Evening star., 1946-02-05
Two Men Held in Death
OF Mission Resident
Face Murder Charges

The two men held in the death of
Everett j. Ash, 34-year-old former
merchant marine sailor, who was
beaten with blackjack in the Cos
pei Mission and dragged flve blocks
by the undercarriage of an automo-
bile Friday are under charges of
murder. Police placed the charge
yesterday after a coroner's jury
ordered the men held for the grand
jury.
Mr.. Ash, q temporary resident of
the mission, $40 Fifth street NV,
died in Emergency Hospital early
Saturday, a short time after he was
found entangled between the axle
and right front spring of a car
driven by John L. De Gruchy, Al
year-old carpenter. Earlier, police
charge Ash was battered into un-
consciousness with a blackjack by
James w. Mcmahon, 64-year-old,
white-haired "bouncer" at the mis-
sion for homeless men.
Details Of the case were brought
to light yesterday in testimony be-
fore Coroner A. Magruder Mac
Donald when witnesses testified 1t
is not out Of the ordinary for mis-
sion attendants to use blackjacks
on obstrepterous men.
Charges Rubber Hose Used.
1t. William j. Liverman, who
headed the investigation which re-
suited in arrest of De Gruchy and
Mcmahon, took the stand yester-
day to accuse Mcmahon of using a
lead-f1lled section of rubber hose
on Mr.. Ash. Residents of the mis-
sion told the jury how IS of them
sat on their cots and watched while
the burly Mcmahon shouted angrily
at the victim, then produced q
blackjack and beat Mr.. Ash across
the face for minute or more"
Mcmahon admitted possession Of
four blackjacks and acknowledged
that he beat Mr.. Ash, according to
1t. Lverman.
Il asked Mcmahon why he had
so many blackjacks," the police Of
ficer testified.
He McMahon9 replied, oh, it's
common practice to use blackjacks
when the men get out Of hand"
Threw Shoes in Face.
Frank d. Law, postal clerk who
lives at the mission, testified he
saw Mcmahon drag both of the VIC
TINS shoes of after Mr.. Ash fell to
the floor in pool Of his own blood.
Then, the witness continued, Nc
Mahon threw both shoes in Mr..
Ash's face and dragged him out OF
the room by the feet.
1t. Liverman said McMahon
dragged Mr.. ASH down three flights
Of stairs by the legs and told the
jury he found bloody drag-marks
and blood srnears leading down the
steps and outside the mission en-
trance.
Meanwhile. a blood test taken
shortly after Mr.. Ash reached the
hospital revealed .26 per cent alco-
hol was present in the mans BODY.
DR.. Macdonald said the test indi-
Gates Mr.. Ash was in the last stages
Iof helpless drunkenness when the
beating took place.
Crawled 80 Feet.
Witnesses failed to bring out the
manner in which Mr.. Ash became
entangled in the undercarriage of
De Gruchy's automobile two hours
later, but testimony indicated Mr..
Ash crawled more than 80 feet into
the alley beside the haven for the
homeless" and lay there for about
two hours.
Arthur B. Shorty Ammon. an
itinerant scissors grinder, admitted
he was "dazed and in no condition to
be out on the street" when, accord
ing to his testimony, he saw De
Gruchy's car run over the victims
huddled form twice in the alley be-
fore tearing" into the street on the
five-block ride with Mr.. Ash,s arm
entangled in the undercarriage.
De Gruchy started to make q vol
untary statement to the jury yester-
day. When DR.. MacD Donald remind-
ed the defendant that anything he
said might be used against him
later. De Gruchy's eyes filled with
tears and he decided to "let it CO."
De Gruchy "had been drinking .
Patrolman Charles Y. Turner of the
accident i,,vocfi oo f{r,,. .,,v,;< <o.k,G.s