Heels Beals was an especially small man with a criminal past. He had a record as a confidence trickster, embezzler and forger. He had escaped from jail on more than occasion by slipping between the bars of his cell. Beals also had some skill with chemistry. Heels Beals had light-colored hair that he wore short and slicked down. He typically wore a boater-style hat and a large necktie. He often smoked cigars.