Arizona republican., 1920-07-24
NEGRO TELLSHOW HE MURDER
 ERHARDT COUPLE
Nose Gibson Is We'll Known Here-Spent Last Winter In Phoenix = Feeling Is Growing That He May Be Slayer

LOS ANGELES, Gal, July B.
 Seven murders and countless bur
 sIaries, including the brutal killing
 of MT. and Mrs. Jacob Erhardt at
 Phoenix, Ariz., last month, were
 committed by Nose Gibson, negro,
 under sentence of death at San
 Quentin prison, according to a con-
 fessicn said to have been obtained
 by Sheriff c. E. Jackson at Santa
 Ana, the latter said in a telephone
 message here today. The murders
 to which Gibson is said to have con-
 fessed were:
 Roy. Trapp,- raneher,. Fullerton,
 Cal.
 MT. and Mrs. Jacob Erhardt,
 Phoenix, Ark
 J. R. Revis, white restaurant man
 of Baton Rouge Junction, La.
 Unidentified woman, Orange Junc-
 tion, Fla.
 Watchman at sugar mill, Gra-
 mercy, St James parish, La.
 StorekeePer, Wagoner, La.
 Gibson was arrested at Topoc,
 Ariz., for the murder of Trapp and
 for assault on Mrs Trapp- He was
 brought here, pleaded guilty and
 was sentenced to be hanged Sep
 tember 4.
 The confession was said to have
 been obtained while the negro was
 on the way to the penitentiary.
 Most of the murders were com
 nnitted with a hammer.
 The description of Nose Gibson, the legro slayer of Roy Trapp and at least lalf a. dozen other persons and who onfessed to Sheriff Jackson of Orange county, California, that he murdered the Erhardts in this city, allies exactly with that of negro who vas seen lettering in the vicinity of he Erhardt home during the day pre- eding the night of June 6, when MT. nd Mrs. Erhardt were fatally at acked
 In Gibson's account of the Erhardt murder to Sheriff Jackson he said he filled the couple after he served a jail entence at Douglas, Ariz- He said he filed them for money. Gibson de- Jared he entered the Erhardt home by he back door, carrying with him a miners jack hammer, which he had ound. He said the date. as best he ould recall, was about June 12. Both MT. and Mrs Erhardt awoke old Sheriff Jackson. Mir. Erhardt anne toward him and he struck him, filing him almost instantly Accord ng to the negros story. Mrs. Erhardt ought hard for her life, but he said @ finally struck her what he believed Q be fatal blow and left both for cad.
 Fingerprints Don't Match
 He then searched the house. he said ut did not say whether he secured any money. He stated he left town on a rain early that morning. He was wearing tennis shoes at the time, he tated, and khaki trousers.
 The murderer of the Erhardts wore oft shoes, Sheriff Montgomery said esterday, which fact coincides with he statement of the negro. While the late of June 12. given by the negro IS the date of the murder, does not gree with the actual date, June 6, yet t Is quite close and Gibson could easily ave been confused on that point, he aid.
 In spite of the fact that the finger 'rints of the negro do not agree in any way with those found on the 1ashlight IT elsewhere in the Erhardt home. vet he feeling that Nose Gibson may be he real slayer of the Erhardts is grow ng somewhat stronger.
 Gibson, it developed yesterday, had ,een in Phoenix and was well known " a number of people. Acquaintances aid he spent last winter here washing fishes in restaurant for negroes. He eemed quiet and peaceably inclined hey said. He left Phoenix in the bring when the Al G. Barnes circus, yhich wintered at the state fair rounds. returned to the road, which vas about March l. He was not seen lere afterward. If he returned and nurdered the Erhardts he managed to make his entrance and departure from he city without being seen by his riends and acquaintances here. they ay.
 Going to Question Him
 Sheriff Montgomery stated yester- lay that in company with l.. M Laney, ounty attorney, he would go to Santa Ina, Cal, and then with Sheriff Gib- on would continue to San Quentin ,rison, where they would have a talk with Gibson. The sheriff declared yes