Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-29
THE DENTON SENSATION.
story Of a Social Scandal on the
Eastern Shore.

story Of a Social Scandal on the
Eastern Shore.
A special to the Baltimore Sun, dated
yesterday week, says there is possibility
that Robert j. Jump, the victim of the
Denton assault, may ultimately recover. The
cause of the attack was alleged criminal
intimacy existing between Mr.. Jump and
Miss Sailie o. Melvin, sister of his assailant.
James +. Melvin. Mr.. Jumps friends
emphatically deny this alleged intimacy.
His wife says that she has never had cause
to doubt her husbands faithfulness TO her.
Mr.. Jump is well known throughout the
Peninsula. He was born near Oakland,
Caroline county, December Z, 1888. In
1857 he WAS elected clerk of the Circuit
COURT of his county. In 1864 he was
elected Comptroller of the State, and held
the position until 1867, when he was sue
ceeded by Colonel William j. Leonard, of
Wicomic. He has wife and four children
living. One of his daughters married
Mr.. Charles w. Emmericb, formerly of
Washington, now Of Denton. His second
seventeen years. The two remaining
children are boys, neither of them being
over fifteen years old.
Thomas Melvin, a justice of the peace
and ex-member of the State Legislature.
The John ii. Melvin who died here about
month ago, from injuries caused by roll.
ing out of third story window while
asleep, WAS a brother Of Miss Melvin.
She is about 20 years old.
About six years ago Mr.. Jump became
an energetic worker in the Nj. L. Church
n IlHpfpn nd MI u..la nt..I r,,,ta
of the Sunday school. Miss Melvin was
pupil in the school, and "a regular atten-
dant of class meeting. Mr.. Jump, who
was class leader at the time, would fire.
quently walk home with the young lady.
This went on until 1879, when rumor
began to link their names so often that
MIR. Jump sent resignation to his church.
In October last Miss Melvin went TO
Preston, short distance below Denton, to-
teach school. While there she received so
many letters in handwriting resembling
Mr.. Jumps that her parents, who had
been informed of this, ordered her trunk
broken open. In the trunk were found
nearly peck of letters, and lot of gold
trinkets. The letters were written in a
sentimental style, and filled with endesring
names and were thought to have b. TN
written by Mr.. Jump.
This discovery caused the matter to be
so much talked about that James f. Melvin
sought Jump for the purpose, he says, of
cowhlding him, but the moment he saw
him he picked up the nearest weapon
which happened 10 be the club with which
he inflicted upon Jump injuries which
may yet prove fatal.
James Melvin is about 10 years old,
well built, intelligent and manly looking.
He was sent to college at the expe nse of
his brother, George Melvin, attorney ut.
law and senior editor of the Denton
Journal of which paper he afterwards
made his brother James jurnior editor.
james Melvin is considered n ready writer
and young man of great promise. He
Is now confined in jail awaiting the result
of Mr.. Jumps injuries
| Miss Melvin remains in her rooms at
her fathers house, where hut few persons
are allowed TO visit her. Her meals are
sent to her room. She denies that the
relations between herself and MIR. Jump
were criminal Mr.. George Melvin, how
ever, who is his brothers attorney, lro-
poses to go to the bottom of the affair if ir
| il neO, ssHry
Mr.. Jump is improving, although
several weeks must elapse before he can
be safely said to be out of danger. Young
Melvin filed petition Monday for
release under writ of hsbeas corpus, hut
the court has not yet taken action ia tho
/