The Republican., 1931-07-02
Continued from Page u

an, last month, and that the aged
woman had declared "Rosa killed her
husband and I'll see to it that she gets
all that's coming to her."
Most of the morning was taken up
in securing a jury: The list Of the
petit jurors of the April term, re-
called last week was soon exhausted,
and it was necessary to summon fif-
ty extra talismen before jury was
completed. The court granted mo-
ton by the State to have all witnesses
excluded when testimony was started.
Mrs. Zelda, when arraigned, en-
tered plea of not guilty, through her
attorneys, Albert A. Doub, Jr., Cum
berland; William R. Offutt and A. T.
Matthews, this city. Frederick A.
Thayer, counsel for Mrs. Carrie Har-
vey, jointly indicted with Mrs. Zelda,
made motion for severance, which
was granted by the court. Mrs. Har-
vey's trial will probably follow that
of Mrs. Zelda. She entered plea Of
not guilty, and her council asked for
a trial before the court. -.
States Attornty Walter w. Daw-
son is being assisted by States At
torney William A. Hustler, Of Allie
gany county, and Ernest Ray Jones.
Doctor Became Suspicious
DIR. E. E. Sollars, of Deer Park, was
the first State witness. He testified
that he was called to the Zelda home
on February 8 and found Zelda dead
in bed, with his tongue swollen and
other circumstances which aroused his
suspicion. DR.. Sollars said he notified
Garrett county authorities and asked
that an investigation be made. He
also said he assisted DR.. H. w. Nc
Comas in the post-mortem eXamina-
fion of Felda's body.
DIR. w. B. Penniman, of the firm of
Penniman and Brown, Baltimore
chemists testified that Felda's viscera
was sent to him by Garrett county au-
thorities and that he found traces of
Strychnine in the stomach. Two bot
ties of liquor, found in the Zelda
home, were also sent to DR.. Penni-
man for analysis. He said one half
pint bottle of liquor contained strych-
nine, but another half-pint bottle did
not contain poison. Both bottles were
partly filled with moonshine, he said.
"Aunt Jane" McRobie, stepmother
of the accused woman, said she lived
at the Zelda home, occupying an up
stairs room. She said Zelda worked
about the house on the afternoon of
February and had chopped kindling
wood for her. The aged woman testi-
fled that Zelda complained of feeling
Ill that evening and said he had been
poisoned. She quoted Zelda as saying
<'Rosa and Carrie did this" Mrs.
McRobie, under cross examination by
defense counsel, denied that she had
any ill-feeling toward Mrs. Zelda,
prior to Felda's death.
Talked About Divorce
r. L. Wolfe, an Oakland barber,
declared that Mrs. Zelda came to his
shop on February 6, two days before
Felda's death, and had her hair cut.
Wolfe said the woman asked him if
he knew of a good lawyer "who could
get her divorce.
w. A. Sturgiss testified that Mrs.
Zelda came to his pharmacy on
February e and purchased some
strychnine, saying she wanted the
poison to kill rats and squirrels. Stur-
giss said the woman gave her name as
Rosa McRobie, her maiden name.
Sheriff Testifies
Sheriff W. H. Haenftling testified
that he was called to the Zelda home
on February and found Zelda dead
in bed. He said the body was rigid
and that the mans mouth was open
and his tongue badly swollen, while
his mouth contained dark matter that
looked like blood.
The officer said he placed Mrs. Eel
da under arrest and that during the
ride to the Oakland Jail the woman re-
marked, II guess you'll hang, me for
this. Go ahead, Pm ready for my
oats" Mrs. Harvey, who was at the
Zelda home at the time, was also ar
rested and brought to the Oakland
gail. Following an inquest, coroner's
jury recommended that both women
be held for action of the. grand jury,
which indicted them. ..: ...<
At the time of the investigation
into Felda's death, Garrett county off
GERS reported that brother of Mrs.
Zelda, F. Luther McRobie, was found
dead in bed about year ago. A
coroner's jury at that time found he
had died of acute alcoholism.
Another member of the family, Mrs.
Felda's sister, also died under peculiar
circumstances about two years ago,
authorities said She SIIccupohod on a