The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-03
MRS. ERB TELLS
STORY ON STAND
Husband Abused Her in a
Shameful Manner Through
Her Married Life.
ALL KINDS OF CRUELTY
EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE
KILLING OF THE CAPTAIN.


of Mrs. Erb's husband. took the wit
ness stand .todays and tole 4 ssrsation-
al story OF extlenle cruelty5pn the part
of her husband. as one of the causes
leading up to the stTpoting of Captain
Fro. Mrs. -ETb appeared nervous, but
told her story in a straightforward
manner.
Mrs. Erb said she went to Red Ga
bles." the Erb country home, in May,
1906. With a fioaisekeepeE -andjtwe maids
Trouble between herosnd the captain,
she said. started on The first night they
were there.
we ouarreied." she said. "and he
struck me with the back Of his hand
and knocked me over a chair. The next
day I called a physician to treat me.
Dragged by the Hair.
Another time he auarreled about the
food. became afraid and ran into the
tower of the house. He found me. and
grabbed me by the hair and tfra eyed
me down the steps TO his room. where
he kept me all night and treated me
cruelty
IN December. 1906. he put me out of
the house and, as I was standing think
ing what to do. he came out and seized
me by the throat and threw me to the
floor. An ornament in my har was
broken and my head was hurt. was
unconscious. As a result Of my injury,
/ had to go to a sanitariUm.
"One evening the captain found fault
with some article of food on the table
He swore at me and I ran TO my room.
He followed and yelled at me, You
must leave this house at once. o. I'll
blow your brains out. He got his re-
volver, but put it away again. When
he left / took it and hid it.
Spit in Her Face.
when he came home he demanded
the revolver. ] told him I had hid it
He chased me around the table in the
dining ROOM trying to hit me, and
when he could not catch up with me he
spat in my face.
Later, as 1 took the revolver from
behind some books. he caught me and
grabbed for the pistol. AS we strug-
gled for the weapon he deliberately
bent over me over a davenport, put his
knee on my stomach and pressed till I
cried for mercy.
Finally he did release me, and 1 was
helped to my room. In the morning he
forced the maids to pack my clothes
and with jeers and laughter. made me
4
was from the injury received
Spread Eagled.
She then went on to tell Of the So
called "spread-eagle" incident. After
insulting her in the presence of the
by calling her names, he
told her he was going to spread eagle
her. Getting some straps. he threw
me on the sofa" she said. He swung
his fist under my chin and drove my
teeth through my tongue. He kept me
on the sofa until o'clock in the morn
ing. threatening to spread-eagle me,
but finally he decided not to do so. The
next day / had to go to Hot Springs
for treatment"
Then she related a story of the cap
tain's treatment of her sister, who had
come to her defense in the numerous
family quarrels.
"One >immer afternoon he picked nay
sister ~ and threw her out of the
house." she laid. Later he tried to
force her through a swinging door, and
he began choking her"
"'Tll choke the life out Of you he |
said. ] thought he was surely killing |
her. so / grabbed up a whisky bottle 4
and hit him on the head. He dropped |
and we ran for our lives"
Day of the Tragedy.
Coming down to the day of the trag-
edy, Mrs. Erb told Of visiting Olney to /
look at house. intending to live apart |
from her husband after she had sue /
eeeded I'm making settlement with I
him. she and her sister returned to the /
house. late in the day and learned that /
Captain Erb intended coming home that /
night. 1t was decided that Mrs. Beisei I
should stay at the Village Green hotel /
nearby. When Captain Erb came home /
he learned that Mrs. Beisel had been /
at the house and he few into a rage, |
and began to make search for her,
swearing and making threats.
Mrs. Erb said she avoided the captain /
and went TO the hotel with two maids /
and remained there with Mrs Beisel /
until late in the evening.
Threw Cuspidor at Him.
Going back to the house. Mrs. Erb
went to the second floor by way of the /
back stairs. Mr. Erb rushed out of his
'oom. He struck me on the breast"
'aid she, and he tried to pull me into
lis room. I fought him. and finally
picked up a brass cusp.dor and threw
[ at him. I did not stop to see whether
t struck him. but ran to my room. I II
leard him following, cursiHg me. He II
vas almost upon me when I grabbed a II
rase Of flowers and hurled It at him. II
Then I got into my room and locked the II
ioor. After while / looked out and II
Jaw no one, and T ran to the telephone Il
md summoned my sister.
Killing of Erb.
When she came she went into the n
,ath room and I went to my room. NV i
lister came out of the bathroom Just as i
ny husband left his room. dressed in II
lis pajamas, and carrying a revolver.
Captain Erb aimed the pistol at me
nd exclaimed I'll get rid Of you now II
screamed and ran into my Toom
Mrs. Beisel few at my husband. II
Ieard a shuffliag OF feet and then I
leard a shot. Then more shots When II
III was quiet I looked out of my room
nd I saw nay husband lying on his
ace and my sister unconscious on the
oor beside him. l ran wildly down the
tairs to call for help"
AS the wife in shed her story Of that
atal night she broke into tears and /
Fept bitterly. II
MILL BURNED IN IDAHO.