TWO MEN LYNCHED

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21024, 28 November 1933, Page 11

TWO MEN LYNCHED

KIDNAPPERS IN CALIFORNIA GAOL STORMED BY CROWD t (united rnp.ss association—tir electric TELEOEUPU—COPYRIGHT.) (Received November 27, 11.20 p.m.) SAN FRANCISCO, November 27. '. The body of Mr Brooke Hart, the young San Francisco man who was kidnapped recently, was found in the bay yesterday, by two men out duckshooting. The body was badly mutilated, but was identified by the clothing. The police considered that the finding of the body clinched the case against the two men, Thurmond and Holmes, who were in prison on the kidnapping charge, and who were renorted to have confessed to killing Mr Hart. Special reinforcements were ordered to the San Jose gaol, where the men were, to prevent possible mob violence. However, in spite of the efforts of the police the infuriated mob, at 11 o'clock this evening, stormed the barricades <rf the gaol and took Holmes and Thurmond to a nearby park and hanged them. From the time the youth's body was found a menacing mob had surrounded the gaol. About 10 o'clock the crowd attempted to storm the building, but the police repulsed them with tear gas bombs. All available reserves were called out, but the mob persisted and finally, when the gas supply was exhausted, and before more could 02 brought from San Francisco, the mob battered the door down and dragged the murderers to the street. Their clothes were stripped from them and they were beaten and kicked. Ropes circled their necks, and the eager hands of men, women, and children pulled the ropes, hanging them over the branches of a tree. Apparently both died quickly. The lynching was witnessed by a crowd of 6000, which jeered as the men were hung. Circumstances of Crime. Mr Brooke Hart was the son of Mr Alex. J. Hart, a wealthy business man. He was kidnapped on November 9 and, according to the confession of Thurmond and Holmes, was thrown into San Francisco Bay, after which they asked a ransom of 40.000 dollars from his father. They said thev killed him to get him out of the way.