The San Francisco call., 1913-07-20
HUSBAND ASKS
$4,000 FOR
BROKEN HOME
Civil Engineer Charges
Southern Pacific Official
With Alternating His
Wife's Affection
BLACKMAIL SCHEME,
RETORTS DEFENDANT
Complaint Formally Alleges,
However, That He Wooed
Persistently for Year

Philip X. Gordon. general agent OF
the Sunset Route of the Southern Pa
cific, and son of General Gordon OF
Washington became defendant yester-
day in a suit for $4,000 damages
which Arthur A. Beck, civil engineer
alleges he sustained through aliena-
| tion of the affections of Lillian A.
Beck. his wife
The alleged liason began in Grants
Pass, Ore, where the Becks spent their
vacation in July of last year; shifted
to restaurants in San Francisco and
Oakland resulted in the separation of
Mr.. and Mrs. Beck, according to their
attorney, and finally in the filing of the
damage suit by the husband Mrs
Beck is staying at 644 Fifty third
street, Oakland
'Blackmailr' exclaimed Gordon when
told of Beck's action.
This matter has been pending for
three months and it is nothing more
nor less than shakedown. 1t is
blackmail of the rankest sort by the
man and woman. It is something
likely to happen to any man and l
will not be held up by a brace of first
class blackmailers. l have engaged
Attorneys Dorsey & Henderson to rep
resent me-"
WHEN BLANDTShMENTS BEGIN
Beck, who is in the employ of Havi-
land Tibbetts. civil engineers,
charged that Mr.. Gordon with delicate
reserve and we'll bred attention
caused Mrs. Beck to become dissatis-
fed with her station. He declared that
he and his wife were happy with their
9 year old boy until Gordon appeared.
He told her what he would do
Beck's complaint continued, were he
her husband or even if they two only
sustained the relations of love and
affaire du honour to each other. He ap-
pealed artfully to the feminine in
stinct and love for rine clothes, jewels
and gewgaws OF personal adornment"
In September. 1912. if the complaint
be true. Gordon met Mrs. Beck on a
train bound for Sacramento and i'm
portuned her to leave her husband
He told her that he was the general
passenger agent of the Southern Pa
cific with a salary of $4,000 a year,
had ranches in Oregon worth $4,000;
owned the Quelle building in Portland,
worth 100000, a residence in Portland
Heights and large block of South
ern Pacific stock"
PLEADING RELATED
A page of the complaint is devoted
to a description of the method whereby
1t is alleged that Gordon laid siege to
Mrs. Beck's heart up to the time of the
alleged train incident
The defendant told Mrs. Beck that
she SC far surpassed his former wife,
who had died in May OF that year
f912), in female loveliness, beauty and
feminine glory as the sun was brighter
than the moon"
That he was so rich that many So
ciety girls were willing to forego
richer matches and WOO him to marry
them" was another seductive statement
attributed to Gordon.
This and similar assurances. accord
ing to Beck, led Mrs. Beck to listen to
his silt, SO that although she did not
consers to join Gordon she promised to
meet him later. For several months.
according to the complaint Mrs. Beck
refused 10 yield to the wishes, de-
sires. Establishments and solicitations"
SUIT RENEWED
Gordon renewed his suit October 2,
1912. and obtained meeting with Mrs
Beck in an Oakland restaurant, wher e
he kissed and embraced her. accordicg e
to the husband. A similar scene f.
alleged to have occurred October 81 in
the Oakland restaurant. Beck goes on
sHe said he would inspire her life
with the beauty Of true love and be a
constant inspiration to her, SO that her
powers Of mind and strength OF body
would constantly develop under his
tender care"
1t is set forth that Gordon then and
there ''importuned, urged and hyp-
Noticed her. said Lillian, while elo-
quently pleading and importuning for
a kiss, as he said. from the loveliest
and most passionate lips that ever
thrilled a man through and through" ;
to forget her husband. designated as a
shrimp" and to ally her fortunes
with those of her wooer.
December 2S, 1912. the scene is
shifted to a San Francisco restaurant.
where Gordon is said to have obtained
a promise from Mrs. Beck that she
would grant him a meeting in March.
when the first week of March arrived
there was rendezvous at so Ellis
street, according to the husband. Cor
don is declared to have told Mrs. Beck
that they were married in the sight
of Cod
Beck alleges that on one occasion