Smyrna times., 1904-05-04
MUCH SMYRNA INTEREST
IN POWELL MURDER CASE
JOHN TILGHMAN AND WILLIAM H. DOIJGH
TEN ARE THE SMYRNA MEN ON JURY.
Harry c. Tschudy Was Challenged Because
He Had Formed an Opinion Which the
State Believed Could Not Be Altered.

Mrs. Mary A. Powell. charged with
the brutal murder of Estelle Albin.
her adopted daughter, was placed on
trial for her life at Dover Monday.
in the Kent County Court House.
The little court room was crowded
with spectators-rlch and poor alike
each eager for a glimpse of the woman
charged with one of the most afro.
cious crimes in the state. Althougb
the trial was set for 10 O'Clock, it was
nearly O'Clock in the afternoon when
the accused woman was brougbt into
the court room. She was accompa-
MED by two tipstaves, each bearing a
spear, one red and the other black
signifying blood and death. Thew sat
on either side of her. Mrs. Powell
sat with an air of celmness while her
jury was drawn, after three hours of
hard work. The twelve men were
finally drawn and sworn as follows:
James jenkins, John Tilghman, Har.
~ Jones, William T. Doughten.
William George, Nathaniel FARRELL.
Caleb Boggs, Thomas P. Davis, Cove
5. Short, Robert Fl. Green, Herman
Dill and William T. Case. Harry @.
Tschudy of Smyrna, escaped being
panneled owing to the fact that he had
formed an opinion that could not be
changed.
Attorney General Ward States the Charge.
Attorney General Ward, after de.
fnlng the degrees of murder and de.
Scribing the farm house, near Bowers
Beach, where the murder occurred.
said: ION the morning of February 9.
Alfred Nj. Powell, husband of the de.
tendant, left the house at $50 o'clock.
Estelle Albin disappeared about II
o'clock and has never been seen alive
since. About 4 o'clock in the after
noon the body of the girl was found in
the garrett of the house, lying in a
pool of her own blood. Her throat
was cut from ear to ear, so deeply that
the cash went to the backbone, run
ning from one side to the other and
such a cut that it would not have been
self-inhicted. The head showed evil
dences of having been beaten re-
peatedly, bruises inflicted with such
terrible force as to break the scalp.
Upon the hands and arms of the girl
we're large number of cuts-on one
arm fifty cuts and Sits, cut with a
sharp knife. The inside of the hand
was cut clear across and all the wav
through. In her hand was placed
knife, laid in the open hand by that
Of another"
Motive Of Jealousy Caused the Crime.
Then the States chief prosecutor
made the charge against Mrs. Powell
as the perpetrator of the crime, ascrib-
ing her motive as jealousy because
OIL her husbands attachment to the |
Young woman, and because of which |
she had been subject to various indig-
mites. The prisoners husband. AL
ned NJ. Powell, whose attentions to
Tue dead girl are believed to have
aroused Mrs. Powell to the jealous
Fenzy which ended in the murder,
was early in the court room. He took
aseat back of the prisoners dock. and
although neatly dressed in we'll fitting
clothes, presented distressed appear
ance' DIR. W. F. Hoey arrived early
also and he was assigned to a seat on
Tue right of the room. DIR. Hoey is
one OF the three physicians who exam
iued Miss Albin and pronounced her
asulcide before the Corners jury.
~ a. Robin, the meteorological ex-
pert formerly of Delaware College,
'ale into court with his apparatus for
e'tlng bloodstains. It was to DIR.
l''Oin that the clothing of Mrs. Pow
'l was sent for examination.
"''Oand OF Accused Woman Denies Charge.
Fo"ell denies emphatically that he
~ ever ignored his wife or put Es-
S 'ls Aioln above her in the admins
a1non OF his home affairs. Without
y alleged confession which is said to
- u''s been made to the Grand Jury
= LA' indicted Mrs. Powell on April %.
- state can summon no Witnesses Of
Ipor'ance. The defense, which is in
NJ ~ hands Of Mrs. Powells attorneys,
1''is and Ridgley, assert that they
~. 1O' believe the woman made the
,a'sss'on, and will try to show, in
n.y. 49, .he alleged statement is produced,
~ 1t was made under coercion.
'''y Presented With wOmau's Confession.
auy hope Mary Ann Powell may
a. lAd concerning an acquittaI on
d,r. Saarge Of numbering her foster
T~ohttr, Egtolla Afhsr ..,.o Isn.ofloI