Evening star., 1935-11-06
CuIpeper, Va, Undertaken
and Cripple Face First
Degree Charges.
TOTAL OF TRUE BILLS
BY GRAND JURY IS As
Pair Held as Members of BLACK.
Face" Gang Are Named in
Robbery Accusations.


old Culpeper, Va, undertaken, and
David L. Ashcraft. As, a cripple, cen
trail figures In two gruesome slayings
here within the last two months.
Reaguer was charged with the
death of Mrs. Willie Mae Wood, 2l-
year-old bride Of less than q month,
whose head was almost severed from
the body with a penknife. Police
found Reaguer. the father OF several
grown children, sorrowing, his head
resting on a shoulder Of the sheet
covered corpse.
The Staying occurred october IL
in a downtown hotel room, where
Reaguer is said to have forced Mrs.
Wood to accompany him from the
Culpeper home of her parents. The
young woman was married but II
days previously to Herbert r. Wood
of Fairfax Station. Reaguer, who lived
with his family in Culpeper, was said
to have been friendly with Mrs. Wood
for several years and to have urged
her repeatedly to leave her husband.
Threat With Gun Revealed.
Annie T. O'Bannon, 800 D street
northeast, who slept in the hotel room
adjoining when the murder occurred,
and who was with the undertaken and
Mrs. Wood on the ride to Washing
ton, said Reaguer threatened the
young woman with shot gun when
she asked to be allowed to leave his
Of y,or irfov home
Despondent and fearful for the
child's future, Ashcraft killed his only
son, David, jr., S, in the early morn
ing of September IL. Most of the
night he had debated the act. and at
am, while the boy slept peace
fully in his arms, he turned on the
gas which was intended to take his
own life as well as the childs.
Ashcraft made a voluntary state
ment processing his love for his son
and confessing that he slew him. He
told coroner's jury he was destitute
a victim of paralysis and tuberculosis
was going to be sent to Gallinger
Hospital the next day and that he
feared to intrust young David to the
care OF an unIaltuIul Wlle.
Bought Ice Cream Cup.
The child had been allowed to stay
with him at his rooming house, 227
Third street, on his last night before
going to the hospital. At 1880 am
father and son went to corner
store and purchased an ice cream
cup. Ashcraft held David in his arms
as the boy ate the delicacy and
drowsed off to sleep. Three or -four
hours later he turned on two gas
Jets and lifted the sleeping Child SC
he would inhale the fumes. When
the gas failed to take effect on the
cripple he tried to shoot himself, but
the revolver missed fire.
Forty-six indictments, in all, were
returned by the grand jurors and Il
cases we're ignored.
Robbery charges were placed against
Edward j. Fitzpatrick, "a, and Vivian
NJ Jenkins, 10, arrested recently ir
Detroit as members of the "blackface'
gang which terrorized Washington
restaurants and stores for months
Both are said to have been with
Morris C. Beck, 80, gang leader, when
he was killed by Detective Earl L
Baker during hold-up of the Blue
Bell Barbecue, 1885 Bladensburg roac
northeast, on October 13.
Five men and nine women, all
colored, were indicted for violation
of The gaming laws as an outcome
Of a raid September 3. on what police
described as headquarters for one oi
the city's largest numbers operators
The Office was located in the base
ment of a house in the 1000 block
Of Park road. In the place were
found 10 adding machines and tens
! Of thousands of used number slips.
Those charged were Howard Gray
Frank F. Burgess, Henry Jackson
Theodore Perry, Harry johnson, Irene
Williams. Elizabeth Coles, Helen Mack
Myrtle Turner, Mary Marlin, Gladys
Brooks, Sarah Hawkins, Beulah Bruce
and Helen Bush.
Indicted for Three Thefts.
Alleged to have stolen from hall
mail boxes in the principal cities OF
So States during the past year and
half, Walter Lee Bonville, who was
arrested September 80, was indicted
for three thefts here.
He was captured by Policeman j. H
Mulgannon, 1921 Columbia road, after
he is said to have extracted a letter
from the officers mail box. Fifteen
other allegedly stolen letters and
small pair of tweezers were found In
his possession.
An embezzlement charge was placed
against George E. Geer, former Walter
Reed Hospital bookkeeper, who is said
by hospital authorities to have taken
more than 81 1000 from the mess fund
over period of a year. The indict-
ment is in five counts and charges he
embezzled a total of SASS.
Other Indictments.
Others indicted were william Var
Ness, non-support of wife and minor
child; Virginia Tolson, Adolph De
Sales Jueneumann, Robert Mahoney
and John e. Proctor, grand larceny;
Juenemann, Mahoney and Proctor
grand larceny and Joy riding; William
H. Carey, receiving stolen property;
Samuel Thompson and James john
son. housebreaking and larceny;
Simon Hayes, John L. Perry, Raymond
r. Taylor, Luther H. Flack, Charles
M. Sears, Lobster Flack and John
Cobb, joy riding; LOBSTER Flack, Cobb
and Sears, housebreaking and larceny;
Luther Flack, Sears, Cobb, LOBSTER
F1ack, Walter s. Everett, and Harold
Howard, robbery: John Stewart. rob-
berry and assault with q dangerous
weapon: Alexander J. Morris, IT,;
Raymond H. Brock, Charlie Young
John Boone, william A. Stokes. Anan
May Thomas and Harvey H. Entz. as
sault with . dangerous weapon; John
J. Carroll, George w. Mrshall