Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-11-15
JOHN ERBLE SHOT
TO KILL, PROBABLY
WAS SUCCESSFUL
Fired Three Bullets Into Body
of Grace Stidfole at
Williamsport

w lllldHSpOFU WAS ullcu Will OK
citement Friday morning of last
week about 8:45 O'Clock, when
several shots were fired on East
Canal street in the vicinity of the
house kept by Name Irwin and it
became known on the streets that
an attempt to murder had been
made. The victim was Miss Grace
Stidfole, an inmate of the Irwin
house, and the man who did the
shooting was John Erble, a steel
worker, who has been lover of
Miss Stidfole for about two years.
After the shooting Erble walked
away and for several hours the
city was stirred while a hunt for
him was being made by the police.
The girl was shot three times by
Erble. At the hospital it is stated
that she cannot recover and her
death is looked for at any time.
Miss Stidfole is the daughter of
Mrs. Anna Stidfole, of III Arch
street, Newberry.
AS soon as the report of the
shooting WIS sent to the police
station Chief of Police Harder call
ed out all of the night men and
sent them in all directions to look
for Erble. All the men were caut.
ioned to act with care when they
made the arrest as it was known
that Erble had reloaded his revolver
before he left the East Canal street
house. Officer William A. Berry
learned that Erble was seen on
Arch street and was at that time
walking toward the river.
Officer Berry went to the river
bank and then walked slowly up
the old toe path. When-he reach
ed a point short distance east of
the Williamsport boat club house
he saw Erble in the bushes between
the tow path and the river. About
the same time Erble saw the officer
who was in citizens clothes, and at
once pulled his revolver and pre-
pared to fight.
Here Officer Berry used great
deal of judgement and also proved
that he had his nerve with him.
He saw that that was not the time
to advance upon the fugative and
50 he delayed the attack and looked
around for time and then Erble,
seemingly took the second thought,
decided not to resist arrest, for he
placed his revolver back in his
pocket and then at this point Berry
covered him with his revolv r and
demanded Erble to hand over his
gun to him, which he at once did.
Officer Berry was alone at the time
he made the arrest. He took his
prisoner to the police station on
the trolley car and placed him in
a cell.
John Erble and Grace Stidfole
have been lovers for several years,
regardless of the fact that Erble
has wife and two children living
in Syracuse, N. Y.
They had spent the night further
down the sire and it was about
$50 O'Clock Friday morning when
they started for the honse kept by
Name Irwin, where Miss Stidfole
was an inmate. AS they walked
up the railroad track they were
noticed by some workmen to be
quarreling. They passed around
the rear of the Irwin house and not
being able to gain admittance, went
to the front door. Here the first
shot was fired by Erble and then
Miss Stidfole ran into. the kitchen
of Mrs. Annie Klump and Erble
followed her with his smoking re-
volver in his hand. The girl ran
into corner in the kitchen and
tried to hide from her assailantand
at the same time pleaded with him
to spare her.
Erble paid no attention to the
pleadings and fired another shot or
two at her as she lay on the kitchen
floor. He then looked at his VIC
tim for a moment, reloaded his
revolver and walked leisurely down
the lailroad track to State street,
then out to Third street, and was
lost to the view of the people who
had attracted to the spot by the
shooting. 1t was known that he
had a loaded revolver and for this
reason no one in the crowd attempt
ed to arrest him.
The injured girl was taken to a
bed room in the Klump home and