The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-09
MRS, SHANN FACES A JURY.
ON TRIAL FOR POISONING HER SON
TO GET HIS LIFE INSURANCE.
Her Daughter Repeats the story which
Mrs. sham Told TO Account for the Dead
Youth being Di-en,boweiIed In the House.

Her Daughter Repeats the story which
Mrs. sham Told TO Account for the Dead
Youth BEING Disemboyveiied In the House.
TRENTON. N. j.. Aug. a-The spectacle OF O
pray-haired woman on trial for her life was
presented in the old Mercer county court
house in this city to-day. The prisoner was
Mrs Martha c. Sham OF Princeton, the m other
OF a family Of grown children. all OF whom are
showing nlial affection for her in the terrible
ordeal through which she is passing. The ac-
cusation against her Is, that she poisoned her
twenty 3 ear old son. John +. Sham. in order
TO get n little over S2.1o0. the amount OF three
Insurance policies on his life. According to
the States allegation. she procured the boys
death by the administration Of biclorlde OF
mercury. giving 1t to him in his drink and food
in such manner as to rob him OF his
strength gradually. and to deceive all
about him touching the nature OF his illness
The youth died on April, 1S last Mrs.
Shann's husband died last November under
ciroum stances that were considered peculiar.
and this second death in the family set all the
tongues OF rumor going in Princeton. Ihe
boy would. nevertheless. have been quietly
buried. had not the shocking announcement
come two days after his death that he had been
disem bowelled by persons unknown. This
had the effect OF stirring tho local authorities
INTO nCtlOn. anu tne result vi bu iuNos'ieueioh
and Coroner's inquest was the arrest OF the
boys mother on the charge Of murder.
At the trial to day by the side of Mrs. Sham.
who was clad in black. sat her two sisters.
Mrs. Harriet b. Gray and Mrs. F. milford
Updyke. both OF Princeton. Close by also was
her married daughter. Mrs. James Kelly OF
Philadelphia. Later in the day her daughter
Mabel came in. Mabel is II years old. She
was at home when her brother John died.
IT..
so com ora. and Slight lisp in her speech
When she entered the court room she throw
herself into her eyes em
mained dry. however. She used her black
bordered Handkerchief Frequently. but only
because the heat was oppressive.
Gso st 8. Vanderbilt Of Princeton AMI capt.
ley and Francie b. Lee OF Trenton. The State
is represented by Prosecutor Bay ard. sl9cnton
Like herself. her sisters and daughters were
attred in deep mourning.
and the then VI" froseeator stockton outlined what
the State expected to prove. When the exam
nHton of rs Sesa ke d rSnR
Borden. q lite insurance agent sending note
to Mrs, sham on the night her son died. which
ance company was going to make an investi-
aroused the, witness and informed him that
three men had been in the house and had
gone away. 1nCy nau neen up stairs III john D
room. she declared, and she was afraid they
had done something lie went up stairs
& he r hn
been arranged over the body was stained with
blood. ~
thing had been done" and went back to bed.
he Thought they were oil at home that night.
Mabel Sham was now called to the stand:
that her brothers remains were violated. She
had not heard her mother the E rise The move;
aroused her. she called out What is the
matter" and her mother rerlied. Nothing.
wat Sf the Sae and Gq her snterns
told her this story; That three men had come
with ths collars turned up: They had on
hsr son was dead: and they demanded to
Ing the hour was late. Two Of the men pushed
hef aside and ascentsd the stairs She tried
hem W snA SuS emit away her
mother s1id. she knew they had done some
MaoeI testified further that she and her
and both administered medicine to him.
inSuest, that her mother :. alop ne had
1t to him personally She had neither seen nor
heard anything Of the three mysterious men
disembowelled her brother. She only knew
What her mother had told her about the affair
The witness was not cross-examined.
The last witness OF the day was J. Watson
Shann. an undertaken OF Kingston. N. J. He
is Mrs. Shann's cousin. She had asked him to
take charge OF the body. Although it was de-
composing fast. Mrs. Sham wou! Id not have
tho remains embalmed 1t was when he had
gone to the house to perform his final duties
that Mrs Sham told him the story OF the
blood on the covering over the body The un-
dertak er will be put on the stand again in the
morning to continue his evidence.