Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-11
CALIFORNIA MOB HANGS
THREE WHITE PRISONERS
George Boyd, Terence Fits and
Charles ValcntO Faced Charges
Of killing Officers.
ExEcUTIoNERs oRGA zED
About One Hundred Men Approach
Santa Rosa Jail, Ovcrpowcr Shcr-
iT, Take Keys and Obtain pris-
oncrs From Cells.
lHy Assocln,c1 prcss.l

SAHlA y lScSA, CAL, Dec. 10
George Boyd. Terence Fits and
Charles Nalcn;o. accused OF having
! murdered Sheriff James A. Petray. OF
Sonoma County. and Detectives Miles
Jackson and Lester VI. Dorman here
| Sunday afternoon last. were taken
from the county Jail here early, tnis
morning and hanged.
AZ IL 30 o'clock this morning a mob
| Of about 100 men. all wearing black
masks. entered the Jail. ovcrpowcrcd
the officers there. took their keys and
removed the prisoners TO waiting
automobiles.
Not more than nvc minutes was
required by the mob TO enter the ga H.
overpcwcr the officers and remove the
prisoners. Within ff,ccn minutes III.
three alleged Eangstcrs and murder
crs had been lynched.
For another iiftecn minutes. while
the bodies dangled from the oak tree
In the glare OF the automobile head
! lights. the mob waited at the scene
to make certain their grim task was
| completed. Then its members de-
parted. leaving the bodies swinging
In the darkness.
Men Were EI-Convicts.
Tie three men were cX-convic:s.
.oy-i having served two terms. Fits
three. and Nalentc one. Boyd and
Naicnto had been identified las, Mon
dag by three young women as mem
bers OF the gang which attacked them
at a house in Howard Street in one
OF the more dcnscly settled sections
In san Francisco.
Two attempts to take the men from
Jail were made last sunday night. II
few hours after they had been arr
rested. One was broken up by officers
and the other failed when Mrs. Pet
ray, widow of the slain sheriff. beg
ged friends not 10 countenancc mob
violence.
Last sunday when the three men
were arrested. mob of hundreds
surrounded the Jail and attempted TO
secure the prisoners. The actions of
tho mob indicated plans had been laid
beforehand. The members of the
mob moved to the Jail without osten-
tation. \ Gordon was thrown about
the structure of granite. concrete and
steel.
There was no confusion. no hurry
and no opposition. Even the nooses
were tied with the expert hangman's
knot. All had been prearranged.
even to acetylene torches to burn the
locks off the cell doors IL need he.
Tree WINS Prepared.
The oak tree had been selected
earlier. Over one limb hung three
ropes and Mt the end OF each was a
moose. tied with the hangman's knot
that fits behind the left ear.
Boyd went along without struggle
lie made no comment. Nalcnto cX-
postulated. but not vehemcntly. Fits
fought to escape his fate. They
gagged him with n towel.
Rain drizzled down as the silent
cxecutioncrs hanged the men to
limbs OF the old oak. within half an
hour from the time they went to the
jail the cXecutioners had dispersed.
Dorothy Quinlan. of San Francisco
companion OF Valcnto. and held III
jail as witness TO the killing OF the
three officers. slept through tho
latest chapter OF the drama.
Officials today said no members of
the mob had been identified. Boyes
early last evening received n tele-
phone message to the effect he had
better be at the cemetery ut 1890
O'Clock. as something was going to
happen" lie said he thought it was
hoax. but called four deputies to
his Office. He tried to call others
later, but discovered the telephone
wires had been cut. Then the mask ed
men entered.
coroner's jury cxonerated today
the sheriff and his deputies from any
blame in connection with the lynch
ing