Los Angeles herald., 1910-09-23

Elmer Belk, 90 years of age, on pars
ole for three years following his con-
Viction of holding up and robbing an
old man, is in the county Jail charged
with highway robbery. Today several
women lately attacked by a degen-
crate will go to the county jail to see
Belk. The sheriff and his deputies be-
lieve several of them will identify Belk
as the man whose acts have terror
lied the Boyle Heights district.
Belk admits, according to the author
tiles, that he attacked Miss Mary YER
die and her escort Monday night while
they were walking along the Mission
road on their way to the young wom-
ans home He says he had been
drinking and mistook the man for
person with whom he had had trouble
at dance.
The attack on Miss Verde and her
escort was suppressed. There was a
clew which was followed and it re-
suited in the arrest of Belk yester
day afternoon as he was preparing to
depart for San Diego Deputy Sher-
iff J. S. Sepulveda, who made the ar
rest, is confident that the series of at
tacks ON women recently can be traced
to Belk.
According to the story told by Miss
Verde and her escort they were a
short distance from her home when
man wearing q slouch hat drawn we'll
forward over his eyes and coat col
lar turned up accosted them. Without
warning he suddenly struck Miss
Verdie's escort on the side of the jaw,
dropping him to the ground. In an at
tempt to interfere Miss Verde was
struck Her screams brought her par
ents running to her aid.
AssAILANT FLEES
The sudden appearance OF her par
ents caused the aSSailant to take to
his heels. The description given led
to Belk's arrest.
Belh in the county Jail yesterday af-
ternoon acknowledged the Mission road
affair, but denied he had had any
thing to do with the other holdups and
attacks on women of the past month.
however the county Jail officials feel
confident that when those who have
been attacked see him some time to-
day there will be some one who will
identity him.
Height, feet 81 inches; weight, 1853
pounds; fair, gray eyes and light brown
hair when arrested he was wearing
q faded blue coat, brown trousers, a
soft gray hat, low oxfords and soft
tan shirt.
This description tallies in many ways
with the description reported to the
pOllC0 ny OlnCI N1CLAA1Os Du( 4OA LILO
age, Bellk's description fits clasely that
of the assallant of William Lehman
and Miss Frances Schipous at First
and Pecan streets August 27. Their
description was of a man about 30
years of age, height 5 feet 6 inches,
weight 150 pounds, slim, rough face,
black coat and soft light hat.
ANSWERS DESCRIPTION
The blue coat at night could easily
be taken for black. The matter Of
age is entirely a guess on the part of
those assailed and 1t is believed Belk
will be identified by Miss Schipous and
Lehman today.
The general description the police
have, as q result of all descriptions so
far turned in is as follows: Height,
feet inches; weight, las pounds;
smooth shaven, brown soft shirt, brown
soft hat, light shoes, dark complexion.
With the exception of complexion
this description tallies closely with
that Of Belk. Another point, which
characterized many of the descriptions
given the police, was that the assail-
ant, in most instances, was noticed to
have q peculiar shuttle in his walk,
which is characteristic of Belk's man
ner Of locomotion. In reference to
this popularity of walk Sheriff Ham
mel said yesterday:
According to the various descrip-
tions of the person that has been uo-
ing the wholesale holdup work in the
city he has a peculiar shuttle in his
walk. BellS has that popularity and
the descriptions tally well otherwise.
This man has a bad record and is a
hard character"
CLAIMS ATTACK PRANK
In an interview in the jail yesterday
Belk tried to pass off his attack of
: Monday night as a prank while under
the influence OF liquor. He said:
II was drinking and I mistook the
party for a person that I had had
trouble with at a dance several nights
before. I knocked him down and as I
did so the girl grabbed my arm. In
jerking away from her she fell That
was all there was to it."