Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-04
WIFE AND MISTRESS.
One Too Many for Comfort aud He Shot
Himself.


ST.. LOUIS, May 27.-The suicide OF
Thos. T. Richards, the retired business
man and patron of fine arts, continues
topic of general comment. The woman
who was indirectly the cause of his death
IS known as Mollie Melville. Five or
six years ago she was member of the
ballet Theater Comique. 1t was about
that time that Richards formed her ac-
| quaintance. Since then he has MAIN
tanned continual relationship of an init
mate character with her; and there have
| been born three children, of whom the
mother declares her late friend TO be the
father. During much of the time the
| woman was maintained in
line style. She is voluptuous in
| form, but without mental quality to
recommend her. Indeed, she was in every
respect the opposite of the refined and
cultivated man who acquired for her a
passion which lasted till his death. In
carrying on this intrigue Richards took
nobody into his confidence. His own
brother was in ignorance of it until after
the suicide. Relatives at first refused to
believe 1t could be true. A few who
were acquainted with the woman, or who
had made the discovery by accident, knew
of the fact that Richards was essaying
the difficult role of rearing two families.
The wife and mistress lived at times not
many blocks apart, but unknown to each
other. The exposure can not be laid at
the door of the mistress. She, it appears,
never had cause to complain of luke
a f,,ln on ha
of her friend 1t was the wife
whose suspicious were aroused. One
time year or two ago she had an intima-
ton of what was going on, and well-nigh
succeeded in uncovering the hidden nest.
There was hasty flight and promises OF
amendment, but the relationship contln-
ued. Recently suspicious were again
aroused. Detectives were employed, and
the wife learned the whole truth. The
woman was living in rooms on Chestnut,
near Ninth, and there Richards resorted
regularly to while away leisure hours.
On Tuesday afternoon, the day of the
suicide, there was stormy scene in the
Richards manson. Revealing that she
knew all, the wife upbraided the faithless
man. She reminded him of what had
been once passed over and threatened a
complete exposure The living of lie
year after year had worn out Richards.
He was prominent in church and at art
circles. He had been reared in St. Louis
and belonged to the top grade of society.
He could not measure the depth of degra-
dation he would feel himfelf sinking into
If the scandal was made known.
Wrought to frenzy by the sharp words of
his wife, he did what he had so often
condemned others for doing-took his
own life. The quarrel, which had lasted
much of the afternoon, eliminated when
Richards thrust his wife from the room,
locked the door, and sent a bullet into
his brain. The family connections
of the Richards are extensive in st. Louis,
and his friends have rallied to defend the
memory of the dead man. They declare
that he was the victim of Matchmaking
conspiracy, and yet, at the same time,
most active efforts are being made to
cover up the scandal 1t is stated to-
night that money will be freely used, and
the woman will be persuaded to leave the
city if possible.