Evening star., 1925-11-18
DISTRICT WOMAN
FREED IN MURDER
Mrs. Mary Malta Found Not
Guilty in Staying Step
father of Her Husband.
Dispatch to The Star

Special Dispatch to tn. Star
CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE. y j..
November 1s.-Mrs Mary Malta. %
was sent on trial for her life Monda y.
charged with he murder Of her hus-
bands stepfather, Noel Pappa Ia rdo. is
free
The jury. after deliberatinC for an
hour and 40 minutes, brought in y
verdict of not guilty. Mrs. Malta.
who was led into the courtroom hv
Chief of Police Albert Thompson 10
hear the verdict. was in a very nery-
Gus state and uneasy.
The woman walked slowly to her
seat and listened sttentively as Assist
ant County Clerk Rohrhach called the
name of each juror and asked wheth.
er or not they reached verdict.
The young mother listened as Fore
man Frank Miller answered "Not
guilty" She Immediately broke into
tears and was on the verge of break
down. and her husband came 70 heu
aid. She embraced her five-month-old
child, who was brought 10 her.
Courtroom in Uproar.
The packed courtroom went int" an
uproar when the verdict was given
and Justice Campbell raped for or
der.
~ crowded courtroom was in evil
dence this morning as Attorney VOL
verton began his plea for the young
Wonlan's acquittal.
Wolverton. who was former prose
cutor of Camden County. described
Pappalardo as AN enormous. hurly
brute Of man. weighing $50 pounds
and over feet in height
An unsuccessful attempt was made
10 offer Pappa lardo's will in evidence
before the defense began it's closing
address
The defense attempted 70 prove ~
the will that Pappalard hated his
stepchildren and that he had an
ulterior motive when he offered T."
msk Joseph Natfia his st epson. man
a ger of the hotel
The passage Of the will which
charles Wolverton tried unsuccessful
ly 10 offer in evidence was: MY wife
shall not he permitted tn conduct or
manage the hotel My executors shall
watch tha children Of her frs mar
riaee. who have great influence over
her. They are worthless and dissipated
and never did respect me and nevnr
helped the family. I insist that they
he kent away from my property"
The objection was made on tho
ground that tho will was drawn up in
1929 and prohated in July of this year:
also that # was innaterial.
Victim in Good Health.
The defense scored a point when Dr
1arence Way. Pappalardo's physician.
estifed in rehUttal that the Swear
Nd man. who was also A Justice of
the peace. was in good health though
subject tn ina aginary Ills. The prose
cution endeavored to prove that the
deceased was in poor health and could
not offer any violence to the defend
ant.
Two officers of the Washington.
u. c. Police Department. testified this
morning for the defense Officer Hell
mith declared that he knew the de-
fendant for over 10 years and rela cd
how he used 10 take her hand and
carry her across the street when she
was going to and from school
Patrick Lynch was the other officer
who testified as to the splendid renu-
tation Mrs. Malta has in Washington.
The various women's orCa MIA tions
of Cape May County who played an
important part in the case rendered
reception 10 the woman last night At
the home of Mrs. f. Moore at North
Wildwood. She will remain there for
few days and then leave for her
/, home. At 71S Fifth street northwest
Washington