Republic 10-13-1922

Claimed to have been maddened by taunts that he lost his job and the threat of his father-in-law to throw him out of the home of his wife's grandparents with whom he lived.  Blair Denton, 29 years old of Erie shot and killed his father-in-law, Ray Sibley, 42 years old of Prophetstown at the Henry Sibley home in Erie late last Thursday afternoon.  A family quarrel of more than a year's standing said to have been started by the family conference of the father-in-law in the affairs of the couple, was thus ended. 

Sibley was shot twice, once through the head and once through the shoulder.  He died almost instantly.  In an effort to save the father's life and prevent her husband becoming a murderer, Mrs. Denton jumped between her husband and father but her attempt was unsuccessful.  Her husband stepped back and fired the shots that killed her father, over his head as she was screaming and frantically imploring him not to shoot.  As her father fell, he cried to his daughter to run for help.  the daughter ran from the house to get a doctor and as she passed through the front gate heard another shot fired.  With her fright and fear for her father's life giving her speed, she secured a doctor in a few minutes, but her father died while the daughter and physician were coming.