The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-17
Mrs. Melber Sent to States
Prison
FOR TWENTY YEAR TERM
She Betrays No Emotion When Verdict
Is Announced-Jurors in Tears
When Finding Is Given Out
Three Ballots Taken.

/ Albany, \. s., March ia min
imum sentence Of 20 years at hard la.
Dor in Auburn prison and maximum
Of Incarceration for the period OF her
natural lite was the sentence imposed
yesterday by Justice Howard on Mrs.
Edith Melber, the young widow who
killed her only child BY forcing a dead
Is acid down his throat in desolate
Albany suburb on the night Of January
.. last.
The verdict was returned at 4:45 j.
NJ little more than two hours after
the jury retired. Mrs Melber's attor-
neys, John II. Dugan and George NJ.
Palmer. were unprepared to say last
night whether they would take an APP
! peal. Few exceptions were taken by
the defense during the progress OF the
/ trial and most 81 them on apparently
minor points, After the verdict sew
eral Of the Jurors sought out Counsel.
lor Dugan and ono of them said. with
tears streaming from his eyes:
mir. Dugan. we did the best we could
for you" Then he explained. the 9th
ers asserting that the jurors had agreed
that the rendering Of such verdict
/ would not keep Mrs Melber from the
insane asylum, il she be really de-
lnented. but would operate to prevent
her confinement in such am institution
with the chance Of discharge later on
insanity proceedings
"Ibat admission said lawyer who
had overheard the conversation, MAY
open the door to new trial"
Three ballots were taken by the Jury.
On the first there were six votes for
conviction on the charge OF murder il
the FIRST degree, five in the second de-
gree and one for acquittal Eight ju
rors registered themselves in favor of
the second degree and four for the first
degree at the next ballot On the third
they came together on the verdict rem
dercd
The shriyeled little woman who i
to pass the rest of her life possibly,
OF at least % years oil il. IN prison.
exhibited net the slightest sign Of APP
probation OF her position as the rer-
diet was rendered and the sentence pro-
nonneed Later when her weeping SIS
ter Mrs Linda simmons, flung her
arms about her the tears came aud
she wlithed III agony
"Why didn't they XIII me-. she walled
SOFTLY " only wish they bad taken
my lite I'm ready to die T
Women and men we're weeping
throughout the crowded courtroom
Tears were streaming frem the eyes
Of several Of the jury men and the
faces Of the others were white and
strained
But when Sheriff Platt gently escort
ed tile condemned woman from the
room, and her CLASSY eyes fell upon
Howard Kirk. her love for whom AZ
ccrding to the prosecution, had instigat
ed the crime. d fash 81 anger lighted
her usual impressive features. and she
snarled
"Il have you in Auburn with M
before long
Kirk smjrked bit uttered no audible
syllable
IN his charge to the Jury Justice
Howard laid stress on the point that
they were the sole Judges Of the facts
warned them not 70 be swayed BY pop.
ular prejudice OF by sentiment On
questions Of law he informed them that
il was his province to instruct them.
The justice then read from the stat
ute books the definitions Of Tho VA
rious degrees OF homicide
1T is your privilege" he said ITO
find this defendant guilty of any de-
gree Of homicide provided the verdict /
il sustained BY the evidence. Or ii
YOU are convinced from the testimony
that she was mentally irresponsible /
when this act was committed, she should |
be acquitted.