Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1950-09-29
Claims Gun Went OFF Acct
dentally AS Couple Walked
In Madison Street


condition of Mrs. Helen Noble
is very bad" II was reported
she had been given numerous
blood transfvsions In efforts to
save the critically injured
woman.
Richard Farmer, 20, West Perry
Street, is being held on open
charge in county Jail in connec-
ton with the shooting of Mrs.
Helen Noble, 36-year-old Erie
Ordnance Depot typist and mother
of two children.
Mrs Noble is in critical condi-
ton in Magruder Memorial Hos.
pital, after being shot in the alb
dOmen by bullet from a P-38
German-made automatic.
The tragedy was discovered
shortly after 1:30 Sunday morn
ing by James Chapman, jefferson
Street, who noticed Mrs. Noble
lying in Madison Street in front
of the Clover Farm Store, as he
was driving towards his home.
Seconds earlier, Chapman had
seen the police car at the Sohio
Station, Perry and Madison, and
he rushed there to tell Patrolman
! William Robel that "a woman is
down in front of the Clover
Farm. Deputy Sheriff Myron
Hetrick, who was talking with
Robel at the time, also rushed to
the scene.
When Robel and Hetrick reach.
ed Mrs. Noble, she told them that
Farmer had shot her. She was
taken to the hospital in the po-
lice cruiser.
Police report states that Mrs.
Noble was shot under the left
breast, the slug coming out thru
the lower ribs. Surgeons at the
hospital used their skill to repair
damage to the spleen and other
internal organs.
AT LAP, Farmer telephoned the
police station and told Acting
Chief John Wright: "Ive sho.
Helen Noble. 1t was an accident"
He later said he waited for po-
lice to come after him and then
called taxi cab and went to the
hospital, where he was taken in
custody by Patrolman Robel.
When he gave himself up,
Farmer handed Robel a clip from
the gun, with five bullets still in
it. The gun was later recovered
at his mothers home.
Sunday morning, Police Chief
Jack Shelter and his co-workers
recovered brass shell from near
the Clover Farm store, and also
dug out the slug which reported
ly had passed thru Mrs. Mobiles
body, from the front of the store
building.
Sunday morning, Farmer vol
UNFAIRLY gave statement which
was tape recorded in the police
office with Chief Shelter and Pa
trolmen Russ Shinevar and Will
: liam Robel as witnesses.
In his statement, Farmer said:
"Pm not sure what time it hap
, pened, but believe it was past
midnight. We had an argument
: in the v. F. w. Club, but / don't
recall tossing bullet to her. The
gun was a P-38 German-gun mod
el, and I had it in my pocket all
night. I've owned the gun for six
/. or eight months and bought it
from local friend.
''The gun was loaded as I'd
been shooting down at the lake,
earlier in the day. I'm not in the
habit of carrying the gun with
me. l didn't aim the gun at Helen.
All l know is that pulled the
gun from my pocket and it went
off. l didn't point the gun at her.
l pulled it out of my pocket for
no reason at all.
1--WE had been arguing over
drinking. ! was walking along
with her, holding her arm, when
l pulled out the gun and the thing
went off.
II got scared and took off home.
When / unloaded the gun near
the armory, it went off again.
Then called the police, and
, when they didn't come, took a
cab to the hospital"
Farmer, in his recorded state
ment, said that he believed the
5 gun worked properly and that he
was familiar with the safety de-
(. vice. He claimed he was drunk
and jealous and didn't want to see
Mrs. Noble out.
He also claimed that he did not
threaten her, and that he doesn't
remember handing her bullet
earlier in the evening. He did
t admit drinking most of the day.
, One of the witnesses present in
. the v. F. w. Club told police thar
J Farmer had handed a bullet to
Mrs. Noble some time before the
shooting and remarked: That's
for you". The witness said Mrs.
Noble tossed the bullet back onto