New-York tribune., 1919-03-03
" oman With Axe
Wins New Battle
Of Staten island
For Piano Wrecked.
a Deputy Sheriff Defed
and Block Guard Routed:
Replevin Still, Unseryed

olng, oh, muse. Of the battle that
was wagcd at 45S Herberton Avcnuo
foff Richmond, Staten Island. yester-
Gay But before You start abandon
ell nope of being accompanied on Mrs
Louise Benner's piano.
That was the cause of Homor;c v..r
lare between Deputy Sheriff Edward
Peterson, aided by four negro piano
movers, and Mrs. Benner, Of the above
aodrcss. aided by an axe and carving
NhiIe. When last seen the piano NOV
ers were moving at high speed d-away
rom dos Herberton Avenue. Mrs.
benner is in St Vincent's Hospital
under arrest and still agitated men
tally. Deputy Sheriff Peterson is suf.
terlng from strained back and two
badly bruised arms.
Inc piano, the cause of the battle
SUI stands in the Benner parlor. hnt
IL LOOKS more like pile of kirdling
wood than a musical instrumon,
Missed Payment Started Trouble
When Mrs. Benner purchased tbo
piano, tor so much down and so murb
week, the germ of conflict was horn
hcn she neglected to paw thc So
much week war clouds bepan to
gather. When Deputy Sheriff Peter
son received replevin from the Su
Premc Court, with instructions to yo+
'hg re piano, they lowered, ready to break.
me deputy sheriff transported his
iorceS TO Fort Richmond in a moving
~ va" ney dlsembarkcd in front Of
4oo Herberton Street and advanced
against the dwelling, only to be halted
by an uncompromislnglv locked doo,.
Not TO be out generated. Pcterson
eSsayed flank attack and cnterod
through the dining room window, fol
io"eu by his cohorts. There in the
groom shone the piano. but before thev
could move it Mrs. Benner anneurca
from the kitchen.
somewhat startled by the light Of
war IN her eye and the axe in her
manu. PETERSON stumbled over his lines.
ana before he could serve the replcyin
IN legal way there wasn't any real
use IN serving il.
with axe swung high, Mrs. Bennor
nc says, sailed into the piano. There
was he crash of splintering wood and
Jnhgie or protest from the instrument.
ana IN a second it took on the appcar
ancc of a New York. New Haven &
Hartford train in difficulties.
Axe Turned on Deputy
Then. having demolished tho piano.
the deputy sheriff asserts Mrs. Benner
shouted an inartculate war cry and
started in to demolish him 1t was
vt this point that his negro troops
broke and fed through the window.
Mrs. Benner made numlc cr Of vain
swings. Peterson relates, hut he nd
mts that sho hit him thrice. md
black and blue marks on his arms and
back bear witness to ,his. Apparently
considering the aXc IA too lone ds-
tance weapon. the deputy sheriff says,
his assailant retired momentarily 20
the kitchen and renppoared with a
large carving knife.
1t was then that Peterson. who says
he doesn't like to speak harshly to a
lady, told her he would shoot her If
she didn't sop and retired, also
through the window. in search of the
police.
lie returned later reinforced and
placed Mrs. Bcnncr under arrest,
charging her with interfering with
an officer. She was taken to the police
station, where she become so violent
that she was removed 20 st. Vincent's
Hospital. The piano remains unre-
plcVined