Hudson County NJ Archives News.....CASE OF HULDAH ZEEBERT, December 14, 1879
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gary Abrams garila3@hotmail.com September 8, 2010, 7:04 pm

New York Times December 14, 1879
THE NEW YORK TIMES
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1879
Pg. 5
WAS THERE AN ATTEMPT TO POISON THE CASE OF HULDAH ZEEBERT AND THE BOTH FAMILY
     It is probable that civil or criminal proceedings will be commenced 
tomorrow against Charles Both or his wife, or both of them, growing, out of 
the arrest of Huldah Zeeberr. on Jersey City Heights, a few days ago. The 
circumstances of the case are of peculiar interest. Last Wednesday evening the 
Police of the Third Precinct, on the Heights, were requested to arrest a woman 
who was acting in a disorderly manner at the residence of the
Boths, in Waverly Street an officer was sent to the house, and Huldah Zeebert, 
who had been in the employ of the family for two weeks, was found in the wash 
house. She was taken to the station-house, and locked up. Thursday morning Mr. 
Both went to the Police Court, and said the girl had attempted to poison his 
wife. He told Judge David A. Peloubet that the girl had acted singularly, and 
he thought she was partially demented; that on Wednesday evening she had 
placed a bottle or Rhino wine on the table for his wife to drink; that his 
wife had learned that the girl had sent a neighbor's child for Paris green, 
and, fearing that the wine had been poisoned, she had refused to drink it, but 
instead had charged the girl with attempting to kill her. Judge Peloubet asked 
the man to make affidavit to his statement but he refused to do so, and 
declined to make a charge of attempted poisoning against her even on 
information and belief. Judge Peloubet told Both that that was a serious 
charge to make, and if he believed it to be true, he ought to make formal 
complaint, but the man was proof against allegations.
     "Well." Justice Peloubet concluded, "Bring your wife here tomorrow 
morning, and we will see what there is in the casa Mean while. I will hold the 
girl on the charge of disorderly conduct"
     At noon, of Thursday, an officer went to Both's house and got the bottle 
in which the poison had, as alleged, been put, and took it to druggist 
Hornblower for analysis of its contents. Dr. Horn blower said there were 
traces of Paris green in the liquid.
     On Friday morning Mr. Both was in court he retracted all he had formerly 
said, and refused to make a charge against the girl.  His wife was not 
present; Mr. Both said she was too much prostrated to be on hand. The girl, 
who is a rosy German girl, of 20 years, told her story when questioned, as 
follows, to Judge Peloubet
     “Two weeks ago I went into the service of the Both’s. Mrs. Both does not 
speak German. Her husband does and I do. Her husband talked much with me in 
German. His wife seems to have thought that he said too much to me, and that 
he ought to talk to me in a language she could understand as well as I. They 
said I was dirty because the cockroaches invaded the house. I concluded to get 
Paris green to kill them. Mrs. Both objected to its use on account of the 
children, but I sent a little girl for it and got some. Last Wednesday I got a 
bottle of Rhine wine, and put it in on the table.  Mrs. Both sat at the table. 
Mr. Both had not yet come from his labor. I poured some out into a glass, and 
was about to drink it.  Mr. Both exclaimed, "don't drink that; it is 
poisoned." I asked her how she knew, and not believing her, took a swallow. 
Mrs. Both took the tumbler from me exclaiming. "It will kill you." When her 
husband came home and told him I had tried to poison her. They had some words, 
and became excited, and I ran out into the wash house, and was arrested."
     Judge Peloubet could find no reason for holding the girl and she was 
discharged from custody. She is a sister-in-law of Redaman, a grocer on 
Chestnut Avenue. What shape the proceedings against both will take has not yet 
been determined.




Additional Comments:
This article refers to a proceeding in front of Justice David Alcott Peloubet.

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