Arizona republican., 1920-06-09
TRIED TO BURN ERHARDT HOME
 AND HIDE CRIME
Murderers Set Newspapers In Room on Fire But Blood From Hands Soaks Paper and Blaze Is Elk tinguished

Paper and Blaze Is EX-
 tinguished
 Funeral services for Mr.. and
 Mrs. Erhardt will be held Thurs
 day morning at 10 o'clock at the
 First avenue. Rev. William Scar
 lett Of Trinity Pro- Cathedral will
 officiate. Interment will be at
 Greenwood cemetery.
 That the inhuman sIayers Of Mir and Mrs. Jacob Erhardt made an attempt to conceal all evidence of the fiendish cime by setting fire to the house was added information made public yester- day by men of the sheriff's office who are hunting for evidence of the identity of the murderers.
 A roll or twisted newspapers. par tially burned was found behind a on the newspapers was evidence that they had been placed Tn there by the slayers after the double crime. But this very fact prevented the carrying out of this aded fiendish purpose, for the blood soaked newspapers would not burn sufficiently to ignite the wood work of the cabinet or the floor and thus all evidence of the horrible dou- ble crime was not wiped out and which may result in the detection of the mur- derers.
 Arrest Many Suspects
 About 25 suspects have been arrested by the police department and the sher- iff's office and all released but two after being questioned closely regard ing their movements on Sunday night and Monday morning. Of the two be- ing held, one is an eX-convict, and his record since being released from prison will bear investigation, the officers say. Two posses started out Nester- day morning on the trail of suspects. At a late hour last night nothing had been heard from them, although word is expected at any minute.
 A negro was arrested yesterday morning by Deputy Sheriff Evan Will son in a blacksmith shop where the negro was having some horses shod- The man stated that he was going to Texas and had quite a sum of money. While he is being held in the jail on another charge. he is being investigated as to his possible connection with the affair. Two or three residents living near the Erhardt home saw two ne- groes in the vicinity of the home on ion of the officers Investigating the crime is that it was the work of anna teurs and not professional criminals.
 Inquest is Held
 The two negroes seen in the vicinity of the home on Sunday afternoon are being sought by the officers. All roads leading out of the state and all rail road centers are being watched closely for any suspicious looking characters that might bear investigation.
 The inquest was held at o'clock yesterday afternoon before Coroner Mckee, the jury returning a verdict that MT and Mrs. Erhardt met their death from wounds inflicted by some instrument in the hands of person or persons unknown.
 Jacob Erhardt. Jr., son, was the first to testify He told of the discov- cry of the double crime when he drove to the Erhardt home shortly before [ o'clock Monday morning. Both his father and mother were lying on the bed in the screened porch and were covered with blood. He said he at tempted to arouse them, but they were unconscious. He then drove back 10 the city, notifying the police and pr Goodrich, hurrying back with the lat ter and an ambulance. Both parents were taken at once to St. Joseph S hospital
 Mrs. Erhardt died shortly after she arrived at the hospital. MT. Erhardt lived until 6: 30 o'clock that evening.
 Describes Wounds
 MT. Erhardt, pr. Goodrich testified was covered with bed clothing with the exception of the head and shoul- I ders. There was no bed covering or l Mrs. Erhardt and a large portion oi 1 her night gown had been torn off. he said
 At the hospital. he testified, he found that each had one wound in particular which alone would cause death. Or l the left side of Mrs. Erhardts face and extending from the temple downward was compound fracture which laic bare the brain. MT. Erhardt, he said i had a compound fracture on the r1gh side of the head toward the front These wounds, he said, were deep ant i sufficient to cause death. There were many minor wounds on the head ana face of each he said, and the lief shoulder of Mrs. Erhardt was badly bruised. When he reached the bed or which the wounded couple was lyins at the home the wounds had ceased to bleed, he said.
 The pulse of Mrs E1rhardt at tha ! time was very weak and irregular anS the body cold. MT. Erhardt's pulse wa somewhat stronger and the body wa warm. Mrs. Erhardt, he said, wa dying at the time.
 Officer Blea said he answered tn police call and arrived at the hous shortly after o'clock. He describe' the condition of the house, with every thing covered with blood and the hous ransacl1ed. Drawers had been pulle, out beds turned upside down, picture
  thrown on the floor Under the yves window in the kitchen he found a smal carpenters chisel, he said, which hal been used to pry loose the hook of tn window screen where the murderer entered.
 Chief of Police Brisbois told of hi finding a single jack hammer near tn front part of the yard. Blood was oi the grass and the bushes where tn hammer had been thrown. The hea of the hammer was covered with bloc, and some hair adhered to it. he said.
 That his father or mother had a larg sum or money secreted in the hous was not thought likely by Albert Er hardt, the son who arrived Tuesda morning from St. Johns. He made thorough search of the house and di not believe anything was taken by tn murderers. There was no jewelry i the house, he said, that being kep down town in a safety deposit bon MT. Erhardt said that his father an r mother might have had as much a s150 in the house, but no more. Sev eral dollars. wich were in Mrs. Er ; hardts handbag which lay in the din