Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-25
MRS. MELVILLE'S MANIA.
A Painful Story-An Excessive Appetite
for Liquor Said to be the Cause.
PHILADELPHIA Recorf

Inc profound sensation crested by the
first shock OF the news that the wife OF
Engineer Melville bad become mentally de-
ranged was intensified by the rumors current
yesterday in regard to the cause. The true
story of the affair is a most painful one,
When Engineer Melville left his home tC
join the Inflated Jeanette expedition
among the last persons he saw was the good
old physician who had attended his family
since he had been at Sharon HIl-Dr. w.
Fisher Longstreth. A cloud had risen in
Melville's domestic life. His wife had sc-
quired an appetite for drink, which had
more than once involved her In trouble and
threatened to engulf him in ruin. All
efforts to conquer her craving for liquor had
failed, and, although at times there seemed
to be ground for hope, the engineer left his
family with many misgivlngs. He asked
his friends to look after bis wife and the
little girls, and one day. taking the family
doctor aside, said to him: "Look after
them, doctor. leave them in the hands of
Heaven and Of my friends"
On Friday night the voyager returned to
his home, and found his wife under the in
fuence of liquor, and the generous recep-
tion Of the Sharon Hill people was wound
up with drunken orgie, in which Mrs. Mel
Vile and the negro walters were conspicu-
GUS.
A Sharon Hill friend OF Engineer Melville,
lady who lives within hundred yards from
the Melville cottage, said: "Poor Melville's
heart was almost crushed. He had heard in
New York stories which prepared him to find
that Mrs. Melville had not given up her un-
fortunate habit, and these reports had been
in a measure confirmed at Philadelphia; but
for the terrible reality which was to confront
him upon the threshold Of his home he had
not been prepared. Don't misunderstood
me-" added the lady; 81 do not mean to say
a word that might do Mrs. Melville an in
justice. She is q most generous, kind
hearted and sympathetic neighbor
"a mother who loved her children
and took excellent care of them,
in way. think that she is also fond OF her
husband and p-oud of his fame; but the de-
mon which held possession of her has
clouded her whole life and involved her
unhappy family in such distress as is painful
to think Of. AS soon as Engineer Melville
had greeted his children he went into the
sitting room, where his wife was waiting to
receive him. He saw too truly that his
worst suspicious were to be realized.
Opiates and drugs had been given her in
the hope that she might tide over the night.
Once during the evening she broke away
from the reception room and went to the
kitchen, where, in company with the col
ored walters and others, she drank three
glasses Of wine and other liquors. Let us
draw q curtain over the scene between hus-
band and wife when the guests had de-
parted, the children had been put to bed
and the two were left alone-the unfor-
tunate woman and the unhappy man. The
reaction after weeks and months of over
indulgence came at last. Mrs. Melville
became alarmingly delirious. She threat
ened to kill her husband, drew q pistol on
him, and declared that she would not only
end his life but would destroy her children
and burn down the house. Mr.. Melville
left the house In order to pacifY her. And
the man who had braved death in its most
dreadful form without tremor fed into the
dark night, miserable and crushed in spirit.
Fearing that his wife might do harm to her
self and her children he sent man back to
watch the house while no went to procure
the aid Of medical advice and the counsel
of friends. The result Is already KNOWN
Another neighbor and friend OF the Mel
vile family, to whose house Engineer Mel
vile went on Sunday morning, says that
she never saw such picture of grief In her
life. For a few moments he gave way to
his feelings In flood of tears, with his head
bowed between his hands. He had been
without sleep all night, in anxious consulta-
ton with Drs. Longstreth, Of Sharon Hill,
md Rsrtleson, Of Clifton. and friends from
Darby. Later In The day the two dOeters
visited Mrs. Melville, ants @fteT consulta~
tioD, signed certificate that her mind bad
been deranged by chronic alcoholism, and
delivered 1t to her husband.
Engineer Melville, after further consul'a-
tion, determined to have his wife removed
to an asylum. This was accomplished yes
terday morning. Two large carriages drove
up to the Melville cottage early IN the
morning. From one out stepped Engineer
Melville himself. and from the other two
gentlemen from Darby. As quietly as pos
sible the unfortunate lady was told that she
would be compelled to 90 to the Norris
town Asylum. She submitted at first, but
afterWard declined to go unless the children
were sent along with her. Engineer Mel
vile, with his hat in his hand and his head
bent down, stood at the gate. The mother
and children were placed in one carriage
and Mr.. Melville got in the other, and so,
with little Knot of sympsthiZirg friends
standing by, the sad proces sion drove away.
The negro servant who, during the recep
tiOn on Saturday nj ht, was In an intoxicated
condition, and had been caught selling
liquor to men and boys over the fence, was
sent away yesterday afternoon by some
Sharon Hill ladies who were left in charge
Of the cottage.
The Sharon Hill people, all of whom have
for years known Mrs. Melvilleis unfortunate
habit, are unanimous in the expression OF
opinion that her husband is justified In what
he has done. DIR. Longstreth, who has been
Mrs. Melville's physician ever since she
came to Sharon Hill, declined to furnish anv
details for publication. He, however, said
that he knew Mr.. Melville had acted upon
the advice of his friends; that he was sus-
tanned by the people of Sharon Hill, and
that be (the doctor believed that he had
done what his sense of duty to himself and
family prompted him to do as an honorable
man. DR.. Bartleson says about the same
thing. AS to the sanity or insanity of Mrs.
Melville when not under the influence of
liquor each doctor declined to express an
opinion. She hiss been considered unbal-
anced in mind for long time. Her mother
died insane, and her aunt died in an insane
asylum.
Some years ago Mr.. Melville was COM
PEELED to publish warning to the public
not to trust his wife on his account. She is
an excellent shot with pistol or rife, and
on the occasion of her recent visit to Wash
ington to interview Secretary Chandler
about her allotment che threatened TO shoot
that official.
Engineer Melville returned from Norris
town yesterday, and was accompanied by
his three children. The party stopped for a
few hours at the. Continental Hotel, and
then went on to Sharon Hill, where they
remain for the present in the cottage. Mr..
MelVille's sister was telegraphed for 10 take
charge Of the household.