Evening star., 1951-03-31
Night Club
Continued From First Page }

automobile parked near the club
house.
Witness Describes Shooting.
One man who eluded police told
+ a reporter:
II was with a girl and I heard
the shots. They sounded like
blanks to me but I could see
sparks flying. T showed the dame
over and then when the shots
stopped T started out. I'm mar
ried and I can't tell you my
name.
"On the way out saw, this
fellow in a grey suit lying on the
floor. I had to Jump over him.
AS I went by he said get him
but I didn't know who he was
talking about"
Police Pvts. John Dials and
Thomas Somerville were standing
ION the corner of Seventh and E
streets NV, when a man ran out
of tie club, former home of the
Salvation Army, and shouted
there had been a shooting.
The policemen ran into the
club and UP a broad, carpeted,
circular stairway. At the top of
the stairway they saw Bencoach
and Edward A. Lloyd of Groveton,
Va. Mr.. Lloyd grabbed Bencoach
after Mr.. Gregory fell. st.sa.t
Pvt. Dials wrested the gun from
a man he later identified as Ben
coach. He said both men quieted
down and the policemen went to
call for ambulances.
Subdued With Nightstick.
Meanwhile, Pvt. B. w. Best had
raced to the scene from his post
at Eighth and F streets NV. AS
he entered, he reported, Ben
coach became violent again. Pvt.
Best reported he was forced to
use his nightstick to subdue the
man. Bencoach was taken to Gal
linger Hospital for treatment of
scalp wounds.
Doctors at Gallinger Hospital
said Bencoach was not hurt seri-
ously.
When Pvt. Dials reported to the
police radio dispatcher that two
or three people had been shot in
the after-hours club, orders went
out for scout cars and motorcycle
Ipatrolmen to surround the block.
All traffic was diverted from the
900 block Of E street until the
wounded and the patrons had
been taken away.
The shooting occurred at 6:15
am. and at about Z am. Mrs.
Gregory came to the club in a
taXicab. She became hysterical
when told her husband was dead.
Last July the club was closed
when District Court issued a per-
manent injunction against the
Gold Key Corp. At that time
Attorney Samuel c. Caldwell, ap-
pointed as receiver for the club,
poured some 500 bottles of whisky
down the drain in accordance with
court instructions.
Police said a charter for the
downtown Club was issued in Vir-
Ginia last October. The charter
listed Abe Senator Resh, Sc, of
1924 Ninth street NV. as presi-
dent.
Witness to Earlier Killing.
Among the men and women
herded into patrol wagons and
taken to police headquarters this
morning was Miss Frances E. Nor
ton, blond cashier.
Miss Morton was a witness to
the Staying of George P. Harding,
I39, gunman and gambler, in the
Hide Away Club, 31OO block of K
street NV, on January 10. Hard
ing was shot by Joseph F. Nesline,
36, gambler, who is awaiting trial
on a murder charge. Miss Nor
ton testified before the grand jury
that indicted Nesline.
Il guess I'm a jinx," she con-
fided to police after she was taken
to headquarters this morning.
At the Capitol little was known
about Bencoach. Employees said
he worked in the Senate Office
Building shortly after the war.
Mr.. Peterson has worked for the
State Department since 1886. He
is graduate of the Washington
College of Law and member of
the District Bar. The division in
which he is employed passes on
licenses for the export of NUM-
tions to foreign powers. He is
married and lives at I'D Auburn
court, Alexandria.