The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
DIDN'T BELIEVE MRS.EDWA
MURDERESS ONCE BEFORE SAD
GREiSON WiSN'T GUILTY.
District Attorney Rothermcl Didn't Credit
1t, and Then She said Greason Helped
Her TO kill Her HuSband--Hoped
to Gain 1emency for Herself

READING. Pa, Feb. H. Another UNI
usual affidavit in the case OF Mrs hate
Edwards, under sentence OF death, was made
public here to-day. The sworn statement
ia made by Oliver Lentz, counsel for Mrs.
Edwards, and is to be laid before hASupreme
Court of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, on
Monday,
Mr. Lcntz swears that after Mns. Ed
wards was convicted of the murder OF her
husband he was called upon by District
Attorney A. H. Rothermel, who wanted to
use Mrs. Edwards MS a witness in the trial
of Samuel Greason, the woman's alleged
paramour. Mr. Rothermol agreed not to
interfere TO prevent oommutatlon before
the pardon board II Mrs. Edwards would
tell the truth at the Greason trial. he says:
We two attorneys called on the woman
in her cell. She promptly sad she would
tell all the truth, that only she and her
daughter had done the deed. This Dis
trict Attorney, Mt this, charged Mrs. Ed
wards with fasifying, saying that he had
different testimony and that he knew better
Then Mre Edwards became unconscious
In her cell. We two attorneys then left
the prison and Mr. Rotherrnel maintained
that the woman was falsifying to shield
Greason. that her daughter Mary was will
ing to swear Greason was at the house on
the night Of tho murder and was guilty OF
the crime
LAWYER Lentz then goes on to say fur
Their that he again visited the prison, told
Mr., Edwards the story, whereupon she
again became unconscious, and when she
revived she exclaimed: Don't you believe
me? Won't anybody believe met
Finally Mrs. Edwards was told Of othes
evidence the Commonwealth had against
Greason. aud the woman at last confessed
that Greason was at the house that night
and he did it. This was in the winter Of
1901 Later the then District Attorney,
Mr.. Rothernel and Ar. Lentz visited tho
woman in jail, where she confessed that
Greason did it, and on his trial she so testi-
fed. and this convicted Greason OF murder
in the first degree.
Mrs Edwards has also sworn TO a state
inent that the foregoing Ia true and that
she had lied gainst Greason in the hope OF
securing the aid Of the prosecution TO so
cure her Communication before the Board OF
Pardons. that she told tie truth at her own
trial; that she and Mary did it, and that
when she was not believed and promised
help to save her own life she told the story
against Greason 10 aid the prosecution
against Greason, in the hope that she would
escape the galows.
Mr.. Rother1nel IL now in Jamaica and
cannot be seen TO secure his statement,
but the attorneys here maintain that he
did his duty as he saw IL, that he believed
he had evidence enough TO convict Greason.
but that he needed Mrs. Edwards's testi
mOnv. and that when she confessed against
Greason he believed her. So did Attor-
ney Ientz Now Mrs. Edwards oonfesses
that what she swore against Greason at
that time was Gil a lie; that he was not
present at all at the murder.
vii a. hpfnrn
f'lll bench OF the Pennsylvania Supreme
Court on Monday, and it is supposed here
that Greason viii get a new trial. and that
Mrs. Edwards will not be hanged on Feb .
10, as she will be needed as a witness Mary
Edwards, the daughter now In st. Louis,