The Washington herald., 1906-11-22

New York. Nov -i.--fhc arrest Of Mrs.
WuheImine Eckhart, the police assert, has
brought 10 light one of the most revolving
tales Of infant murder m Tie history OF
the city. The woman is charged with hav-
ing killed II least a dozen "unwanted'
newborn children and burned their bodies
in her kitchen stove.
She is held in the Tombs without bail
and the police to-day began digging in the
cellar cf her home on East Ninety-thIrd
street, in an effort 10 ind the bodies Ct
some Of her alleged victims Mrs Eek
hart's arrest was instigated by her two
daughters. Mrs. Wilhelmina Ihrig, OF this
city. and Mrs Marie Schoch. whose home
is IN Massachusetts
They say she tried 70 induce them to
join in her nefarious work They refused.
and when she declined TO give I'D the
work. appealed 70 the County Medical
Society.
Attorney John s. Cooper. Of the Medical
Society. made a sworn charge 10 the dis
tTict attorney against Mrs. Eckhart. ac-
cusing her Of numbering from twelve 70
twenty infants in the last four months.
Twisted Their Necks.
District Attorney Jerome continued to-
day TO hunt for evidence against Mrs.
Wilhelmlna Eckhart. the midwife who is
accused Of child murder. 4 search was
made of the womans house. but nothing
of Importance was found Il IS the belief
that the woman killed at least half a
dozen babies by twisting their necks.
She has been arrested a number OF
times. She might still be following her
trade if It had not been for her two
daughters-both respectable women-who
We're Mortified at seems boy grow up
with their mother. a daily witness TO the
things that went on in the house. One
Of the daughters. Mrs. Ihrig. said to-day.
I do not want 10 be referred as a
daughter of this woman. It is true that
she brought me into the world but when
was three DAYS old she abandoned me.
1 was rescued BY my grandmother. who
took care Of me and educated me-
When I came TO this country that
woman was then running an Illegal house
in Paterson. She wanted me TO go into
the house. 1t was then I discovered The
kind OF life she was living here She
made the same proposition 70 my younger
sister"
Burned in Kitchen stove.
Mrs. Shoch, the other daughter. declares
that she saw her mother twist the neck
of q baby. killing it. She wrapped the
body in a piece of paper and kept it all
night The following day Mrs. Shoch
asked what had become Of it. She says
that her mother replied that she had
burned it in the kitchen stove. as it was
the safest and surest way OF getting rid
of il without creating suspicion.
Mrs Ihrig has made an affidavit to the
district attorney in which she says that
her mother told her that she had killed
TWO babies and burned them in a similar
manner.
The search Of Mrs. Eckhart's house to-
| day revealed the fact that her income
must have been a great deal, as it was
deliberately furnished. The police say thai
they have beer trying to get her on other
criminal charges Tor some time, but were
unsuccessful She will be arraigned To-
morrow morning. when the district at
torney viii probably have the charge
against her changed from that Of havine
committed an Illegal operation to murder
In the Tombs, Mrs. Eckhardt, a hard.
faced. beady-eyed woman. made a genera
denial of the charge against her. Sht
said that her business had been Iegiti
mate. and that she never committed child
| murder.