The Washington times., 1909-01-05
Testihes in Detail of Killing
Sisters Husband in
- Self-DefenSe.
STATE WILL TRY
TO SHAKE STORY
Struggle of Slight Woman With
Strong Man to Be Point
of Legal Attack.

MEDIA. Pa, Jan. 5-Amid a profound
silence, Katherine BeiseI today described
. her part in the killing of Capt. J. Clay
ton Erb, for which she and her sister,
Mrs. Erb, are being TIED on the joint
charge of murder.
Mrs. Beisel plainly showed the strain
when she resumed the witness stand at
/ tire opening of court. AS her recital
. progressed her voice shook and tears
|streamed down her cheeks
She heard Erb quarreling with her
sister. she said, and rushed out to pro-
tcct her. She saw Erb standing in the
hallway near the both room door with
/ q revolver in his hand.
''Iie came at me-" she fairly screamed.
III Kin you,' he cried. and as he az
vanCed / sprang at him. We ClincLed
and after a frightful struggle / found I
| had the revolver. I pulled the trigger
and it kept on shooting"
All Grew Dark.
! Mrs. Beisel sat up rigid in her chair,
/ continuing, IT shot him" she whispered
almost inaudibIy. And then all grew
} Idark."
/ Mrs BeiseI covered her face with Ter
hands, moaning piteousIy
| This story is being told by Mrs. BeiseI,
/ who admits that she did the shooting,
/ but who declares she fred the shots in
/ order 20 protect the life Of her sister.
! and her own life as weu. The testimony
! of Mrs Erb TO the effect that she was
1 I'm the bathroom when the fatal shots
/ were fired, and did not come out until
/ after the shooting was all over, leaves
.
/ when she killed the captain.
( For this reason her story, told to-
idsy, is considered one Of the most
Important phases Of tn, sensational
/ tragedy, and once more The courtroom
was packed to sunocation when court
/ opened.
Leads y p to Killing
/ Mrs. BeiseI went on the stand shortly
/ before adjournment last evening, and
/ told her story up TO the eventful night
/ Of the tragedy when the court adjourn
ed. in order that she might rest and
/ prepare herself for the ordeal Of this ALI
/ important story today.
/ with Mrs. Erb, the prosecution had
I little success in breaking her testimony,
and her appearance on the stand was IN
reality q victory for the defense. With
/ Mrs. Beisel however, the State will
/ endeaVor 10 preaN down her STORY, ana
/ thus discredlt the enure case Of the
/ defense.
The one phase Of Mrs. BeiseTs story
/ that 1T will be difficult to convince the
/ jury OF is the statement that she, a
/ woman Weighing 100 pounds, grapplcd
/ with big Captain Erb and wrested from
/ him his own gun, with which she later
shot him This fe the story Mrs. Beisel
/ In an and +ra-a vg-a~a no other y9-if-
49, 30. F,r+ ,,Ia+rar Cr not ne frrry
! am he Inclined fo believe this story
( &C. largely uD to- the manner I'm which
/ +Ic rroeerrffon errraads I'm it's cross
/ - .-.o L,,la.tiC- me- rFs 7,or7av
,r-- psIseI,s sto~,, ~ tra sboo+lnu
,-l,.l., tl-. .,-f5s,,.. ,s - gfsto- iT
evs,-v detail.
/ After telling or stopping at the hotel
on tho night OF the killing, she said:
! AFTER my sister LEFT I asked 10 be
called al @ o'clock the next morning.
Then Z went back into the sitting room.
After some time the phone rang down
Iefsirs. Mrs Erb had called me to the
IDhone She said. OH the capraf1 has
H.. f....tfr-- ma tarrf,r,y no como ,,-,
! ''N't '-0'--'7 -' ''o ~
/ "I did not want 10 come up and said.
/ Must r come 7rag' She said Yes right
- y,o,, r,-..+ -gr-a nm,
away lu' L'-81 ~o'"7 "p.
'l Enatchod up my coat threw 1t over
my shoulders. and started for Rec
Gables as fast as / could 40, frs i
ITarued at the door of the bar. An old
man came 60 the door and I asked him
to tell AIr Waddel that my sister had
! teIephOned to me that Captain IITb was
Icarryiug on dreadguIy and was beating
Ihar. / said 4 would be back Just as
soon as / could Then I started on the
4 rgu for Red Gables When / got close
ITO The house ] saw my sister. She said
/ .Oh, I'm iu "a terrible mess. He's up IN
his room
I II said Il win not stay here all night
me
9Ae aalu, an flknI come upstairs
WING -.' lily I-'As7.
Fatal CfruggIe
ihen we went upstairs ana MIS-. E.L