized by bystanders and
held until the police arrived. The prs-
oner was then taken to the fifth precinct
police station and locked up, charged
for the present with assault with a dan
gerous weapon.
Claims Daughter Was Kidnapped.
The direct cause which is said to have
led up to the attack upon Beck was his
recent marriage to Wizards fourteen
year-old daughter. Beck being about thir-
ty-two years Of age. Beck was welded
to Dorothy NJ. Willard April 10, and the
father Of the girl claims that she was
practically kidnapped. and Is now kept in
concealment at place unknown to her
parents by the husband.
Albert H. Willard. who did the shoot
ing, Is employed at the Washington navy
yard as craneman. He received his pay
about 1890 o'clock this morning, and
proceeding to a saloon, says he took a
drink of whisky and one of beer. He then
purchased a pistol and proceeded to
Beck's store to inquire the whereabouts
of his child. Entering the grocery the
idtHcTp WHO appeared 10 De almost CTdZeQ
by grief. said to Beck:
What are you going to do about t?"
THE girl Is not coming bome'' was
Becks response. "and I'm not going to
tell you where she lives
Fired Three Shots.
Without further parleyifg Willard whip
ped out his revolver and began firing upon
Beck. the latter running from the store
after the third shot had hit him. After
Willard had fallen down the stairs in
front of the grocery store he was first
seized by Gilbert Jackson of Berwyn an
employe of the District engineer depart
ment. who knocked the pistol from Will
lards hand, and afterward turned the
weapon over TO the police A. f. Arneson
assisted in holding the PROSTATE man un-
III the police arrived on the scene.
Fred Zuschnitt. brother-in-law of
Beck, who was in the store when the af-
fair happened. gave the police the ver-
son of the affair that was obtained by a
Star reporter
When Willard was seen in his cell at
No. . station this afternoon by a Star re-
porter he appeared 10 be nearly crazed
His face was badly cut as result OF the
fall. his clothing torn aand his limbs
skinned. He said he and Beck had been
on the best of terms just after the mar
riage of his daughter, but recently the
girl wife had been sent away, and he
understood she was in concealment some
where on Indiana avenue between LIST and
I'd streets.
so far as / am concerned" Willard
added, my daughter has been kidnapped.
My wife is almost crazy, and am crazy
too. l bought the pistol. but do not
know where or when. 1 took one drink
OF whisky and one glass of beer That's S
all. My daughter gets her mail from a
box al the post office, but have been
unable TO find her"
vi u-ira n
street southeast. He has four children
two older than Dorothy and one
younger.
When the Casualty Hospital authori-
ties were asked late this afternoon as
TO Beck's condition. the reply was that
beyond the fact that he was critically
injured no further statement could be
made
Account of the Marriage.
Concerning the marriage of Beck to the
Willard child. Dorothy. the following az
ticle published in The Star recently:
Irving w. Beck, giving his age as
thirty-three and that of the little Willard
girl as fifteen years obtained a license
April 10. and, according 10 his own state.
ment to representative of The Star
Tuesday last, was married by Rev. j. w
Smith. Further than that lie would give
out no information.
Mrs Beck. before her marriage To
BECK. had Deen pupli III the sixth grade
OF the Lenox public school. Before the
spring vacation she had remarked To her
little friends in school that she intended
To be married after Easter. Some of the
teachers heard of the remark. but paid n,
attention. believing ii 10 be but the pratt
tie Of child.
When the story was first made pub
lie IL was stated positively that the con-
sent OF the brides mother had been will
ingly given 10 the match, but that the
father Albert II. Willard, who is a ma
chinists helper at the navy yard had
only been persuaded after long argument
He was quoted as giving his consent
against his wishes in order that his
daughters happiness might not be mar.
red"
Shot and Killed Each Other.
MAYFIELD, KY, May 6.-Matthew By-