On the afternoon of February 17, 1938, Deputy Marshals T. Dwight Crittenden and Leon W. Romer were attempting to serve an eviction order when they were met by gunfire.
Crittenden and Romer arrived to evict George Farley and his wife as the follow up of a 24 hour notice. Eyewitness accounts say shots were heard shortly after Crittenden and Romer entered the house. Romer staggered down the front steps and fell, immediately followed by Crittenden who reached the street before Farley shot him one final time.
Farley then barricaded himself in the house and continued to fire at police who surrounded the residence. After approximately an hour, officers fired tear gas canisters into the home. Farley was found severely wounded. He was later convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to serve 10 to 20 years in San Quentin.
Deputy Marshal Crittenden was survived by his wife and 23-year-old son. Deputy Marshal Romer was survived by his wife.