LYNCH LAW!

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18257, 28 November 1933, Page 5

LYNCH LAW!

SENSATION IN ’FRISCO SEQUEL TO KIDNAPPING CROWD EXACTS REVENGE SLAYERS HANGED BY MOB (Elec. Tel. Copy right— United Press Assn.) SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 27. The recent kidnapping and killing of Brooke Hart, the 22-year old graduate of the University of Santa Clara, had a dramatic sequel to-night, when, following the recovery of the body, the suspected murderers were dragged from gaol and lynched by an infuriated crowd. Hart, the son of Mr. Alexander .1. Hart, a wealthy business man, wuf kidnapped on November 9 by two men, and, according 1o the confession of one, Thomas Thurmond, was thrown into Han Francisco Bay, after which a ransom of £80(10 was demanded from his father. The body of the victim was found to-day by two duck-Jiuhtons, badly battered and mutilated, but id on tiff able by the clothing.

Thurmond implicated an unemploy ed petrol worker, .lack Holmes, as his accomplice in the kidnapping and murder, and the latter was arrested and placed with Thurmond in Han Jose gaol. •

From the time of the recovery of the body, a menacing mob commenced to gather round the gaol, and, despite all the .efforts of the. police, the crowd stormed the gaol at 11 o’clock in the evening, secured entry, and exacted a terrible revenge. HOWLING WITH GLEE - An hour previously an attempt had been made to gain an entry to the building, but the police repulsed the crowd with tear gas bombs. Thousands of people continued to flock to the vicinity, however, using all means of locomotion. All the available police reserves were called out, but the mob persisted, and, finally, when the gas supply ivas exhausted, and before more was available from Han Francisco, the door was battered down, and the alleged murderers secured and dragged into the street. j no clothing was stripped from tHo two men and they were beaten and kicked until they were bloody masses. They were then taken across the street from the gaol into a nearby park and hanged from a tree, some 0)00 people witnessing the lynching and jeering as the pair met their fate. Ropes were circled round the necks of the two men, and eager hands — men, women, ami children participating—pulled the ropes, drawing them up over the branches.

Holmes-appeared to be unconscious, but Thurmond was fully conscious and struggled, the crowd shouting:

“flow do von like it ” and howling with glee. Both men apparently died quic klv. According to the story purported t.o be told by Thurmond, Hart was seized shortly after he leu. me family department store to meet his father at a country club. The kidnappers forced the youth to drive them to an isolated spot where his arms were pinioned. He was struck on the head with a brick and then his trussed body was thrown into the water from a bridge. Thurmond and his accomplice then drove to Han Francisco where they telephoned Mr. Hart’s home demanding £BOOO ransom. They said that they killed him to get him out of the way. The authorities indicated that fear of detection prompted the murder.