The Evening critic., 1883-01-13
MRS. MELVILLE,S DEFENSE.
She Tells Her Story to the Court
Painful NnrrnliNe.

The Philadelphia papers publish full re-
ports OF the hearing at Media, Pa, in Engineer
Melvilles suit for the custody OF his children.
Mrs. Melville, wife OF Engineer Melville,
occupied the witness stand por-
tlon of Thursday, and her testimony is
given as follows In the Philadelphia Times:
''she is a plain, delicate little woman,
dressed In black, and apparently so feeble
from, nervous emotion that she had to be
helped TO the stand. After describing the
early years OF her married life, she went on to
say that her husband was the first who ever
placed glass OF liquor in her fathers hand,
and at, their home in Philadelphia she saw
liquor for the first time placed upon table.
After breaking up housekeeping and taking
room In boarding house her husband gave
instructions to party of young engineers In
the adjoining room, and when retiring, some-
times as late as o'clock In the morning, he
would bring in n glass of liquor and induce
her to drink It,
"swhen my daughter Maud was one year
DID, she continued, Il went to Norfolk TO see
my husband. On the way the passengers
grew more or less intimate with each other,
and told them of my husbands long absence
at sea and of the birth OF my little child, and
how happy was at the thought OF seeing him
and how rejoiced he would be to greet me.
When we arrived at our destination all eyes
were centered on me, anxious TO catch
glimpse of the meeting of husband and wife.
AS stepped across the deck of the vessel,
instead of hurrying forward to meet me, he
advanced slowly, with cigar in his mouth,
and never removed II, and at that moment
felt more wretched than have words to de-
"Piaclng three Bibles before her on the
witness-stand, Mrs. Melville proceeded to
describe the circumstances OF the shooting at
Bristol. After carefully explaining their re-
spectlve positions In the room she continued
My husband had but shortly returned from
a long voyage, and having sent Maud from the
room George showed me a little pistol he had
In his pocket. He assured me 1t would not go
OF II handled properly, and moment after,
as l was half turned around, taking some
plates from closet, the pistol was fired and 1
fell TO the noor with fright. Seeing ! was not
injured | sprang up, and as he discovered
Maud returning to the house, cried out, For
Gods sake, don't speak OF this
"when Mr.. Melville was expected home
from the Jeannette expedition his little girls
with other fruit IN little basket, on which
they placed three cards, marked Maud,
Elsa and Meta, They gave the basket to
only grunt in acknowledgment
"Speaking OF the circumstances surround
Ing her husbands return in September from
the Jeannette cruise, Mrs. Melville, said 4:
"Are you not glad to see me, George2" He
answered, 'No, / am not "rhen, why did
you come ?" replied. Because the public
your friends,"I said, pointing to the parlor.
My poor children cried, and / resolved to go
out and place myself at my husbands side,
our unhappiness. After thecompany had de-
parted he said If would show him his room
he would go to bed. did so, and he said,
with an oath This is your room. "Don't dis
grace me-" cried; "don't go down stairs"
Disgrace you? he Numbered, with an
offensive epithet. He. then went down
to the parlor, and a few minutes later
heard the door slam. jumped up, ex.
claiming: "My God! has he lett me?" The
next morning l was i'll from nervousness oc-
casioned by the scenes Of the night before,
when DR.. Longstreth called with gentleman.
finally consented to see them. The gentle
man looked at me and inquired II had eaten
anything that day. Let me see your tongue
Let me feel your pulse. l Will give you a
hypodermic Injection These are the words,
only words, which he said to me, and In three
minutes the two men had gone, and from that
short interview they signed the certiacare
that committed me TO the insane asylum
"Mrs. Melville detailed the manner in which
she was carried or to the asylum; how her hus.
bands friends had tried to take from her her
little children, and how she gathered them
crying into her arms and sheltered them with
her body as they lay on the grass resisting the
efforts at separation, and OF her experience In
the madhousc. This closing recital was given
In voice suppressed with emotion. The
court adjourned until Wednesday, when the
arguments Will be heard and the children ex.
amineQ."