Evening star., 1935-10-14
DETECTIVE LAUDED
|F0R Staying CHIEF
OF: BANDIT GANG
Three Held as BIackface
Robber Suspects-2
Others Sought.
DYING MAN TOSSED
FROM FLEEING AUTO
Companions on Dash to Escape
Are Hunted-Attempt to Get
Money for Bride Fatal.

A coroner's jury today commended
Detective Earl Baker Of No. pre-
cinct for his Goodness. courage and
good Judgment" after the officer told
how he killed a desperate 5andi: car
rying q sawed-off shotgun in a room
full Of patrons at the Blue Belle Bar
becue, 1885 Bladensburg road north
east, early Sunday morning, Ind then
returned to pay his check.
The verdict completely absolved the
officer from blame in the death OF
Morris c. Beck, 80, leader of the no.
torious "black- face" gang OF robbers
which has preyed on liquor stores ar d
restaurants in washington for the PAST
several months.
Meanwhile police were seeking man
and woman said to have been confed-
crates of Beck. Three alleged MEM
bers OF the gang were under arrest
and face robbery indictments.
Saw Bandit Enter.
Detective Baker voluntarily took the
stand this morning and explained how
he happened to stop at the lunch
room for a sandwich and cup Of
coffee after being relieved from duty
at No. l precinct at midnight Satur-
day. The officer was eating his lunch
at a table at the back of the room
crowded with at least so other pa
irons, when he saw the bandit come
in and train a sawed-of shotgun on
the cashier. Helen Keoman, of 1119
Owens place northeast.
Baker edged through the crowd as
the bandit pulled the cashier from
behind the counter and ordered her
to open the cash register. The girl,
however. had already set the automatic
lock and the robber called on a waiter
to open the strong box.
open it up or else" ordered the
gunman. The waiter explained he did
not know how to open the register.
Waited His Chance.
Meanwhile, Baker was maneuvering
into position and lingering his gun in
its holster. The detective explained he
was afraid to shoot the bandit lest
q muscular reaction frightened his
fingers on the double triggers of the
shotgun and loose murderous blast
into the crowd.
Failing to open the cash register. the
bandit picked up the box and started
for the door Then Baker saw the
shotgun was trained toward a vacant
part of the store and opened fire on
the robber. The first shot crashed
into the wall near the head of pa
tron seated at a table, the latter testi-
fed while the second shot struck the
bandit in the back.
The robber dropped the gun and
cash register and dashed for the door,
with Baker in pursuit. The detective
shot at a car. in which the bandit
jumped as the machine drove away at
a high rate of speed. Baker followed
in his old automobile, but lost sight
Of the fugitive car.
Found Bandit Dying.
He did not see the car again, but
found the dying bandit lying in Bla-
densburg road near the District line.
where he had been dumped by a
companion in the speeding auto
mobile.
Baker took the man to Casualty
Hospital, where he died shortly after,
stubbornly refusing to make state
ment. Baker then returned to the
lunch stand and paid his check OF
IS cents.
Sought Gift for Bride.
Police were told Beck was trying to
make q stake for his bride of a few
weeks. He was believed to have been
with woman and another man on
the night of his death, although the
latter two were not seen by Baker.
Beck recently was paroled from
Lorton Reformatory after serving
four years for robbing bank mes
senger.
Detectives Of the robbery squad
said he was leader of the gang which
frequently used blackface makeup
during its forays.
It was Baker, who, in 1880, subdued
an intoxicated youth who was trying
to force q young woman to marry
him by threatening her life with a
gun.
A year prior. Baker climbed over
the roofs of several houses shifting
the smoke from their chimneys un-
til he detected the odor of whisky
and captured a big illicit still. ..
On at least two occasions Baker
was the center Of a small riot when
he made arrests and unsuccessful at
tempts were made to free the pris-
oners.