Imperial Valley Press

MOB MENACES
GIRL'S SLAYER

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 19. (U.P.)—A crowd of men, led by the victim's brother, today attempted to seize by force Umberto Guisti, 35, confessed slayer of Emilia Da Prato, 26, prominent radio singer.

The crowd quickly formed around the home of the girl's father, where shortly before, Guisti shot Miss Da Prato because she preferred a career to marriage with him after a three-year courtship. Friends said the young woman was about to have a tryout with the Metropolitan Opera company.

The men, friends and neighbors of the victim, were led by Prestco Da Prato, high school teacher and brother of the singer.

"There's going to be a lynching," members of the crowd cried as they attempted to tear Guisti from the custody of police and deputy sheriffs as they took him from the South San Francisco police headquarters to the car of Sheriff J. J. McGrath.

The officers, by main force, broke through the ranks of the angry citizens and took Guisti to the San Mateo county jail at Redwood City.

The alleged murder followed a quarrel between the singer, who was alone at her father's house, and Guisti, who recently came here from Los Angeles to urge the girl to marry him.

Neighbors said they saw the girl flee from the house into the back yard. Her voice was raised in screams of terror as Guisti pursued her. Three shots were fired, according to the neighbors. One shot struck the girl in the heart.

Guisti claimed later that he intended to commit suicide and shot the girl by mistake. Officers said the story of the neighbors did not bear out his contention.

He also was quoted as saying: "I shot her—she wouldn't marry me."

The grief-stricken brother said Guisti made a previous attempt to kill the singer last Monday.

He burst into her bedroom when she was alone in the house and asleep," said the brother.

He drew a dagger and told her he was going to cut her throat because she would not marry him. My sister begged him to let her live—let her have her chance for success—and then to ask her again to marry him."

Officers visibly were concerned over the temper of the crowd.