The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-07
THE DEATH OF A MONSTER
William Etlinaer Holds 2OOO Armed
Men at Bay for "a Hours.
HE THEN COMMITS SUICIDE
Makes His Wife u Prisoner In the House
That Was Besiegel by the Sher-
iff aud His Posse Her
Narrow Escape.

Belefonte, Pa. March 6-After hold
ing the sheriff of Center county and
1900 armed citizens at bay for twenty
four hours, the desperado, William Et
linger was only driven from his house
today when the burning embers of the
structure were falling about his head,
and then, desperate to the last. and
preferring death by his own hands to
surrender, he blew out his brains upon
the threshold OF his dwelling.
All efforts to dislodge the man had
been IN vain, and as every one who APP
preached the house exposed himself to
death from Etlingers rifle, Sheriff Con-
do found man to risk his life in setting
fire to the structure. Then 1t was that
Etlinger allowed his two children to
leave the burning building. but his wife
only escaped death by breaking away
from her husbands grasp. as he had
intended to kill her as we'll as himself
As 1t was Etlinger fired four shots af-
ter the woman as she fled from the
building, and then stepped outside and
killed himself. Etlinger lived in the
little village of Woodward. in the east
ern end of this county. He was about
20 years of age. and among his neigh
bors he had the reputation of being u
man whom 1t was not best to provoke.
Several months ago he assaulted his
father-in-law. Benjamin Bender, and
nearly scalped him with piece of cord
wood. Etlinger was arrested at the
time and brought here. He secured
bail. but when the case was called for
trial Etlinger failed to appear. A
bench warrant was issued for his ar
rest, but the man had taken refuge in
the mountains that surrounded the
hamlet in which he lived. He was oc-
i'm rall la, l,,tt nf Ia al. i.,h
bors was venturesOme enough to at
tempt his arrest.
Yesterday afternoon Constable Bar
ner heard that Etlinger was at home
There had been q fcud between Barner
and Etlinger and the constable deter
mined unon the arrest of his enemy.
He deputi2ed q. G. MotZ and John Hos
terman 10 assist him IN arresting Et-
linger. The three went to the house of
Etlngeli and found that the latter. with
his wife and threeyrar-old daughter
and two-year-old son had barricaded
themselves i'm the second story of their
frame dwelling. The officers entered
and Barner kicked in a panel of the
door ON the second iloor. Evidently
reckoning on no desperate resistance,
the constable started to crawl into the
room in which Etlinger had taken ref
uge through the broken door. The man
had prepared himself for resistance
however. and rs BGrne.'s heat, oand
Shoulders appeared III theSroom, Etlin-
ger fired Il rifle bah through his head,
killing him instantly. Etlinger then
fired through the door at the other two
men and MotZ was struck and badly
hurt. The two deputiZed constables
beat Il hasty retreat from the house
THE TOWN AROUSED.
al
gathered IN their firearms and hast
ened % Etlinger's dwelling. A shot
from the house quickly warned every
man that came within range that Et-
linger was prepared to do further mrr-
der in the defense of his person. Sheriff
Condo was telegranhed for here and
with sixteen armed deputies went to
Woodward on II special train.
During the siege yesterday afternoon
Etlinger sent u shot through the win
dow of Il house next door to his and
Frank Geiswhite. who was lying i'll
therein. was hit and dangerously
wounded. a little later Etlinger fired
into the house of Mrs. Robert Miller
and the bullet just missed that lady.
John Musser. who was watching Et-
linger's house was shot in the neck
and severely wounded.
Upon the arrival of the sheriff on
the scene that official took charge of the
siege Their band and more around the
house kept up u fusilade OF shot until
the ammunition of the little town was
exhausted. The only way that seemed
possible to dislodge Etiinger without
sacrificing the lives Of several men was
to fire The house, but, on account of
the children and Mrs. Etinger the sher
III determined to not resort to this eX
cept as II last measure The house was
guarded throughout the night. and as
the news Of the siege had spread. by
daylight there were fully 1000 armed
men about the house.
This morning Sheriff Condo deter
mined upon attempting to carry the
house by storm. With IL number Of
deputies he made a rush for the build
ing, but the whistle Of the bullets from
Etlinger's Winchester speedily took the
courage out OF the party and drove them
back under cover. Then the sheriff de-
cided to fire the building. James Cor
neiley Il RellefOnte deputy, volunteered
to apply the match. Under the cover
Of fierce fire directed against the
house by the crowd Coinelley made his
way to the building and applied the
torch and returned In safety.
TORCH APPLIED.
The flames made slow headway. and
II vos fulIv an hour befora tbn hni,dino
m,,. f,i,iv ,hj,y, Tho he,t of Tho iire
Irova I,,i;ng.r and hi. f,niIv 10 Tho
ca,,ar WIN the huildipg had h,co,no
roo hot rnr hahita Iinn the cellar door
w,os .ts,itn;,v nnenod ava tho two ch;l.
dren pushed through into the street.
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