Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-11-05
Woman is Found Guilty in
Connection With the Death
of Edward F, Meyer Her
Fourth Husband.
NO SIGN OF EMOTION
SHOWN BY DEFENDANT
Not Less Than Ten Years
Imprisonment is the Pen
atty; Sentence Will Be
Passed This Morning,
rBx The Associated Press.l

Twin Falls, Idaho, Nov. 4.-Mrs.
LYDIA Meyer Southard was found
guilty of second degree murder
| here this afternoon in connection
with the death of Edward +, Meyer,
her fourth husband. The jury was
out twenty-three hours.
| The verdict was returned at 3:55
o'clock. The defendant showed no
sign of emotion and did not raise
her eyes from the floor when the
verdict was announced.
! A fair sized crowd was in the
court room when the verdict was
announced.
The verdict carries a penalty of
not less than ten years mprison-
ment. Sentence will be passed at
$3.50 a. nj. November 7.
Trial Began September 90.
| Trial here of LYDIA Meyer South
/ ard on the charge of causing the
death of her fourth husband, Ed
ward +. Meyer, foreman of the Blue
| Lakes ranch, Twin Falls, by ad-
minstrating of poison, said to have
been derived from poisonous insect
eXterminator, was opened IN the
district court, Judge w. A. BAD
cock presiding, on September 20
| Counsel for the prosecution con-
sisted of Frank l.. Stephan, irwin
Falls county attorney; Roy l..
Black, states attorney general and
| e. A. walters, former district court
Judge. For the defense w. +.
Guthrie, Homer c. Mills and A. H.
| Hicks appeared.
Three Venircs Drawn.
Because of the extended notoriety
given the case difficulty was en-
Countered in impaneling jury,
week being consumed. In that
period three special venires were
Grawn, each of forty names. The
first of these was dismissed because
of ineligibility of Sheriff f. +. Sher-
man to act as summoning officer
| w. G.. Thompson was selected py
| the court as elisor, the two special
venires being brought into court by
that officer. In addition to these
eighty veniremen, the original par
ell consisted of seventy-five men.
Pra actically the entire total OF 100
rames was exhausted before the
completion of the jury.
Witnesses From Four States.
Witnesses were called from Mis-
souri,, Montana, Tennessee and CAL
ifornia. In all 1S2 witnesses were
named to appear on both sides, but
not all were called to the stand.
The state listed 142 witnesses on
the indictment, while the defense
named about forty. Hypothetical
questions, together with clinical
discussions consumed the greater
portion of the five weeks devoted
ito the trial Many physicians
chemists and similar professionals
we're called upon to give testimony
as expert witnesses.
The trial proved a legal battle
| from the start. with counsel lock-
ling horns on scores of important
questions arising during the prog
, ress of evidence taking. Probably
| the bitterest battle was waged over
the states request for permission to
| introduce evidence relating 10
| deaths of husbands of the accused
other than the one named in the in
formation. The court ruled this
testimony admissible.
Contradictory Testimony.
Physicians in some instances con-
tradicted testimony of other expert
witnesses, especially on the ques-
tion of death cause. Ths defense
throughout maintained that in all
instances involved death resulted
from natural causes.
Analysis made by Herman
Harms, Utah state chemist; e. f.
Rodenbaugh, state chemist or
Idaho, and e. r. Dooley, Twin
Falls city chemist, all agreed as to
the presence of poison in all bodies
exhumed.
On the stand the accused woman
maintained an unperturped att-
tude through long grilling by the
prosecution, which failed to derive
any important admissions from her.
Every session of the trial found
the court auditorium filled to ca
pacity. principally by women ana
pirlq