Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-01-03
ON the STAND FOR SEVERAL HOURS
Testifies in Defense Of Herself and
Her Sister-Latter Killed Erb--
Wife Tells Of Physical Violence
and Many Insults.
OBJ Associated Press)

Catherine Beisel. Is charged with IN"
murder Of Captain j. Clayton Erb. Al
the Erb country home on The night
: rf October 6. told story OF almost
savage cruelty that created sensa'
ton today III the nrlawnr" county
court room where The trial has been
IN progress since Tuesday.
/ CAPTAIN Erb was held up by his
( widow toIa! as having committed
deeds Of brutality that startled all
who heard 1t.
Mrs. Erb was on the stand for sew
eral hours. being one Of the first VIII
ncsses called by tn" defense which
opened It's sid" of the case.
The commonwealth claimed the
shooting OF Captain Erb was driib"r-
ate, while the defense is trying 10
show tha, Erb was killed by Mrs.
Reisrl In self defense.
Woman Tells narrowing Story.
Mrs E,b told OF her life mt Red
Cables, the Erb country home since
l9oG when she first wen, to live
there with Erb. She told harrow
ing story OF having been beaten.
thrown from the house on cold nights
and of having been called vile names
by the husband on many occasions.
! Quarrels. she alleged. were of daily
occurrence. Even some of the ser
/ wants in the house. she alleged. in
suited her aud she was only aughel
at by her husband.
She did not see the actual Shio'-
ing. 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 attempted to shoot
her
| Fearing for her life. she went on
TO say she sent for her sister, who
come to her assistance and the shoot
ing followed.
| On cross examination the widow
admitted she had lived with Erb be-
fore she married him and in explain
ing why she did not leave him when
he treated her so bru,aliy as she al
legged. the widow said that she was
all the time irving 10 force him to
marry her
FIouted Her Brother.
Her husband, Mrs. Erb said, refus-
ed to sit at a table with her brother,
who had come TO the house to instals
q bath tub, saying he would not eat
with common plumbers
We quarrelled' she said. and he
struck me with the back of his hand
and knocked me over chair.
Another time he quarreiled about
the food. ran into the tower OF
the house TO sleep there. 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.
One evening the captain found
fault with some article OF food on
the table" said the woman, ami he
blamed II on me-. He got his revol-
yer and put 1t away again. When
he left the house q little later
went to his room and look it and hid
IT,
Scat in Her Face. 4
When he came home" she continu-,
cd. 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
couldn't catch up. he spit in M
face.
Later as took the revolver from
behind some books he caught me and
grabbed for the pistol. As We strug-
gled for the weapon he bent me over
Davenport. put his knee on my !
stomach and pressed till I cried foT
mercy and Jet go the revolver.
One of the maids came in and
said: Please Mr.. Erb. let her GO
In the morning he forced the
maids TO pack my clothes and with
ieers and laughter made me leave
the house. weak and fain; as was
from the injury received when he
knealt on m stomach.
spread-EasIe Incident.
She then went on TO tell Of the
so-calIed spread eagle" incident.
Getting some traps he threw M j
on a sofa. she said
Il am going TO begin now. he
shouted. I am going TO make II hot
for YOU He did not do u. bui
swung his fst uader my chin and
drove my teeth through my tongue
He kept me on the sofa until II
O'Clock in the morning threatening
10 spread eagle me-. but finally he de-
Ci,icd net to do so The strain vas
awful and the next day I had 10 70
10 Hot Springs for treatment
The widow told " numerous insisn.
rcs when Erb swore At her. struck