Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-07-09
O. 'NE|LL AND BOWERS
UNDER $1,000 BAIL
FOR GRAND JURY
Had Preliminary Hearing Today
Charged With Assaulting
Ralph Mustard.
VICTIM BADLY BATTERED

Charles O'Ncil and John Bowers,
arrested as supposed assaiants Of Ralph
Mustard, driver for the IXL Taxicab
Co, who WAS beaten by two men on the
morning of July 1, near Mount Pleasant
srhoolhouse, were each held under 81 300
bail for the Court of General Sessions,
after hearing before Judge Hastings IN
City Court this morning.
The defendants were represented by
Phillip l.. Garrett and James Salisbury,
attorneys.
Mustard, the first witness called To the
stand, still showed signs of the beating he
received. The cut which he sustained
behind the right ear was heavily bandaged
and he bore q red mark over his left eye.
Mustard testified that about LIZ on
the morning of July /, he was sent to the
Annex Hotel on East Fourth street
There he picked up two passengers. he
street was well lighted and he said he
recognized O'Ncill, whom he had known
for several years, and Bowers, whom he
knew by sight Both men were apparently
sober. O'Neill. who had something which
Mustard thought was a bottle, concealed
under his coat, walked around the rear
of the car and entered the machine by
the door away from the curb. Bowers
sat beside Mustard
During the ride through the city and
out the Philadelphia pike toward Chester,
the men questioned Mustard concerning
the operation OF the car. They asked him
what the fare to Chester would be. Mus
tard replied that il would be So Mustard
said they then told him not to be stis-
picious of them.
At the top of Penny Hill Mustard
stoppcd the ear at Bowers request while
the latter got out He returned to the car
within a minute and the trip was re-
sumed.
YELLED BY BLOW
They had gone only n short distance
when Mustard said he received blow,
delivered, he thought by O'Neili, which
rendered him unconscious.
When Mustard came 10 he uas lying on
the floor In the front of The car, which was
ditched. with one hand tightly gripping
the steering wheel Blood was flowing
from his nose and from the cut behind his
ear.
Mustard said he had Just climbed out oi
the car when O'Neill and Bowers, who had
discarded his coat and hat, came mp
The two men acted az if they were sur
prised to find him there and offered their
assistance. Mustard said he recognized
them. but was afraid that they would
attack him again If they thought he knew
that they were the men who had com
mitted the first assault. He requested
them TO stay by The car while he tcle
phoned for he lp. They promised to do q
but. according 80 Mustard, went away
after he had left.
IDENTIFIED ny HOTEL MAN.
The next witness called was the pro-
prietor of the Annex Hotel. who said h,
identified O'Neill and Bowers as the twC
men for whom he had called taxi OF
the morning of the assault. He said ht
| thought they were sober.
Detective James G. Riley testified next
He told OF his investigation of the cas-
| and of the arrest of O'Neill and Bowers
| at the scene of the assault He said he
| had just reached the spot when they carne
along in a taxicab from Chester. HI
| found blood marks on Bowers coat, which
| Bowers said were made when he was
| helping Mustard.
! Joseph McVey. a member of the STATE
Highway police, next testified TO finding
a large coupling pin, with which MUSTARD
| is believed to have been struck, IN the sea
/ of the taxicab next to where Mustard sat
This concluded the evidence produced
Neither of the two men accused of tn
] crime was placed on the stand.
Judge Hastings then placed each unde
| 81, 500 bail to await the action of tn
| grand jury.