Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-10
DENIES MURDER OF
BABE IN HOSPITAL
Girl Under Police Guard in Or
ange Institution Protests
Innocence.

IN a death certificate filed To-Day
Joseph Wood Lewis is named as faith
er of the three days-old baby, for
whose alleged murder Miss Malovia
Du Fresno is being held prisoner In
the Orange Memorial Hospital.
A Joseph Wood Lewis is one of the
members of the prominent law firm OF
Lewis g. Bennett. Pittsheld, Mass
Du Fresno was a stenographer with
that firm until last November.
Before he was lawyer Mr.. Lewis
who is married and has family
was a Methodist minister. At one time
ne was a newspaper man. He was
formerly city clerk of Pittstield. and
while in that office studied law.
Miss Du Fresno who is remark
ably pretty girl, became a stenogra
pher IN the offices of Lewis & Bennett
Her home was in Lenox small town
near Pittsfield. Her father is EDWARD
Du Fresno and there are seven daugh-
tiers and four sons in the family. She
was graduated from the Lenox High
School and took a course in the PITTS
field Business College.
DR.. William D. Miningham, deputy
county physician. made out the deatn
certificate for the child. The babes
name in the official papers is Mary
Virginia Ashley. The tot will be
buried today by relatives Of the young
mother. who is under guard or PONCE
men in Memorial Hospital.
When she is able to leave her prl-
vate room in the institution, Miss
Du Fresno will be taken before Judge
Edward w. Woodman and the com
plaint charging her with murder will
be read, and then she is to go TO
Proseeutor Hoods office In the Court
House for disposition. She has abso-
lutely denied numbering the infant,
and in all her talks with Prosecutor
Detective James f. Mason insists she
fell into doze as she nursed the
little one and awoke to find its BODY
growing cold.
Deny Murder Charge.
Her sisters, Mrs. John McCuster, OF
Evergreen place, East orange, the
iatter's husband and Miss Annette
Du Fresno. also a sister OF the pfls-
oner. Joined her at the hospital in
denying any crime.
when she came to the home of her
sigter in East Orange arrangements
were made for her to remain at the
residence OF Mrs. Arthur S. Williams
in Whittingham place, West Orange.
She was also under care of Mrs.
McCusker's physician, Dr. A. w.
Bingham, of East Orange. When
Arrangements were made to receive
her ct the hospital she was given
private room, a day and night
nurse and every attention.
Late Tuesday night when the babe
was left with Miss Du Fresno by
Miss Depew, her nurse, the latter
walked out of the room to minister
70 anot her patient. When she re-
turned she found the infant gasping
and hurried to Miss Millman. night
superintendent. They called DR..
Nunday, the inferno.
He saw the child was dying and
took 1t to the mother. She asked for
some water and baptized the infant
Mary Virginia Ashley. Ashley Is
English for the French surname, Du
Fresno, hence the name the infant
received was the mothers own.
Accused Seems Calm.
Miss Du Fresno cried for her dead
infant, but the night nurse, Miss Mill
man, and day nurse, Miss Duggan,
consulted about the affair. They re-
called that the mother In her anger
had ordered the nurses to take her
child away. calling the infant IN
pleasant names. The influences of a
Clergyman were called in to inform
the mother that her duty was to
nurse the little one before she con-