The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-04
Says Husband Was Slain
While Trying to Shoot Her
MATCH FOR PROSECUTOR
Widow of Murdered Man Tells wretched
Story Of Their Lite Of Bicksriug
and Fighting, Ending with
the Tragedy.

t
Media, Pa Jan. 4 ---Mrs. nj, Florence
Erb, who with her sister, Mrs. Katharine
Beisel, il charged with the murder Of
Captain j. Clayton Irb, at the Erb coun-
try home on the night Of Oct 9, told
a story of almost savage cruelty which
created sensation Saturday III the Del
aware county courtroom.
Captain ESb, her husband, prominent
member OF the National Guard OF Penn.
sylyania, confidential man to Israel W.
Durham, the Republican leader Of Phila-
delphia, and BY virtue Of his political
affiliations well known all over pennsyl-
yania as good fellow was held up
BY his wife Saturday as having com
mitted deeds Of brutality which startled
all who heard her.
Mrs. Erb described her life ut Red
Gables, the Erb country home, since
1906, when she first went to live, there
with Erb. She gave a narrowing ac-
count of having been beaten, thrown out
of the house on cold nights, and called
vile names by her husband on many oc-
casions Qnarrels, she alleged, were Of
daily occurrence. Even some of the SER
wants in the house, she further said, in
suited her, and she was only laughed
at BY her husband.
She did not zee the actual shooting,
she declared, but recounted the quarrel
she had with the captain prior to the
shooting, during which she threw several
household articles at him when he at
tempted to shoot her. Fearing for her
life, she went on to say, she sent for
her sister, who came to her assistance.
The shooting. she said, followed.
On cross-examinatinn, the widow adj
mitted she lived with Erb before she
married him, and in explaining why She
did not leave him when he treated her
as brutally as she alleged, she said that
all the time she was trying to force him
to marry her. After they were married,
she declared, she decided to stay until
he made some provision for her. because
she edid not intend be driven out
into the cold. A sept alton had been
planned. she said.
Mrs. Erb was still on the stand when
court adjourned until Monday Several
times during her seven-hour ordeal she
broke down and wept Historically, and
the proceedings had to be suspended I'M
til she had GAINED heraelf
\ She was dressed iii deep mourning.
When she took the stand she removed
her veil and revealed her face f0r the
first time during the trial She was
unusually pale. but there was slight
flush on her cheeks.
Coming down to the day Of the trag-
edy, Mrs, Erb told of having struggle
with Captain Erb and Of throwing q
cuspidor and vase at him. Shortly az
terward she telcphoned for her sister
and the latter came to the lotisr
Continuing, she said: Captain Erb
aimed the pistol at me IA / came out
of my room, and exclaimed, I'il get rid
Of you now screamed and ran into
my room.
Mrs Beisel.e continued, Mrs Erb, as
she was urged on ny her counsel, Jew
at nay husband. / heard shutting of
feet and then / heard a shot. Then
more shots. When all was quiet looked
ont of my room and saw my husband
lying on his face and my sister uncon-
scious ON tho floor beside him. I ran
wildly down the stairs to call for help"
As the widow finished her story Of
the fatal night. she went bitterly.