Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-03
CRUELTY or ERB
TOLD BY WIDOW
SISTER OF SLAYER RECITES
BRUTAL TREATMENT
KICKED, CHOKED AND TORTURED
HER, SHE SAYS
Spat in Her Face, Tried to Shoot Her,
and Once Attempted to Spread
eagle" Her, Declares
Wife

MEDIA, Pa, Jan. Mrs. M. Flor
ence Erb, who with her sister, Mrs.
Catherine Beisel, is charged with the
murder of Mrs. Erb's husband, took the
witness stand today and told a sensa-
tional story of extreme cruelty on the
part of her husband, as one of the
causes leading up to the shooting Of
Capt. Erb.
Mrs. Erb appeared nervous, but told
her story in a straightforward manner.
Mrs. Erb said she went to Red Gables,
the Erb country home, in May, 1905,
with a housekeeper and two maids.
Trouble between her and the captain.
she said, started on the first night they
were there.
I'VE quarreled,'' she said, "and he
struck me with the back of his hand
and knocked me over a chair. The
next day 1 had to call a physician to
treat me.
Another time he quarreled about the
food. I became afraid and ran into the
tower of the house. He found me and
grabbed me by the hair and dragged
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 [ was standing think
ing what to do he came out and seized
me by the throat and threw me to the
broken and my head was hurt. l was
unconscious AS a result of my in
iuries [ had to go to a Sanitarium.
Zone evening the captain found fault
with some article of food on the table.
He swore at me and / ran to my room.
He followed and yelled at me: You
must leave this house at once or III
blow your brains out!' He got his re-
volver, but put it away again. When
he left / took it and hid it.
when he came home he demanded
the revolver. l told him l had hid 1t.
He chased me around the table In the
dining room, trying to hit me, and
when he could not catch me he spit IN
my face
Later, as I took the revolver from
behind some books, he caught me and
grabbed for the pistol. AS we struggled
for the weapon he deliberately bent me
over a davenport, put his knee on my
stomach and pressed till I cried for
mercy.
"FinaIly he did release me, and I
was helped to my room. In the morn
ing he forced the maids to pack my
clothes, and with jeers and laughter
made me leave the house, weak and
faint as 1 was from the injury re-
ceived."
She then went on to tell of the So
called "spreadeagle'' incident. After
insulting her in the presence of the
housekeeper by calling her names, he
told her he was going to SpreadeagIeI
her.
Getting some straps, he threw me on
the SOFA she said. HE swung his fist
under nv chin and drove my teeth
through my tongue. He kept me on the
sofa until 6 o'clock in the morning,
threatening to spreadeagle me, but
finally he decided not to do so. The
next day I had to go to Hot Springs
for treatment"
Threw Her Out of Door
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.
zone summer afternoon he picked
my sister up and threw her out Of the
house, she said.
Later he tried to force her through
a swinging door and began choking her.
TIL choke the life out of you he
said. I thought he was surely killing
her, so 1 grabbed up whisky bottle
and hit him on the head. He dropped
and we ran for our lives"
Coming down to the day of the
tragedy, Mrs. Erb told of visiting Oh
ney to. look over house in which to
live apart from her husband. She and
her sister returned to the house late in
the day and learned that Captain Erb
intended coming home that night. 1t
was intended that Mrs. Beisel should
stay at the Village Green hotel, near
by.
When Captain Erb came home he
learned that Mrs. Beisel had been there
and he few into a rage and began to
make a search for her, swearing and
making threats.
Mrs. Erb said she went to the hotel
and remained there with Mrs. Beisel
until late in the evening.
Going back to the house, Mrs. Erb
went to the second floor by way of the
back stairs. Mr.. Erb rushed out of
his room.
HE struck me on the breast said
she. 81 fought him and finally picked
up a brass cuspidor and threw it at him
I did not stop to see whether it struck
him or not, but ran to my room. I
heard him cursing me. He was almost
upon me when ! grabbed a vase Of
flowers and hurled it at him. Then I
got into my room and locked the door
After awhile I looked out and ran to
the telephone and summoned my sis
ter.
when she came in she went into the
bathroom and 1 went into my room.
My sister came out of the bathroom
just as my husband left his room.
dressed in his pajamas and carving a
revolver.
Captain Erb aimed the pistol at me
and exclaimed: III get rid of YOU
now I screamed and ran into nv
room.
MRS. Beisel flew at my husband RI
heard scuffling of feet and then m
heard a shot. Then more shots. When
all was quiet I looked out of my room
and saw my husband lying on his face
and my sister unconscious on the floor
beside him.
81 ran wildly down the stairs to call
for help"
AS the wife finished her story of that
fatal night she broke into tears and
wept bitterly.
FATHER HAS HIc c0M