New-York tribune., 1911-03-16
CALL MRS. MELBER SANE
AIienists Testify for State at
Murder Trial at Albany.
NOT IMBECILE, THEY SAY
DR.. Wagner Found No Delusions
Or Hallucinations-Jury May
Get Case To day.
IN, relcsranh 10 The tribune

Albany. March 15-The fate OF Mrs. Edith
Melber on trial for killing her son George
nv forcing carboic acid down his throat
4, a swamp south of this city, will he III
-he hands OF the jury tomorrow. At
o'clock this afternoon the state announced
It's case rested and the defence will start
summing up when court convenes to-mor-
row. Statements that Mrs. Melber is sane
and was sane at the time the crime was
committed. that she is not an imbecie. as
testified hv the experts for the defence.
hut possesses all her faculties and has an
exceedingly good memory were made by
three expert aienists for the prosecution
TODAY i'm reply to Hypothetical question
OF four thousand words
There was intense interest when Or.
Charles c. Wagner. superintendent or the
Rinchamton State Hospital. was called for
the people He was the first alienist for the
prosecution. Dr Wagner was one OF the
experts i'm the trial Of Harry Is. Thaw.
The witness said that he wanted to as
certain il she had any delusions. and asked
her if she had any enemies; hut she an
svered none that she knew Of. He said
he then tried TO find if she labored under
hallucinations: that is. errors Of sense. mis-
takes of hearing and smell. lie asked her
if she ever saw or heard anything IKE
imaginative persons She said al times she
saw different members of her family in
dream. and one night she saw her husband,
who said 10 her: Don't worry, dearie;
everythinr will he all right lie asked
her then to pronounce words which are
frequently used in insanity tests. She an
swered correctly and pronounced them IN
telliCently.
"F'rom your examination Of her would
YOU Judge her sane or insane?" asked the
District Attorney.
Sane"
DO YOU think she was sane on January
6 the day the crime was cormitted?'
Il do"
Dr.. James Montgomery Mosher was the
next expert called He testified that he
made thorough physical ana mental eX-
animation Of Mrs. Melber and found her
10 he sane. He corroborated Or. Wagner's
testimony regarding imteciity. and said
tha Mrs Melber was not affected with
that form OF insanity.
Dr Charles ". Pilgrim, another expert.
also testified that Mrs Melter was sane
now and had been sane at tho time the
crime was committed. Dr. Pilgrim is
superintendent Nl lI' IlhNSbi iNi''A -
sane Asylum al Poughkeopsie. and he was
also an alienist in the Thaw case. Follow
inC their testimony the District Attorney
announced the prosecution had rested its
case.
chief Quslsy Of Rochester. recalled to
day. swore t0at he regarded Mrs. Meihers
actions when she was under arrest in ms
office as entirely rational
Allen Rhtnchart. the young man VINO
sworc previously that he was keeping
steaIy company with Mrs Melber two
years agC. when he was seventeen. had
ar uncomfortable five minutes I'm The Wit
ness chair after he had testified that in
li, Judgment the woman's actions were
crt:roly rational
"Ycu have testified tbat Mrs Meiber
s>koG YOU to marry here" Nr. Palmer said.
"Src did" said tho witness
"I'o -ou base YOUR judgment Of her men
tai ~rpndness on that act?''
"Noe. -iv. parity" 5dmitted tho witness,
rrirninc and wriceins in his chair
one of tho jurors suffered an attack of
Indigestion TODAY. bur his condition is not
such that it IS thought thar the trial viii
ho delayed.