Zoot suites article 1944 Sinners vs. Rivas

Youth, 19;Kilied In Pachuco Gang Fight at Ontario Zoot Suiter, 18, Seized, Confesses to . Slaying, Say Police A 19-year-old Chino youth was stabbed to death and his companion, a 20-year-old Colton girl, beaten over the head late Sunday night in Ontario in which authorities described as a pachuco gang fight. The brawl occurred at Cherry avenue and Park street in Ontario and officers questioned 24 participants and witnesses for more than eight hours, following which they announced the arrest of Louis Lopez, 18, of Riverside, on suspicion of murder and Primi Torres, 17, also of Riverside, for Investi gation of assault. Lopez admitted the killing, police said. KILLED WITH BAYONET Frank Arus Cervantez, 19, of Chino was instantly killed in the brawl, according to Coroner R. E. Williams. The coroner said Cervantez was stabbed with an old Spanish-American war type bayonet, which penetrated his heart and left lung. Ted G. Krumm, chief criminal deputy district attorney, and Chief of Police Herbert Swinney of Ontario, who directed the investigation with Coroner Williams, said that the girl, Mary Soto, was beaten over the head with a tire wrench but apparently was not seriously injured. FIGHT OVER GIRL The officers said that the fight developed shortly after Cervantez, his brother, Paul, 16, brother-in-law, Frank Hernandez, 20, and Miss Soto left a dance hall on Park street. They stated they determined from questioning witnesses that Torres, one of a group of seven Riverside zoot suiters, recognized Miss Soto as a former girl friend, rushed over and struck her with the auto tire wrench. Frank Cervantez attempted to protect Miss Soto, the officer said and a fight ensued. Cervantez and Torres were separated, how ever, and the group went across the street, where a free-for-all started. It was during this fight that Frank Cervantez fell to the ground, fatally wounded. WEAPONS FOUND Ontario police were called, but participants in the 'brawl had scat tered. Within a short time, five of the Riverside youths had been arrested and Lopez, in company with Mike Herrera of Riverside, were taken into custody " when they returned to the district in which the fight had occurred to pick up other members of the group, according to the investigators' report. Officers said they found a bicycle chain and two pocket knives at the scene of the fight, where they had apparently been thrown away, while the bayonet was

I tried to fix it a Lil it was way out of place when I found it but shit that's the best thing I ever found online. I'm not 100% sure its the Sinners but I have a good feeling. The BA's were another but the guys from chino and from what I heard the BA's were really getting started into gang shit closer to 1950 but either way it's dope.

Good find. I don't know how you find all these old ass articles but appreciate it.

Shit honestly it takes a lot of mixing up words phrases and things into google. Keywords are important cuz it can save u from searching thru thousands of pages to find one article.

I literally stumbled upon this one looking up THL history though. It was the name I put in that popped it up accidentally. Big ass coincidence.

Excellent article... when I read 'lopez admitted the killing' I couldn't help thinking about those James Ellroy novels about the LAPD in the 40's and 50's and how they got confessions from people - especially minority suspects...

I bet them books ain't even telling you a quarter of what REALLY went on...

Who knows?I may be reading a whole lot of something into nothing...

MR DTR300 you're on point with it., Te Lo Aprecio., Much Appreciate your work

Thanks brodie, I'm trying to be as much as possible.