SENSATIONAL LYNCHING.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3651, 13 December 1920, Page 5

SENSATIONAL LYNCHING.

THREE PRISONERS HANGED. Received ll~a.m. NEW YORK, Dec. 10. A sensational triple lynching occurred at Santa Rosa, a suburb of San Franci'seo. During recent weeks San Francisco was roused over the operations of a gang of ex-pugilists who kidnapped girls, and took them to a lonely house where they were terribly maltreated. The police broke up the gang after twenty girls had 'been asteaultddi, and subsequently traced the gang to Santa Rosa. A pitched battle with revolvers followed, in which three San Francisco detectives were shot dead before the men were captured and lodgd in Santa Rosa gaol on Sunday larst. Yesterday morning, a pos-se of fifty masked men visited the gaol, removed the three prisoners, Boyd, Fitt's and Tareno, and hanged them on a single branch of a tree. Five companion's of the lynched menP~who were arrested with them, were removed from'the custody of the San Francisco police ancT'pTaced in charge of State officials. The Chief of Police is investigating statements thai policemen, friends of the murdered officers, participated in the lynching. There are indication's that it was arranged that no resistance would be made by the gaol officials at Santa Rosa when the lynchers, arrived. Motors conveyed them, arid they received an ovation on returning from their mission 'of vengeance. The belief is that the dead policemen's friends took this method of dealing the severest warning to members of the San FTanciso underworld.