New-York tribune., 1911-03-07

he loved me-!
An extra panel OF one hundred jurors
was drawn to-day and counsel on poth
sides hope to have the jury selected before
to-morrow's session ends.
Wealthy Widow to Lend Aid.
II Is said flat Mrs. Melton Stanford.
wealthy widow Of Schenectady. has taken a
deep interest in Mrs Melber. and viii lend
her support during the trial. Mrs. stan
ford was formerly Miss Bertha Sanford. OF
Brooklyn, and married Melton Stanford,
grandson OF Leland Stanford. the wealthy
phlanthrophist of California Both she
and her sister. Mrs. Grant l. Sanford. VIII
attend the trial They believe Mrs. Melber
Is insane, and was not responsible for the
act
Promptly at II o'clock court was con-
vened and the case moved for trial. With
firm step. and the Same Indifferent de-
meauor that has characterized her since
her arrest the prisoner entered the room
and walked direct 10 the seat beside her
counsel She wore a large black picture
hat and a blue tailor made suit She is a
small woman. thin and pale and with regu-
larly moulded features. After taking her
resumed her former attitude OF indffer-
ence.
! Never having been regularly arraigned
| to the Indictment found against her she
was asked TO enter a plea Through her
counsel she pleaded not guilty. and the
examination and selection Of the jury be-
gan Immediately. Wesley Snyder. a
farmer, of Bethlehem, was the first juror
selected by both sides. He said that he
had read Of the case, but had not formed
an opinion. He was the only juror selected
out Of the fifty odd examined up to the
| time OF adjournment. Many did not be-
lieve In capital punishment, while Others
held that they might be swayed in the
verdict because q woman was on trial.
| Anxious to Be Dressed Well.
| The question 10 be determined by the
| jury Is whether or not Mrs. Melber is
sane. She has readily and freely admitted
| having forced the poison down her little
boys throat, bu. It is the contention OF her
counsel that she was not responsible for
the net. There will be a large array OF
insanity experts on both sides TO testify.
| At no time since her arrest has she
broken down. She has maintained calm
and f-possessed demeanor and not once
has she been known to shed a tear for her
dead boy. One Of her chief characteristics
| is vanity. During the days leading UP to
the trial her chief concern has been her
appearance She wanted TO be dressed
well.
| On the afternoon OF January l3 the body
Of baby boy was found almost concealed
| In clump of tall reeds by q hunter who
was following his dogs across a stretch OF
frozen swampland on the outskirts of AL
bany. The boys face had been horribly
burned BY poison. a half empty bottle OF
carboic acid and a bag of chocolate drops
were the only clews.
For two days the authorities unsuccess-
fully sought to learn the boys name
Theory after theory. ranging from abduc-
ton for ransom to Black Hand murder
was run down and proved false by the po-
lice Two days after tho discovery OF the
body George Melber. Of schenectady, a
blacksmith. identified the body as that OF
his grandson, George Melber. whom he had
thought safe in an orphan asylum.
Knowing who the lad was the police I'M
mediately Instituted a search for his par
ents, and when they learned that Mrs
Meber had left the house where she was
working IN Schenectady they felt sure the
solution Of the mystery was at hand. She
was traced to the station in that city and
telegraph messages were sent to the police
OF the state asking for her apprehension
Confessed the Killing.
The same afternoon as prepossessins
Young woman stepped up 10 claim trunk
on the station platform at Rochester she
was arrested, charged with the murder A
first she denied her Identity. but later
broke down and confessed the killing. She
declared that she was ordered TO take the
hoy from the Schenectady orphan Asylum
| because she could not pay his board, and
that she came to Albany TO put him in an
| institution here Admission was refused
she said. and she purchased some acid and
| the candy at n drug store. Then she
walked TO the place where the body was
found and poured acid down her boys
throat when he complained OF being thirsty
| and had asked for water.
| Then she says she kissed him. laid his
body on the ground and took the next car
| for Schenectady.
She resumed her position as housemaid