Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-11-19

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, November 1S.-The
Post-Dispatch this afternoon says that
Mrs. Henrietta Bamberger, a midwife
living at 919 Choteau avenue, has been
arrested on a bench warrant sworn out
on information laid before the jury,
which charges that she has knowledge
of the murder of at least three women
and the destruction of scores of babies.
The witnesses whose testimony, the
Post-Ditpatch says, resulted in Mrs.
Bamberger's arrest, are Lizzie Rieger,
Mary. Haar and the latter's married sis
ter, all of whom have been in the en-
ploy of Mrs Bamberger as nurses.
The Post-Dispatch continues:
Zone witness alleges that the body
of LYDIA Dessert, of 2113 Madison street,
who disappeared from home in 1897,
was buried in the cellar in September
of that year.
Another witness declares that the
body of Miss Anna Zimmerman, of Mo-
line, Ills, was thrown into the Mere
mac river.
THE story related by the nurses is
almost incredible. The tales deal with
the disposition of bodies in revolving
manner"
Five indictments were found against
Mrs. Bamberger late this afternoon by
the grand jury. One charges murder in
the first degree, three charges man
slaughter in the first degree and one in
the second degree.
Lizzie Rieger and another witness in
giving testimony to the grand jury
said they had seen Mrs. Bamberger
murder baby in $685. They declare
that Mrs. Bamberger tossed the infant
into tub OF water and then. grasp
ing it by the neck choked it and held
it under the water several minutes.
She then took the tiny form, wrapped
it in newspaper, saturated the paper
with kerosene and placed the bundle in
LYDIA Bressert, according to the story,
went to Mrs. Bamberger's for treat
ment in September, 1897. The nurses
declare that the girls ailment did not
necessitate an operation, that she was
laboring under an hallucination. How
ever, an operation was performed. Mrs.
Bamberget locked her in one of the
rooms to smother her cries, that they
might not be heard from the street.
The nurse was at Lyda's side while the
latter died. The nurse declared that
Mrs. hamburger tied the girls arms
across her breast with towel and
swore like fiend, because, as she said,
she would have to pay him" another
$50 to get rid of that one. The nurses
were sent away from the house and told
to remain two days. When they re-
turned Mrs. hamburger did not tell
them what had become of the body ex-
cept to say exultantly that it was taken
away.
Mary Holtcamp, of Mexico, Mo-, the
witnesses said, died from an operation
some time early in November, 1896.
The nurses declare that the girl asked
Mrs. hamburger to notify her parents
at 4hCAlCO SHOutQ sllc Q1Os wi Dam
burger did nothing of the kind.
Mrs. hamburger secured burial per-
nit, giving the name as Mollie Jack
son. DR.. Voisin signed the application
for the certificate, which stated that
the cause of death was peritonitis, due
to exposure.
Annie Zimmerman, of Marine, Ills,
became patient at the hamburger
house in October, 1894. She complained
bitterly of the brutal treatment of Mrs.
hamburger while she was i'll. An oper-
alton was performed and the girl died
some days later.
The nurses declare that Mrs. Bambur-
ger doubled up the corpse, placed it in a
trunk and had it carted to the Merrsnac
river. Mrs. hamburger. they aver, IN
locked the trunk, lifted the body out alone
and heaved it over the bridge railing into
the water below.
Later the nurses learned what was done
with the body The information came
through the publication in the daily pa
pers about the finding of the body OF girl
on the bank of the Merrimac river near
Luxembourg. a hamlet in St. Louis coun-
ty. not far south from the city limits. The
description tailed exactly with the Zim-
norman girl.