The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-11
3 SLAYERS LYNCHED
BY CALIFORNIA MOB
Taken From Santa Rosa Jail
and Hanged to Tree In
Nearby Cemetery.
ALL OVER IN Is MINUTES
Men Accused of Killing Sheriff
and Two Detectives Meet
Speedy Death.
BIZ the Associated Press.

SANTA Rosa, Dec. 10-George Boyd.
Terrence Fits and Charles valento.
accused of having murdered Sheriff
James A. Petray of sonoma county
and Detectives Miles Jackson and Les
ter NJ. Dorman here last Sunday after
noon. were taken from tho county jail
here early this morning and hanged.
men. all wearing black masks entered
the Jail, overpowered the officers. took
their Keys and removed the prisoners
to automobiles.
Fifteen cars carried the party, which
moved quickly down the street to a
cemetery three blocks beyond the city
limits. Ropes had been prepared. The
men were taken from the machines and
hanged to an oak tree inside the ceme-
terry. Headlights Of three automobiles
were used to light the tree selected for
the hanging. Members Of the mob were
stationed to prevent intrusion. These
guards and many of the mob We're
armed.
Not moro than five minutes was re-
quired by the mob to enter the jail,
overpower the officers and remove the
prisoners. Within fifteen minutes the
three alleged gangsters and murderers
had been lynched. For another fifteen
minutes. while the bodies dangled from
the oak tree in the glare of the auto
mobile headlights, the mob waited at
the scene to make certain their task
was completed. Then its members de-
parted. leaving the bodies swinging in
the darkness.
Second Mob Sees Bodies.
But another crowd soon gathered to
take the places Of the executloners.
The Coroner was notified and so We're
city and county officials. The new
crowd gathered quickly as news spread
Of what had been done. 1t soon num-
bered hundreds. who found a weird
scene. Lights of new automobiles and
In greater number again lighted the
scene. From the oak the bodies swung
in the breeze in and out of the glare
of the headlights.
The three men were ex-convicts, Boyd
having served two terms, Fits three
and Nalento one. Boyd and Valento
had been identified last Monday by
three young women as members of
band which attacked them in a house
in Howard street, in one of the more
densely settled sections In San Fran
cisco.
Last Sunday when the three men
were arrested a mob of hundreds sur
rounded the jail and three attempts
were made to secure the prisoners.
One attempt failed when Mrs. Petray,
widow OF the slain Sheriff, begged
friends not to countenance mob vio-
lence. The actions Of the mob to-day
indicated plans had been laid before
hand. The members of the mob moved
to the jail without ostentaticn. A cor
don was thrown about the structure OF
granite, concrete and steel.
Twelve men were detailed to approach
the door. Six entered. Sheriff John
Boyes. appointed after the death of
Sheriff Petray, was in his private Of
flee with four deputies. The six visitors
were armed They pointed revolvers
at Boyes and his deputies and made
them put UP their hands. The officers
we redisarmed and the keys to the
Jail taken.
Plans Made for Lynching.
Boyes pleaded with them. but without
success While some of the men guard
ed the officers others went to the cell
CT Boyd. Boyd. suffering from wound
inflicted by Jackson, had been kept In
a cell because the officers feared to send
him to a hospital for treatment on ac-
count of the feeling against the three
men. Boyd was reported to have de-
veloped possibly fatal complications
from the wound.
Three steel doors had TO be unlocked
TO take Boyd. He was on the ground
floor. Upstairs Fits and Valento were
in cells. The mob leaders went through
two steel doors and took them. too.
There had been no confusion. no hurry
and no opposition. Even the nooses
were tied with the expert hangman's
knot All had been prearranged. even
tn acetylene torches to burn the locks
eff the cell doors II need be.
The three men when taken from their
cells wore only underwear. This proved
to be their death 'garb. They were
rushed to the line Of automobiles drawn
UP abreast outside the Jail and taken
to the cemetery.
The oak tree had been selected ear
Her Over one limb hung three ropes
and at the end OF each was n moose,
ted with the "hangman's knot" that
fits behind the left ear.
Boyd went along without struggle.
He made no comment. Valento expos
tulated and Fits fought to escape his
fate. They gagged him with a towel
Rain drizzled down as the silent execu-
TONERS hanged the men to limbs of the
old