New-York tribune., 1919-06-24
Children Barred i.
At. Mothers Trial
On Murder Charge
jury Is Quickly Chosen in
Case of Mrs. Hanglin,
Accused of Causing Baby's
Death; Witnesses Heard

NEWARK, N. j., June 23.--Mrs.
Coma Hanglin, propretress of q
nursery, at 81 Howard Street, was
placed on trial for murder in the Court
Of Oyer and Ter,niner here bcfere
Judge Harry v. Osborne. She is
charged with causing the death of the
baby of Paul Esdorf, whose charred
bones were dug from shallow gra We
IN the cellar of the nursery on Nay IL.
During the selection Of the jury the
prisoners husband and her two chill
dren entered the court room. The man
sat down and gathered six-year-old
Paddy and four-year- Jean into his
lap. AS soon as they saw Mrs. Hangiin
they set up shriil cries for Mamma"
and burst into tears.
Immediately handkerchiefs began TO
flutter about the court room and sew
eral OF the talesman wiped their eyes.
restored order and then remarked,
sternly:
Il think it will be best if these chill
dren are excluded from the court room
for the remainder of the trial.
The jury was completed early in the
day, and in the afternoon Assistant
Prosecutor Bernhard opened for the
state. He charged that Mrs. Hanglin
"wilfully, feloniously and with malice
aforethought" caused the death of the
child.
OPrisoner Is Unmoved
The woman sat wholly unmoved
throughout his address. She wore
black hat, cape and skirt and white
shirtwaist. Not even the jar Of black-
ened fragments of bone, which was
shown to the jury, shook her COM
posure.
She also listened impassively to the
story of John Esdorf, father of the
dead baby, who told Of the death Of
his wife and of how he intrusted
three months old Paul to Mrs Hanglin
on December II, 1918.
The witness told of calling at the
nursery several weeks later and be-
ing shown a baby, fat and fourishinp.
which Mrs. Hanglin told him WAS his.
On January %, 1919, he received a let
ter from Mrs. Hanglin, which was in-
troduced in evidence. It read:
Il am lnclosing picture Of little
Paul taken on Christmas Day. he -
getting nice and fat, but he didn't
want to get his picture taken. Don't
come to see him before April. be-
cause he is now in Atlantic City"
When the bones of little Paul were
round IN the cellar Sf her home she
told the authorities, according to Will
lam Untcrman OF the Childron's Ala
Society, who also testified Yesterday.
that he had been burned 10 death in
his baby carriage on December IL
three days after he was taken into the
nursery.
Late this afternoon the prosecution
practically concluded its case when it
introduced in evidence the alleged con-
tession of Mrs. Hanglin. Police Ser
geant George Callan swore she die
tated 1t to him at Police Headquarters
on May IL. 1t reads:
While washing the baby it fell
asleep and / put it in a carriage and
went out to the store. This was in
the morning. December 13, about 4
o'clock. When i returned in short
while l found my youngsters crying.
Paddy said that Jean had fallen
out Of bed. went to pick up Jean
and ! smelled burning cloth. Then
saw the baby, Psul, in the Are iri the
open fireplace. picked him up and
! got basin of water Then found
ne was dead. was going to send for
doctor, but became frightened
when realized he was dead and tool
the body TO the cellar, dug a hole with
siechen knife and buried the baby.
captain G. Albert Gasser. of ths
bureau OF Combustibles, an expert or
fres, said he examined the fireplacs
Few weeks ago and found no evidenc,
Whatever OF there ever having been !
fire in it--no SCOT, carbon or anv dis
| coioration whatever. No Are Of ana
cient intensity to burn the child couit
ever have been built there In III.
opinion, Ne testified.