New-York tribune., 1919-08-02
Gem Burglars
Torture w WOn1an
Take $4,000
4 Masked Men Hold Lighted
Candle to Sole of Her Foot
in Effort to Find Jewels;
Husband Bound, Gagged

ATLANTIC CITY, Aug. -Four
masked men entered the home of
Charles H. Beck. at Somers Point
eight miles from here, before dawn this
morning. They bound Beck and his wife
to their beds and started to scorch the
soles of Mrs. Beck's feet to make hex
disclose the hiding place of her jewelry
They departed with $4,000 worth OF
jewelry and nearly $1,000 in currency
and have not been caught
Mr.. Beck formerly was the pro-
prietor of hotel in Philadelphia. He
retired from business a year ago, and
has been spending the summer With
his wife in their cottage at Somers
Point. Last night they went to mo-
ton picture theatre in this city, Mrs.
Beck wearing some of her jewelry.
When they emerged from the the
atre "a storm had set in, which grew
worse as the night wore on. Owing
to the dampness or defect in the lock
they found that the front door Of their
cottage could not be entirely closed,
and went to bed leaving it ajar.
Storm Aids Them
The burglars, who are believed to
have seen Mrs. Beck's display Of jew
els m this city the preceding evening
ala TO have followed the couple home
in a motor car, opened the front door
and walked in. They closed the shut
ters and drcw all the curtains in the
house to prevent the escape of ray
of light, the turmoil of the storm con-
cealing their movements.
Mrs. Beck awakened to find the
| fc
| masked man bending over her. He
demanded to know where she kept her
jewelry. Half terrified and half obsti-
nate, Mrs Beck kept silent.
You might as we'll tell first as last"
came from behind the mask of another
man in the background. eve got ways
OF making them talk that won't"
He struck a match and lighted the
stub end of candle which he drew
Mrs. Beck felt the heat of the flame at
the sole of one of her feet. At that
moment her door opened and Mr.. Beck
who had heard voices and noticed the
CLEAN Of light at his wifc's threshold
entered.
Knocked Unconscious
AS his figure appeared the burglar
beside Mrs. Becks bed drew a black
jack and brought it down on her head
| She lost consciousness. Two men flung
themselves upon Mr.. Beck and pinned
him to the couch in the room. Sheets
were torn into strips and picture wire
ripped from pictures to make bonds
with which Mr.. Beck was lashed to the
couch and his wife to the bed. The
candle, Pickering on q bureau top, was
seized by one Of the men with the
apparent intention of trying its effect
on Mr.. Beck, but just then another
who had been busy at dressing table
held up a jewel case with an exclama-
ton.
His fellows left their victims, one
Of them finging q towel over Mrs.
Beck's face, and clustered about him
paving and peering at the rings, pins
and necklaces. At the same moment
a fourth man who apparently had been
searching the rooms on the first floor,
entered fourishing roll of bills.
Mrs. Beck, beginning to recover nor
senses, moaned to the men to leave her
a pair Of opera glasses set with pearls
by which she set great store. but at
which pawnbrokers might look askance
unless assured of true ownership by
the possessor.
"That's all right lady," said the man
who recently had held candle to Mrs
Beck's feet. eve don't scarcely ever
use those things"
They left the opera glasses, but took
everything else they had found. Hall
an hour after they had left Mr.. Beck
wriggled loose and summoned help
The Beck cottage is 200 feet from its
inIh