The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-06
mrs. ED|THME
IS now on TRIAL
Woman Who Murdered Her
Little Boy Faces Court
Well-Nigh Friendless
SHE is ALMOST A
PHYSICAL WRECK
Tells Pathetic Story of Her
Attempt to Provide for
Little One After Her
Husbands Death

ALBANY, N Y, March enlarged
with decoying her baby boy to a lonely
black swamp on the outskirts Of this
city, and. when he begged piteousiS
for water to quench his thirst, forcing
carbolic acid down his throat and muir
dering him, Mrs. Edith Melber, a pre-
possessing young woman was placed on
trial here to-day. The prosecution ar
leges that she was tired of her child
and wanted his out OF the way that
she could marry again. A verdict or
murder In the first degree and the
death sentence will be demanded by
district attorney Sanford and because
of the feeling against the woman a
strong guard of police was In the court
room to prevent any demonstration by
order of Supreme Court Justice Wes-
ley Howard. who presided.
Mrs. Melber's defense win be insan-
ity Since she was arrested she has
suffered a mental and physical break
down, and her attorneys. John III. Du-
gan and Geo. NJ. Palmer say she Is
now suffering from quick consumption.
This was denied by Sheriff Platt be-
fore court opened.
Mrs Melher looked almost a physical
wreck when she was brought into court.
All of her relatives, with the excep-
ton of sister. have deserted her.
while the relatives OF her dead husband
will testify against her. Whether Mrs.
MeIber will take the stand has not
been determined by her counsel. She
49, zA 81 D tzA
death of her son to get rid Of him and
tells a pathetic story Of her attempts
to care for him following the death of
her husband from tuberculosis four
years ago. She had left the child with
her husbands relatives, she says. but
they finally tired az him. Then she
took him TO Albany and tried to place
him IN an asylum Du; the authorities
would not take him. She says she
had no place to go she and the child
wandered the streets until tired and out
of her head from cold and hunger she
finally bought the poison and gave II
10 George. She then fed to Rochester
! where she was captured.
The Rochester chief of police will be
one OF the chief witnesses against Mrs.
Melber He will relate TO the jury her
confession that she killed the boy. He
viii also introduce the original confess
:
behring's with the boy. and the purchase
Of the carholic acid. she says;
We got on car and rode a long
while. We got of near q piece of
woods and took Georges hand and
wc walked across the field. Finally
he began to cry. Mama he said. I'm
awfulIy thirsty and hungry too. There
was no place where | could get him
a drink. so we sat down and uneorked
the bottle and held II TO his little mouth
telling him 1, was water. He believed
me and took the poison. He gave one
little cry. struggled for moment and
then fell back dead. I smoothed hts
little limbs and left him. had tried
to do for him and make him living
but had been unable 20 make even one
for myself
sheriff Plat had received several let
tiers from women asking that they be
admitted TO the trial. The sheriff re-
piled that he would not discriminate.
and would exclude no one until the
seating capacity of the court room was
filIed.
An exera panel OF 100 talesmen was
drawn for the trial, and II IL expected
that two or three days will be required
TO secure a jury.