The 1959 Car Club Murder

Dutchmen member Jim Beeson was at the meeting when the Townsmen members broke into the building. According to him, the explanation that they were seeking a "peace meeting" was untrue as their attack was a complete surprise. In 2012 he told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that they were just having their meeting, messing around when the Townsmen busted through the door and the windows; "We were outnumbered by about two to one, but to make it even worse the attackers had various weapons, they came fully prepared. I had never run away from a fair fight in my life, but being no dummy, me and my friends got out of there as fast as we could. The Townsmen members, for the most part, were older guys. We were high school kids. I was 16." Photo courtesy of Jackie Beeson.

Mickey Mefford was one of the Townsmen members that was caught up in the happening. In June of 2023 Christopher Mefford told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that his dad ended up serving a year in LA County jail, "even when he wasn't the shooter." After a year, Mickey had to join the Armed Services or continue his stay in jail. "Went into the Air Force and became a jet engine mechanic on Okinawa." Photo courtesy of Christopher Mefford.

An old photo of Eddie William Padilla. Eddie confessed to the shooting and got one to ten years for manslaughter. Eddie grew up in Romana Gardens and was forced into a gang in the 1940s as a kid. Hard life was ingrained in him, and he had to join like with the White Fence and El Hoyo Maravilla back then to survive. Eddie had two brothers who both died young. "They were in car clubs and had old school bombs. One died in an accident on Whittier or Beverly in the 1950s, and the other drove off a cliff in a drag race by the beach." According to his son, Eddie regretted the shooting, "it apparently was a stupid attempt of him trying to join the Townsmen in 1959. He just went overboard and didn't think about his actions and how it would end a life. It never sounded intentional, more like a show, and he just didn't count on the consequences." Photo courtesy of Eddie Padilla.

"Dad Admits Teen Gang Shooting" - An old newspaper clipping about the shooting that Eddie Padilla shared with Kustomrama in 2021. Photo courtesy of Eddie Padilla.

At the time of the shooting, Patrick Farrell estimates that there were somewhere between 20 and 30 car clubs in Long Beach. Farrell was a member of the Cavaliers, and according to him, the top three clubs were the Cavaliers, that were associated with Poly High and the west side of Long Beach, the Rebels from the east side connected with Wilson High, and the Jesters from the north side and Jordan High. "The Lakewood, northeast, was mainly a bedroom community of aircraft industry workers until 1957 or '58 when the townsmen emerged. They were centered around Millikan High," Patrick told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in March of 2021. According to Patrick, there were unwritten rules about being in a rival club's territory. "If you were with a date you were allowed, but if driving around with two or more guys you would be challenged. The Townsmen wanted to build a reputation as badasses, so they didn't honor the rules. They started trouble whenever they could." After the attack and the killing, every club in the area lined up against the Townsmen. About a week after the event hundreds of club members converged on Townsmen's drive-in hang out. According to Patrick, it was like a military action. "All exits were blocked by cars, the lone security guard was disarmed and told, for his own safety to go inside the restaurant. The Townsmen members caught there were told that they were to disband the club and if anyone was found wearing a club jacket or shirt or flying a plaque they would be stopped and their asses would be kicked each time." Patrick recalled that the streets of Long Beach were cleared of Townsmen immediately. "It didn't bring the dead young man back but it was what all we could do." Photo courtesy of Patrick Farrell.

March 25, 1959 about 30 members of the Townsmen Car Club attacked a 16-member meeting of the Dutchmen of Paramount car club at the Moose Lodge Hall at 2901 E. Artesia Blvd. Reports were that the “rumble” was in retaliation to recent resistance of the Dutchmen to the Townsmen who wanted to move into a Lakewood drive-in restaurant, most likely Hody’s, a popular cruising destination. For months, the investigation and trial were front-page stories in the Press Telegram, which reported on March 26, “The attackers were armed with knives, hatchets, baseball bats and tire irons, in addition to the gun carried by one of the hoods. Neil Mahan, a 16-year-old was seriously wounded in the brain by a gunshot during the rumble. The club’s advisor, Edward T. Brick, 31, of the 5200 block of Carson St., recalled a Townsmen member had been injured by a railroad spike wielded by a member of the Dutchmen. Brick alleged his club’s visit to the Dutchmen meeting was to seek a “peace meeting,” but were prepared in case a fight started."

