The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-06-09
Mrs. Rebecca Rosenbarger on
Statement Of Her Son.
SAID SHE TRIED TO POISON HIM
Judge Who Seutoacsd Her 10 Seven Years
Confinement Is Rshuksd- Book Wul Be
Widely Circulated In Indiana.

Indianapolis, Ind, June e.-A book.
unique in it's purpose and makeup, has
Just been issued from the press of Terre
Hauts concern, and Is styled State of
Indina versus Rebecca Rosenbarger."
The book has for It's purpose the re-
moval OF the stain Of crime from wom-
an convicted of an alleged attempt upon
the life OF her son. The book Is given
money value. IL II for gratuitous dis
tribution throughout the state OF In
diana, and In given to the public as
proof OF the innocence OF Rebecca Ros-
enbarger. the accused mother.
The story OF Rebecca Rosenbarger is
not without interest-interest touched
with pathos. Mrs. Rosenbarger lived at
Princeton, this state, and Is the mother
OF four children.
One OF them. a son named Alva, charg-
ed the mother with attempting TO Kill
him with poison In order to procure
money on an insurance policy he held.
On the night OF Nov. 6, 1898, Alva Ros-
enbarger went TO his room, at the home
OF Richard Riggs. In Princeton. Before
retiring he left note asking that he be
called at o'clock in the morning
FOUND IN sTUPoR.
When Mrs. Riggs called him she
found him In a stupor She reused him
sufficiently to hear him mutter that
his mother had given him poison.
Mrs. Riggs hurriedly summoned the
mother from the home OF DIR. o. L. Hud-
son. where she was employed. and when
she reached her sons bedside she sent
for DR.. Walter Ellis, young physician.
The doctor successfully administered
opiates, and upon examining the con-
tents OF the bottle from which the son
received the dose he found the drug to
be hydrate OF choral.
Sensational stories grew out of the in
cident, and the son, youth OF 70, pub
licly accused his mother OF attempting
to hill him. although TO intimate friends.
II was alleged at trial later. he con-
fessed that he had attemnted suicide.
The gossip grew In magnitude, and
Mrs. Rosenbarger was taken before the
grand Jury and indicted. So confident
were her attorneys that she would be
acquitted that they consented TO sub
NIT the case to Judge O. NJ. Welborn,
Judge OF the Gibson circuit court, and no
jury was called.
The case went to trial.. and public SEN
timent was with the defendant. al
though many women believed her to be
guilty.
Surprise followed the announcement
that Judge welborn had sentenced Mrs
Rosenbarger TO seven years fmprison-
ment In the women's Reformatory. The
case was appealed TO the supreme court,
but the supreme court refused to re-
verse the decision. on the ground that
the evidence was In conflict, and the
court had no power TO weigh the evil
dence. and hence could not disturb the
Judgment.
Mrs. Rosenbarger was hurried away
TO prison. leaving her son behind her.
BOOK A REBUKE TO THE JUDGE.
That the book published by Mrs. Ros-
enbarger In intended as an indirect re-
buke to Judge welborn is voiced In Mrs.
Rosenbarger's open statement. She
speaks of her early Christian training
and refers TO the godliness OF her pa
rents and their teachings The first ref
erence to Judge Welborn's sentence is
made during her review Of her record.
Their teachings cher parcnts) ] have
studiously and prayerfully tried to fol-
low" she writes, though I have been
branded as a felon by an unjust sentence
OF Judge O. M. Welborn. TO whom my
case was submitted without the interven-
ton of a Jury, and sentenced to the
woman's prison at indianapolis for sew
en- years"
Mrs. Rosenbarger's statement makes
another reference TO the Judge of the
court by quoting from a letter written
to her by an attorney shortly after her
incarceration.
Charges against Judge Welborn re-
cited in the book and the fact that II
is for free distributin gives rise TO the
theory that opponents Of Judge We'll
born are anxious that the case OF the
state of Indiana versus Rebecca Ros-
enbarger" be given wide circulation
throughout the counties OF Judge We'll
born's district.
Thousands OF copies OF the book will
go into the homes on the farms and In
the towns OF Gibson and Posey coun-
ties.