[He was also referred to as Ernest S. Gruissy.]
Ernest owned a gun shop in Beach City, Ohio. My grandmother had told me about a shooting in his store but until recently I could find no verification of that tale. Now I have unearthed two newspaper accounts of shootings there. This is the first.
Beach City Man Shoots
Two Bandits.
Third Being Held in
Massillon Jail.
Creasy is Hero.
Canton Youth May Not
Survive.
Bulletin.
Sheriff Harry Smith, this city was notified by Canton authorities this
afternoon that William Zuzeberger, 21, one of the three Canton youths who
figured in a robbery and scrape at Beach City last night, confessed to robbing
an aged farmer, residing near Strasbrug, Monday evening, taking $5 from their
victim. Local authorities were investigating the story this afternoon.
Two
of a trio of Canton youths who allegedly attempted to hold up C. E. Creasy,
expert marksman, in his sporting goods store in Beach City last night, were in
Massillon’s City hospital today, and the third was in jail. Jerome Rothermel,
21, was in critical condition with a bullet wound through his lungs. Glen
Infield, 18, was shot through the side. Their companion, William Zuzeberger,
21, was jailed when he took the wounded youths to the Massillon hospital.
Creasy
is the proprietor of the Creasy Arms
Company, at Beach City, and is well known over the state for his prowess
with shotgun, pistol and rifle.
“Stick
‘em up! We mean business,” one of the three said, as they entered Creasy’s
store and all drew their revolvers. Creasy reached over the counter, grabbed
Zuzeberger around the neck and jerked his head down on the counter, “kayoting”
the bandit temporarily. The other two forced Creasy to release Zuzeberger and step
back. They looted the cash register and they demanded Creasy’s pocketbook.
Greasy
Gets Gun
While
reaching for the wallet with one hand, Creasy slipped the other hand under the
counter and got a loaded 38-caliber revolver. Zuzeberger had recovered his
senses. He saw the covert move and ducked. The others started running as Creasy
opened fire. Zuzeberger aided the two into an auto and sped away.
Creasy
notified Massillon police and then started in pursuit. The three were then
taken into custody immediately upon arrival at Massillon City hospital and
Creasy’s money was returned. Rothermel and Infield are drivers for a milk
company at Canton, according to Sheriff Ed Gibson, Canton and Zuzeberger
recently was released from peison after serving a term for robbery.
Source: Beach City Man Shoots Two Bandits (New Philadelphia,
OH: The Daily Times, 27 Nov 1929) 1; digital image, Newspapers.com: accessed
March 2018.
1937 Newspaper Advertisements
The Evening Independent, Massillon, OH
Watch for the blog post about the second shooting.
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He really was a hero! How wonderful that you were able to verify this family story and know about the courage of this ancestor.
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