The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-03-14
Melber Jurors Show Great
Emotion
AS DEFENCE IS OUTLINED
Attorney for Accused Outlines Woman's
Life and Struggles and Urges She
Be Sent to Asylum-Does Not
Ask Freedom for Her.

Albany, n. T., March a. Mrs. Edith
Weber, the young widow on trial for
her life for. the brutal murder of her
four year-old boy, sat for an hour in
the court room yesterday, scarcely NOV
ing a muscle while her attorney. John
II. Dugan, told the jury why he thought
she should be sent TO an insane asy-
lum for the rest Of her days rather
than to the electric chair
"This poor, defenseless, mindless
woman" was the way Mr., Dugan al
luded to the frail little woman at the
bar, gazing ahead apparently into va
eancy out of beady black eyes. Il
wouldn't II could, be continued, "have
this woman 90 from this room to free
dom. ! believe she should be sent to
an asylum there to spend under mer-
ciful treatment what days remain TO
her. We viii show you that her moth
en- and her husband died from consump-
ton and that the same disease has laid
its deadly grip upon her
Then the attorney proceeded to out
line in a quiet Unconditional way the
squalid story of the accused since child
hood how she was compelled to work
during her mothers illness at SO cents
day; how she married at IL q man
stricken with tuberculosis and was com
PEELED to go with him to the Schenec-
tady poor house; her repeated efforts
to provide home for her child and
what he called the despairing culmina-
ton of her visit to Albany. when the
deadly acid was forced down the boys
throat and his conyulsed form left in
a dreary marsh
This. Mr.. Dugan continued, was short
ly before Mrs Melber had pleaded in
vain for help from her husbands rela
tiyes and had threatened suicide. and
after she was repused in her efforts to
get the child admitted to an Albany in.
stitution with: Go home with your
child out into the cold bitter night.
Only twice did the attorneys voice
rise above the conversational tone. The
first time was when he chided the prose
cution with not having produced the
man who sold the deadly acid TO the
woman The other was the haste with
which the indictment was found
Arrested on Friday brought to Al
bany on Saturday, she was indicted for
murder in the first degree ON the fol.
lowing Monday he exclaimed. II
claim that never in the world could
this indictment have been found had
they not been in such a hurry about
it,"
Several of the iurymen were worked
to tears during the course Of the law
yer's address Juror number kept his
in almost continuous ac
ton. Evidences OF emotion were also /
shown among the spectators three /
fourths OF them women who thronged /
the court room. although most that was
said was inaudible to all except those
Of the front benches
The first witness for the defense was !
John J OHara, a civil engineer who (
produced a map OF the scene OF the !
tragedy. The purpose was to show thai (
the boys body was left in a compare
lively open space while but a few feet /
away there was abundance of wooded /
cover.
Then came Wilbur johnson Micha, I
Connors and Rev. UseI H. Graves. who
visited the Melbers in the poor house
Is relief representative Of the Benev.
,lent Order OF Woodmen. Of which he
vas member. They testified that Mrs.
Nelber's action produced upon their
minds the impression that she was in
'stional or unreasonable One reason
or this conclusion was that sho
Jumped up and down when her hus-
nnd chided her; another that after
he order had advanced funds on her
husbands policy and bought some fur
liture for their new home she showed
ngfatitude' by criticising the arrange
nents. The clergyman said she did not
seem to realize her unfortunate posi-
ion, evidencing. the fact of her skip.
ling out Of the room while humming
tune"
Miss Annie Croft daughter Of the
andadv Of Mrs Melber during her
arly widowhood. testified that the de-
endant boasted OF her superior "eon-
ent education" aud claimed to be
Inc piano player--though she always
ppliupd IN nlaV II