The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-13
ROBS
CRIPPLED
CHAUFFEUR
Benjamin Richards Found Tied
to Tree, Unconscious
From Beating.

Blackjacked and robbed by four
men who on Thursday engaged
him to drive them to Gettysburg,
Benjamin F. Richards, crippled au-
tomobile hacker, of 705 Fifth street
northwest, was found early today
tied to tree in a clump Of woods
near Frederick, Md.
Richards automobile, his pocket
book and his crutches were gone.
In Serious Condition.
When discovered by Samuel Fraley.
q State road inspector. Richards was
suffering from mainutrition and was
on the point OF q nervous breakdown.
He was unable to tell a connected story
of the attack and could not remember
what had transpired during the past
thirty-six houfs.
DIR. c. b. Kefauber. of Fairmont.
twenty miles from Frederick. was
called and took charge of the hacker.
removing him to his own home. where
he will be kept until able to be brought
to Washington.
According to the meager details
given by Richards to Frederick county
authorities, the party passed through
Frederick and then ordered him to
drive In the direction of Capoctin Fur
mace. Az the machine was speeding
along the pike one OF the men In the
party hit him on the head with blunt
instrument.
Remembers Being Tied.
Richards il able to recall that he
was taken from the automobile and
bodily carried to tree $50 yards from
the highway. There he was gagged
and then tied to a tree in an upright
position. From that time until he
was discovered today he IL unable TO
remember just what transpired.
Richards is a cripple. When a boy
living with his family at his home In
Alexandria, Va, he was struck In the
back by a stone. The blow paralyzed
his lower limbs. For four years he
lay on his back In bed. Since that
time he has been unable to walk with
out crutches.
The men who robbed him Saturday
carried his crutches away with them
Five months ago Richards had q
similar experience, but did not lose his
machine. A party of men at that time
engaged him to take them on q ride.
They reached a corner on T street, In
lexington, and after blackjacking him
robbed him of his pocketbook, con.
tanning $22. He regained conscious
ness an hour after the incident, but
was unable to furnish the police with
an accurate description.
One Arrest Made.
One arrest has been made. A man
giving his name as Everett A. Irving
of 1855 c street southwest, was taken
up today by Deputy Sheriff Stanley
Gingell at Rockville, Md.
Irving was taken from a Frederick.
Washington motor bus when the car
reached Rockville. He denied any
knowledge of the affair and stated
that on Thursday he accompanied his
wife to Philadelphia. From that city
he says he went to Pittsburgh and
later to Fairmont, where he hired a
motor car to take him to Frederick.
Frederick county officials yesterday
became suspicious when a stranger
made inquiries as to whether they had
picked up on the roads a man who he
said had fallen from a motor truck.
At that time nothing was known OF
the Richards affair.
This morning when Richards was
found search was instituted for the
stranger, the belief being that he was
a member of the attacking party, who
returned to learn whether or not Rich.
ards was alive.
The Maryland State Police in all
counties in the western part of the
State are on the lookout for possible
suspects and as soon as Richards Is
able TO give a detailed story Of the af
fair a description will be furnished
! the authorities OF border counties OF
Virginia and Pennsylvania