Salt Lake Tribune | 1909-01-01 | Page 1 | Part That Mrs. Erb Played in Tragedy

pari mm his. eh PLAYED II TRAGEDY Witness Tells Dramatic Story; idoiv..JUiy.cj,;conic by, A'toot Bloody (larmeiiis. MJiDIA, Pa., Dcc. :iJ. Thc first story of tho part Mrs. Florence Erb plaj-ed in the tragedy that made her a widow, and, with her sister, Mrs. Catherine Beisol. a defendant, charged with thc murder of Captain Clayton Erb, was told to tho jury in their trial here today. It was related by Eugeno F. White, a deputy coroner, ono of tho first officials lo arrive at thc Erb homo on tho night Hrb was slain. "Mrs. Erb iold me," AVhite testified, testi-fied, "that she was passing tho captain's cap-tain's bedroom and that he opened thc door and called her vile names. 'This caused a discussion, and the fuss that was overheard by the servants,' she said. Mrs. Erb also said io me: 'E picked up a vase and threw it at him. I don't know that it struck him. I then went to my room and phoned for my sister lo cumo over from tho hotel. She did so, and after reaching tho house she went to the silting, room on thc second floor. I went to the bath room. As i came from the bath room the captain cap-tain appeared with a pistol. My sister, sis-ter, fearing lie would shoot me, caino from the sitting room and grappled with him. Thai 'a all 1 kuow about it.' " White also told what Mrs. Beisel said of the share she took in the murder. "7 asked her why she shot Erb." the witness said. 'I did it Itrsav.o. FJorris,' Mrs. Beisel told mo. She said: 'lie had I a gun in his hand and was going to shoot my sister. I was like a tigress. I had the strength of seven women. I grnbbod t:hc pistol aud pulled the trig-nnr trig-nnr and kept on pulling it. I could not. it ' ' ' Mrs, Erb, whilo the dead man's blood v pa.janiaB wore being hold up before be-fore tho ,iury to sustain detailed evidence, evi-dence, gave way to hor emotions and broke into hysterical sobbing.