Evening star., 1933-11-17
POLICE DRAG BAY
FOR HART'S BODY
Two Said to Have Confessed
Staying kidnap Victim
Removed From Mob.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
SAN JOSE, Calf, November 17.-Ef-
forts to recover the body OF Brooke L.
Hart were pressed by State and Federal
authorities today.
John M Holmes, 2s. and Thomas H.
Thurmond, 2S, said by Department Of
Justice agents and State officials to
have confessed throwing Hart in San
Francisco Bay after abducting him.
were held in q San Francisco jail.
Graphing hooks brought up strip
of white cloth with thin purple stripes
from the bay near the place the two
men we're quoted as saying they tossed
the 22-year- old San Jose store executive
Removed TO Foil Mob.
Authorities said the material matched
a shirt Hart was wearing when he van
ished shortly before $4,000 ransom
demand was made by telephone to his
family November 8.
Holmes and Thurmond allegedly con-
fessed yesterday and were taken to San
Francisco to prevent possible mob vio-
lence from San Jose residents, who
swarmed about the court house here.
Sheriff william j. Emig. who trapped
Thurmond In a telephone booth at
San Jose garage while the latter was
allegedly making further ransom de-
mands on Alex J. Hart, wealthy San
Jose merchant and father OF young
Hart said no one except the two men
was involved.
Holmes was later arrested at hotel
to which officers were led by Tnur-
mond.
District Attorney Fred Thomas said
they will be prosecuted under State
law which makes the penalty for fata
kidnapings death or life imprisonment
Thurmond's confession said Holmes
pretending he had revolver concealed
| in his pocket, climbed into the young
merchants motor car just after 1t left
a downtown parking lot Thursday anc
he (Thurmond) followed In another
machine.
Struck With Brick.
| They proceeded to point about seven
miles from San Jose. Holmes put Hart
| into Thurmond's car and left the other
machine. They drove to point about
half mile out on the San Mated
Bridge.
The Thurmond story then was that
/ Holmes struck young Hart on the head
with a brick. A second blow rendered
him unconscious. Thurmond, the con-
| fession said, then took some baling wire
/ he had purchased and bound Harts
arms to his body, and then threw him
| into the bay.
I'VE thought it would be easier with
| him out of the way" r. <. Vetterli OF
| the Division of Investigation of the De-
| partment Of Justice quoted the men as
/ saying.
| Thurmond then said they returned tc
| San Jose, dividing the $3.50 they had
taken from Hart's wallet before reach
| ing the bridge.
From Respected Families.
Holmes, operator of a San Jose serv-
| Ice station. and Thurmond, until re-
Gently employed by an oil company, are
! members of respected Santa Clara
, County families. Holmes Is married
/ and has two children.
No suspicion was directed toward
them, Sheriff Emig said, until the tele-
phone call to The Hart home was quick
| ly traced and Thurmond was found In
| the garage booth. afs
Ira B. Bangdon, Stockton attorney
has been retained to represent Holmes
! Hart's parents were reported pros
| trated by grief. The elder Hart tainted
when he was notified by Max Blum, q
close friend, that his son was dead.