Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-10-28
THE BALTIMORE CONSPIRACY.
The Woman Arrested Proves to the
Wife OF a Boston Police Of6cer-She
Pleads Not Guilty aud is Bound Over.


The woman under arrest at headauartere
since Saturday night in connection with the
Baltimore conspiracy is Mrs. Emma Cool
idge. wife of officer James E. Coolidge of the
Boston police Her identity was concealed
so carefully that even her husband was not
aware of her arrest until this morning This
afternoon Mrs. Coolidge was arraigned in the
municipal court. Hon. James Bennett ap-
peared as her counsel. The charge against
her, according to the warrant, reads, "solic-
iting aid to commit murder" She pleaded
not guilty and was held in $1,000 for her ap-
pearance for examination ON Dec. IL. The
case was disposed of very quietly and few
spectators knew what had transpred. Mrs.
Coolidge looks very detected and her eyes
we're red with weeping. She is large wo-
man and fair looking. 1t appears that she
visited Bose Cobb's place on Norman street,
where the plot was arranged three times.
Her husband had short interview with her
today. but she had little to say. She says
she did not intend to let the murder be COM
mitted but wanted to get hold Of the money,
$1,000, and keep it. She didn't make a con-
hdant of her husband in the matter which
throws doubt upon the honesty of her claim.
She also claims that she was dragged into it,
but does not say how. The husband knows
nothing of the elder Mellen and says he has
no idea how his wife became acquainted with
him or was induced to enter the plot. He
feels deeply grieved over the affair. He has
been married about seven years, a little girl
being the fruit of the union. The home is
broken up and he intends to put the child
away. 1t is possible he may enter a suit
against the police for the manner in which
they treated their prisoner. The law says q
prisoner cannot be held more than "a hours,
except on holidays or Sundays, without ar
raignment. Mrs. Coolidge was detained
three DAYS and not allowed to communicate
with her husband or friends, although she
desired to do it is alleged. Much sympathy
is felt for her husband, who has the reputa
ton of being a conscientious and faithful
police officer
A despatch from Baltimore this afternoon
states that Assistant District Attorney Dacey,
Inspector Garraughty and John Donahue,
alias John Bull" of Boston, are in that
city. Donahue is the man who was ap-
preached, it is alleged, with a proposition to
commit a murder The man to whom the
dispatch was addressed and on account of
which Mrs. Coolidge was arrested Saturday
night is A. l.. Mellen, proprietor of the St.
James Hotel, Baltimore, and the Boston
officers are unable to find him. His son,
who has been living in lodgings with his
wife, refuses to believe the story.
BALTIMORE, Oct. 81.
Developments in the story started by the
arrest in Boston of Mrs. Emma Coolidge
tail to show any motive for desire to muir
the young wife of Edward l.. Mellen of this
city. 1t seems that about three years ago
bright English girl, Mary A. Somerset, se-
cured employment at the st. James Hotel, of
which A. l., Mellen, father Of Edward L., is
proprietor. The young man formed an at
tachment for her which resulted in the birth
of an illegitimate child and the young people
secretly lived together as man and wife for
some time. Last spring they quarreled and
were not reconciled until April IA. 1885,
when Miss Somerset called at the st. James
and told the story to the mother Of her Sc
ducer, who Immediately sent for priest and
insisted upon the two being married at once
and they consented. Shortly after the St.
James closed for the summer and Mellen,
senior. took charge OF the Stockton at Cape
May, where the whole family remained un-
til the close of August when they returned
to the St. James. About l5 days Mr. and
not yet returned. They were last heard of
at the St George Hotel in Philadelphia
Boston detectives are understood to be
here for the purpose of arresting Mr.. Mel
len, but they refuse to be interviewed. One
of them said tonight that he knew the story
sounded improbable but the real motive for
the desired murder was known only to him.
self and would rot be divulged until the
chain of evidence was completed. Young
Mellen admits the truth of the story but ridi-
cules the idea that there was any conspiracy
on his fathers part and does not believe there
was any scheme on foot to murder his wife.