Jim Beeson Remembers the Rumble

Dutchmen member Jim Beeson was at the meeting when the Townsmen members broke into the building. According to him, the explanation that they were seeking a "peace meeting" was untrue as their attack was a complete surprise. In 2012 he told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that they were just having their meeting, messing around when the Townsmen busted through the door and the windows; "We were outnumbered by about two to one, but to make it even worse the attackers had various weapons, they came fully prepared. I had never run away from a fair fight in my life, but being no dummy, me and my friends got out of there as fast as we could. The Townsmen members, for the most part, were older guys. We were high school kids. I was 16."

13 Townsmen Members Arrested

Hoping to avoid retaliation, police obtained a roster of Townsmen members and went to work, picking up as many members as possible. By the following week, 13 members of the Townsmen, 17 to 21 years old, had been arrested, including one who had shaved off his goatee. Many of the attackers were described as having goatees or beards.

Mickey Mefford was one of the Townsmen members that was caught up in the happening. In June of 2023 Christopher Mefford told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that his dad ended up serving a year in LA County jail, "even when he wasn't the shooter." After a year, Mickey had to join the Armed Services or continue his stay in jail. "Went into the Air Force and became a jet engine mechanic on Okinawa."

Eddie William Padilla Confesses to the Shooting

Mahan died on April 3, and a Townsmen member confessed to the shooting. By early June, all the accused rumblers had been sentenced. The confessed shooter, Eddie W. Padilla of Santa Fe Springs got one to ten years for manslaughter. Two defendants got probation, seven others were sent to the youth authority for terms from two to six months. Others had their driver’s licenses suspended. Some were ordered not to associate with organizations other than church groups and perhaps, worst of all, to stay away from drive-in movies and restaurants.

In January of 2021, Eddie William Padilla's son, Eddie Padilla, told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama that his dad never told him anything about the rumble. His dad passed away on September 26, 2006, and most of the info Eddie knows about the Car Club Murder is what he has found in news articles and on the internet. "My grandmother, his mom, confirmed much of it, and it was told to me through an aunt. Especially as they visited him in the prisons in the 1960s. What I do know is that he regretted it, it apparently was a stupid attempt of him trying to join the Townsmen in 1959. He just went overboard and didn't think about his actions and how it would end a life. It never sounded intentional, more like a show, and he just didn't count on the consequences."

According to Eddie, his dad loved cars. "He grew up in Romana Gardens and was forced into a gang in the 1940s as a kid. Hard life was ingrained in him. He had to join like with the White Fence and El Hoyo Maravilla back then to survive." Padilla Sr. had two brothers who both died young. "They were in car clubs and had old school bombs. One died in an accident on Whittier or Beverly in the 1950s, and the other drove off a cliff in a drag race by the beach."

The Aftermath

At the time of the shooting, Patrick Farrell estimates that there were somewhere between 20 and 30 car clubs in Long Beach. Farrell was a member of the Cavaliers, and according to him, the top three clubs were the Cavaliers, that were associated with Poly High and the west side of Long Beach, the Rebels from the east side connected with Wilson High, and the Jesters from the north side and Jordan High. "The Lakewood, northeast, was mainly a bedroom community of aircraft industry workers until 1957 or '58 when the townsmen emerged. They were centered around Millikan High," Patrick told Sondre Kvipt of Kustomrama in March of 2021. According to Patrick, there were unwritten rules about being in a rival club's territory. "If you were with a date you were allowed, but if driving around with two or more guys you would be challenged. The Townsmen wanted to build a reputation as badasses, so they didn't honor the rules. They started trouble whenever they could." Patrick and the Cavaliers played football against the Townsmen a couple of times, "ending in a fight both times. After the attack and the killing, every club lined up against the Townsmen. About a week after the event hundreds of club members converged on Townsmen's drive-in hang out." According to Patrick, it was like a military action. "All exits were blocked by cars, the lone security guard was disarmed and told, for his own safety to go inside the restaurant. The Townsmen members caught there were told that they were to disband the club and if anyone was found wearing a club jacket or shirt or flying a plaque they would be stopped and their asses would be kicked each time." Patrick recalled that the streets of Long Beach were cleared of Townsmen immediately. "It didn't bring the dead young man back but it was what all we could do."

The End

Some reflect that the trial was the beginning of the end of car club culture in Long Beach, at least as far as teenagers were concerned.