Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-14

ALBANY. n. Y. January 1.-THE
police are taking precautions to prevent
hostile demonstrations against Mrs. Edith
Melber when she is brought here from
Rochester to answer the charge OF MUIR
dering her five-year-old son, George, by
tective Reed started from Rochester with
the woman at 1885 o'clock this morning.
The police are investigating story that
Mrs. Melber intended to marry q young
Schenectady man, as a possible motive
for the crime. In answer to her plea that
she was unable to give the hoy proper
care because she had not money to keep
him in an institution, they present the
declaration of the relatives of the childs
dead father.
These say that since the "a ther death
they made several efforts to have the boy
placed i'm their care. but that the mother
would not consent. Yhe reason Mrx. Mol
| ber gare Tor this S-refssal~is- that her hus-
bands relatives declined 10 take the
child unless she would agree to resign all
claim on him.
Collapses After Confession.
ROCHESTER,, y. Y, January H.-Ats.
George MeIber. the young Schenectady
woman who was arrested here last night
on information from Albany charging her
with the murder Of her five-year-old son
George. was taken to Albany today. She
collapsed completely last night after be-
ing questioned by the police officials and
m nfnS i'm. t, ta iYaa nd InAo
Of physician and nurse were necessary
throughout the night
DIR. Julius Berkman. the county physi-
clan, who attended Mrs. Melber declares
that she is in a serious condition, and
it was at first thought this morning that
she would not be in condition today to be
taken to Albany 10 face the charge
against her
Later in the morning. however. Mrs.
Melbers condition showed SO much i'm
provement that Detective Reed decided
to take her to Albany on a train leaving
Rochester at II 20 o'clock. Closely guard
ed and thickly veiled. Mrs. .Melber was
placed in a closed cab and driven to the
New York Central station.
Doesn't Know Why She Did It.
Yes did it. | don't know why. but
was distracted and wasn't aware OF what
l was doing.
fession TO poisoning made to Chief of Po-
lice Quigley at police headquarters.
Mrs. Melber MAS placed under arrest
by Detectives OBr,en and Mcdonald or
the local bureau at the New York Cen
trail station here AT = O'Clock YES G day
afternoon, when she appeared in the baS
gage room TO identify her little trunk
With the check number J69Iaj
The officers had been waiting for her
for lanea si.rn hon hcA -
received a phone message from Albany
shortly after noon giving description
of the woman, the fact that she had
had her trunk checked TO this city from
Schenectady and the number Of the
check.
Arrested Getting Trunk.
When she asked for the trunk one OF
tho detectives told her she Was under
suspicion of having stolen JcNelry COLI
cealed in the trunk. She declared in
very quiet manner that she had not.
They told her it would be necessary to
take her TO headquarters, and after pro-
testing against such a course as an oat-
rage she resigned herself Her manner
was cool and collected. On the way TO
the headquarters in a trolley car. how
ever she gave a little gasp ana ca
claimed:
Il don't see why they are taking me
up to the police. I haven't done any
thing. Why didn't they look in my
trunk:
She rcSaincd her composure and kept
silent during the remainder of the trip.
Upon arriving at police headquarters
Mrs. Melber was questioned for an hour
by the police officials. She told them At
first her name was Ada James ana mat
she was staying at the y. w Z. y. "hile
she was looking for work.
When one of the officials opened :.
handbag she had been carrying ana pro
duced a letter addressed to Edifh Mel
her and asked her IL that was not her
name she declared il was not. She in-
sisted that the bag didn't belong 10 her.
Confesses to Staying Son.
The Young woman told many conflict
ing stories as the investigation proceeded.
and finally broke down and confessed
that she WAS the mother OF the boy
found near Albany and then she admit
ted that she had poisoned him.
She told a pathetic story of how she
had tried TO have the child cared for in
various institutions in Albany. but had
raiIed because she had been unable 10
"a, for his maintenance. She said that
shc had To work for her living since her /.
died. about three years ago. and
hat she found it difficult to do this and
arc for the child. too.
After visiting the Albany Home for
rhihlren. she said ard being unable 10
place him there. because none of the of
icials was present, she became dis
Ii was then. she said, that she
lnatI I@d TO. ia ~ H. Ill