Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-14
Spectators and Jury Give
Way to Emotions.
Inquest into Double Tragedy
Al Maidstone, Vermont.
Dozen Witnesses Examined by
Coroner During Session.

Albany, y. Y. March 13.-Mrs Edith
Melber, the young widow on trial for
her lite for the brutal murder of her
4-vcdr-oid boy sat for an hour in the
court room TO-DAY scarcely moving
muscle while her attorney. John II.
D.gan told the jury why lie thought
she should be sent To an insane asylum
for the rest of her days rather than to
tie electric chair.
This poor. defencelesS, mindless Wo-
man." was the way MIR. Dugan allud-
cd to the frail little woman at the bar
gazing apparently into vacancy with
bcady black eyes L wouldn't if |
could" he continued have this wo-
man go from this room to freedom. |
believe that She should be sent to an
asylum. there to spend under merci-
full treatment what days remain to her.
We will show you that her mother and
her husband died from consumption
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
saualid story of the accused since
chidnood-how she was compelled to
work during her mothers illness at
30 cents day; how she married at l.
man stricken with tuberculosis and
was compelled to go with him to the
Schenectady poor house: how repeated
efforts to provide a home for her child
and what he called the dspairng cul-
mination of her visit to Albany, when
the deadly acid was forced down the
boys throat and his conVulsed form
was left in a dreary marsh.
This, Mr.. Dugan continued. was
shortly after Mrs. Melber had pleaded
in vain for help from her husbands
relatives had threatened suicide and
had been repused in her effort to get
the child admitted to an Albany insti-
tuition.
ONLY twice did the attorneys voice
rise above the conversational tone. The
first time was when he chided the
prosecution with not having produced
the man who sold the acid to the wo-
man. The other was the haste with
which the Indictment was found.
Several of the iurymen were brought to
tears during the course of the lawyers
address. Juror No kept his handker-
chief in almost continuous action. Evi-
dences of emotion Were also shown among
inc Observation-Disclosures of thCil NO-
men.
The first witness for the defence was
John j. O'Iiara. a civil engineer, who pro-
luced a map of the scene of the tragedy.
The purpose was To show that the boys
body was left in u comparatively open
space, while but a few feet away there
was abundance of wooded cover.
Then came Wilbur johnson. Michael
Corners and Rev. Uzicl IL. Graves who
visited the Melbcrs IN the poor house as
relief representative Of the Benevolent
order of Woodmen, of which he was a
member. They testified that Mrs Mel
hers action produced upon their minds
the impression that she was Irrational or
unreasonable. one reason for this con-
elusion was that she Jumped up and
down when he husband chided her and
another was that after the order had
advanced funds on her husbands policy
and bought some furniture for the;r own
home, she showed gratitude" by crltciz-
ing the arrangements.
Miss Annie Croft. daughter of Mrs. Mel
bers landlady, during her early widow
hood. testified that the defendant huasted
of her superior convent education and
claimed to be d fine piano playcr-though
she always declined to play. Others ac-
| cused her of falschood.
Mrs. Welton Stanford Jr the wealthy
young woman engaged in settlement work
who has taken an active part in the pre-
paration of the defence testified to having
visited Mrs. Melber in a hospital about
three years ago and hearing her complain
that she was there because her illness
untitled her for work. Under the gentle
cross-questioning of the prosecuting at
torney. the other witnesses admitted
that others whom they regard as rational
have done things attributed to Mrs. Mel
Der. The case VIII be continued tofnor-
row.