Gibbon said he couldn't stop the car in time and Hall was ground to death beneath the wheels.

Firemen worked nearly an hour jacking up the trolley, but Hall died before he was freed.

One of the youths told police he and his friends attended a party in the Mission District before they set out on the robbery spree.

THEIR departure led ultimately to their arrest, for as they left, with three other youths, they announced their intention of seeking prospective victims.

Nelder's friend later learned of this, and also heard that four of the seven had been involved in a fight.

His informant, Nelder said, is a friend he first met several years ago while working on a murder case as head of the homicide detail.

He phoned this information to Nelder yesterday afternoon, and within three hours the four boys were in custody.

THEIR three companions, Nelder said, were in the car at the time of the attack on Hall, but had no part in it and were not held.

One of the four arrested said they spotted Hall waiting on the corner adjacent to Mission Park.

K's car stalled and, the younsaid, while he was trying to get it running again the other three accosted and beat Hall.

He said the others returned to the car he was able to start again; emptied

the wallet then headed for Buena Vista Park to seek another victim.

Unsuccessful there, they drove downtown to a Turk st. night spot they said was frequented by sex deviates, but before they could complete that mission the car stalled again.

It was too late for any more activity by the time they got the car started, so they all went home.

ONE YOUTH said the four met the next day, talked over Hall's death and decided to get rid of his wallet which they had stashed away in the glove compartment of the car.

They drove to Golden Gate Park, where the wallet was thrown into Stow Lake, he said.

He pointed out the spot late yesterday after his arrest and waded into the lake to get it.

William Hall, the victim. was attacked as he waited for a streetcar to keep a dinner engagement with Raymond E. Davis, 30, a theater manager, at a North Beach pizza parlor.

POLICE found a bump on his head such as could have been inflicted by a club or blackjack, but what made them suspect foul play was the fact his wallet and personal cards were missing.

His key ring, glasses and a wallet insert were found on the sidewalk near a spot of blood.

Authorities thought Hall' may have been dazed by a blow and staggered onto the

mattachine REVIEW

tracks where he was run ofer.

One of the youths said they drove past the intersection before leaving and saw Hall still on the sidewalk.

"He was still conscious and trying to get up," said the

youth.

"He wasn't on the car tracks when we left."

All four were booked at the Youth Guidance Center on charges of suspicion of murder and robbery.

Then, apparently after further questioning, the following story appeared in

a later edition of the same newspaper:

BOYS REMORSEFUL, TELL 'GAME' OF HUNTING VICTIMS

By HADLEY ROFF News-Call Bulletin Staff Writer

"We're all shook up." Almost in chorus, but in sullen terms, the four youths held for killing teacher William P. Hall, offered this self-appraisal today in their first interview since their arrest.

ALL EXPRESSED remorse as they stood chatting at the Youth Guidance Center cottage.

“We had no intention of murdering or even hurting anyone," said RH-, 17, tallest of the quartet. "It was just an on-the-spot thing."

Joined by 16-year-old LM, Hdescribed a frightening activity which, by their account, constitutes a widespread teen-age pastime they call "queer hunting."

YOUNG MEN, they said, keep watch on establishments patronized by homosexuals, then track down the patrons as potential victims for attack.

'I know one fellow," vol-

unteered M"who has 28 or 29 queers to his credit. . . . "They're all over the city. This is becoming a homosexual town. They're even coming into the Mission District. You can't even go out to' Dolores Park any more."

AND WHAT qualifies a teen-ager to diagnose anyone as a sex deviate? "Well," Mreplied, "we ask 'em."

All admitted they hadn't the slightest reason to suspect that Hall was a deviate when they approached him the night of April 29. Hand M said they asked bluntly, “Are you a queer?"

The teacher, they said, replied, "What if I asked you that question?"

"And that's when it started," H-said, shaking his head.

H-said he, like the others, was "very sorry" when they learned the teacher was dead, but by then "there was nothing we could do to save his life, and I guess we didn't want to get into trouble."