Arizona republican., 1918-08-03
H,b,KERST|NG|S KILLED IN FALL
 FR0M H|SH0TE[
Death Comes Instantly to Man Who for Quarter Century was Prominent in
 Business Life of Phoenix

H. B. Kersting. pioneer of Phoe- nix and one of its best known and most highly respected citizens. was killed instantly yesterday morning by a fall from the Alturas hotel. one of the buildings owned by him.
 Robert P. Sherman a lodger at the Alturas, was approaching the alley between the hotel and the Boston store when he heard a crash in the alley. At first he thought it was a muffled pistol shot. As he came to the head | of the alley he saw man lying on the ground and truck was standing there, the body of the man partly under it. 1 The truck driver called to him to help move the body. But before he had reached it another man came up and l the body was carried to the marrow sidewalk along the alley.
 l sherman said that the man was dead when he reached the body; at least. there was no sign of life, Blood was issuing from the nose and ears and from a wound in the neck
 Calls Out
 Mr. Kersting fell from a narrow ledge of brick work while engaged in making some repairs to the hinged I awnings of the screen sleeping quar-
 
 the top floor. The ropes by which the awnings were operated had worn and were being replaced by Mir. kersting and young man named Robert Prince. All of the half dozen awnings on that side had been adjusted and they were at work on the last one. Prince was behind the awning adjust ing the rope through the pulleys at the bottom AS the awning was let down, Prince could not see MT. Kersting. but he heard him say in a low tone, as if to himself. "Oh, My God.' Next he heard scraping noise which he after ward supposed was the body of MT. Kersting brushing the edge of the ledge as he fell.
 Whether the exclamation heard by Prince was one of horror as MT. Kerst- ing felt himself losing his balance or whether it was provoked by a sudden pain or faintnesS that caused him to lose his balance, is not known.
 In Phoenix 26 Years
 Officer Culp, who arrived soon after. took charge of the body and in short time Justice Wheeler arrived with a coroner's jury which viewed the body and adjourned until o'clock when the testimony of Sherman and Prince was taken. The verdict of the jury formu- | |, result of an accident
 Barney Kersting was born at Quin- cy, Illinois. 52 years ago. He leaves
 beside widow, two brothers, Jack
 Kersting and Joe Kersting, and Mrs
 Hobolt. all of this city and his father
 who lives in Fowler Illinois. At an early age Mir. Kersting went from
 Quincy to Denver where later he en- gagged in contracting and building. He
 was followed there by his brother Jack
 and 26 years ago be came to Phoenix where he continued his trade and
 amassed a competence, retiring from
 active work few years ago. Once on Council Some years ago, at the solicitation of his neighbors and business men, ht
 became a candidate for the city coun-
 cil and was elected. He contribute,
 much to giving Phoenix a business ad ministration. The only other public DO sition held by him was a membership of the charter commission. l He was an ardent student and ha, been one throughout his hard workin: years. His. brother. who lived witt l. him constantly before the marriage o either of them, said that he almost in U variably read after his days work un :, til o'clock in the morning. Some years ago he acquired the oil Gregory House property, valuabl 2 frontage on Washington street wher the Alturas now stands. He owne'
 considerable other property in the city U He built the Kersting house. which i ,, owned by his brother Jack kersting. There was a strange coincidence O ;, the date and hour of his death wit U U those of his mothers. It was no , quite 10 o'clock in the morning whe y, he fell to his death. It was in tn , middle of the forenoon of August . z 3S years ago. that his mother died a Quincy.