The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-01-14
CONFESSES THAT
SHE KILLED HER
LITTLE SON
Mrs. Edith Melber Admits She
Gave Boy CarbOIiC Acid
ARRESTED IN ROCHESTER
Only Reason for the Crime Was That
She Was Unable to Support
Him

Albany, Jan. 14.-Arrested as she
claimed her trunk at the New York
Central station at Rochester late yes
terday afternoon, Mrs. Edith Melber,
of Schenectady, a widow who says
she is % years old, last night con-
iessed, according to the Rochester po-
lice, that in a swamp near Albany
last Friday afternoon she gave her
5 year old son, George, carbolic acid,
from the effects of which he died
She was then locked up on a charge
of murder in the first degree
In explanation of her crime, the
police say, Mrs. Melber asserts that
she has been a widow four years,
during which time she has had a
struggle to care for herself and her
child, and that this battle for exis-
tence drove her to take the boys life
Mrs. Melber who is an unusually at.
tractive young woman, at the end Of
her examination was unnerved and
weeping Historically.
The police were able to make the
capture yesterday afternoon by keep
ing watch at the New York Central
depot over a cheap new trunk that
had been checked from Schenectady,
and which was believed to be the pro-
perty of Mrs. Meber When the
woman appeared to get 1t soon after
o'clock she was arrested. AT first
she maintained considerable compos-
ure and declared that she had given
the child TO an uncle, who was going
to take him to Chicago and care for
him. When she made her confes-
sion, according to the police, she said
that she gave the child the acid when
he asked for a drink.
The police say there is a burn, as
II by acid, on the wOman's hand, and
that other stains are on her clothing
which they think may indicate that
the child did not take the acid with
out struggling. In the wOman's
trunk We're her own clothing and that
of the little boy.
All day yesterday two detectives in
the New York Central baggageroom
at Rochester watched the trunk
which had been identified as Mrs.
Melbers About D. m, young
and well dressed woman, seemingly
unconcerned, came to the baggage Of
fee and was recognized by the Off.
GERS from the description sent them
from Albany as Mrs. Melber
The woman said that she was Miss
Ada James of Fifth avenue, Troy
She said she had come TO Rochester
but recently and was looking for work
and staying at the Young Womens
Christian association.
In the Office of Acting Director OF
Detectives Mcguire and in the pres
ence OF Chief Of Police Quigley and
Inspector Zimmerman Mrs. MelbeI
repeated the story told at the sta
ton.
Chief Quigley asked her what had
become OF her son. The woman hes
itated and began to talk slowly. She
said he was with her cousin in Chi
cago but that she was going to see
him soon. She had been a widow
about four and a half years and had
been doing housework in Schenectady
Just before Christmas she had beer
notified by the Chlldren's Home ii
Schenectady, where her son was be
ing kept that she must take him away
She took him to his uncle's home bu
said that few days after Christmas
she was told to come and get him. She
tried to get him back in the Home bu
was told she could not do so unless
tho board was paid.
The assistant matron, she added
reented to an extent, and suggested
that she would help her to put tn,
boy In an Albany institution. SO OF
Friday, January 6, she went TO Alban!
by trolley. taking the boy. Sh,
reached Albany about 1880 o'clock
and went to the institution, which Il
in the suburbs. A girl in the Office
she said, telephoned to several otlic
ials and charity organizations bu
could get no authority for permitting
the child to remain
Mrs. Melber said she then wen
down town, where she met n cousin
George Teller, who told her he wal
going to Chicago the next day wher,
he had obtained good job, anS
would like little George with him. So
she said she took the child TO the sta
ton the next day, where. after tear
fu parting. her cousin took charg,
OF him. She then returned TO Schen
ectady and on Thursday left there FOL
Rochester whore she intended to carr
some money and go to Chicago e
find her boy and cousin.
DO you know said Director Ma
gulro, speaking slowly, that the deat
body OF your little son has been fount
In n vacant lot just over the city line
Of Albany DO you know that h,
was killed by being forced to drinl
carbollc acid, aud that YOU are oharg
ed with the murderY
MY Cod" screamed Mrs. Molber
MY Godl | charged with my boys
murder7 To Gods face | declare my
innocence"
sobbing Historically, the younl
woman was removed at once to tbs
matrons floor, where she was for
maily charged with murder IN IN,
first degree. AS the charge was rea'
to her she broke down completely
and admitted that she had lice
throughout. She said that when she
failed to get her little son IN the In
stltution at Albany. she took him &
n drug store in Albany. where sh'
bought ten cents worth OF carboll'
acid. They walked out into the sub
urhs aud while walking the child sal,