Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-11-05
The Case Said To- be "a Hack IN aiIinR
Scheme-Mr. and Mrs. NIcIien in
Wilmington.


Baltimore Sun, Oct 20.
The Boston mystery still continues to
attract great deal of attention. Naturally
the greatest interest is excited in Balti-
more, the home of the supposed victim.
The Boston officers We're moving about
town yesterday, and had frequent inter.
views with the prosecuting law officers of
the city. Neither of these gentlemen
would say single word about the case.
Their every moveme I is conducted
with the greatest secrecy, and they
take special care in keeping reporters en-
tirely in the dark regarding the true status
Of the case, and what there really is in it.
All hands concerned in the prosecution
of the case, however, strongly maintain
the position that there is really something
startling in its details, and declare that
when the proper time arrives they will
disclose the whole case. Judging from
these remarks the story runs that n
certain sum of money was given to n
man to kill young married woman on
account of the objections of the young
husbands parents. Who these parents
are the prosecutors in the case will not
say. From police headquarters in Bal
timore il was learned that thus far no one
has been arrested in this city on any
charge whatever in the matter.
Mr.. Edward L. Mellen, the young man
whose wife is said to be the victim in the
case, stated yesterday that he had been to
Philadelphia and seen his parents about
the matter. His father Indignantly denied
any and all connection with the alleged
conspiracy, and was at loss to imagine
how his name could have been coupled
with such diabolical scheme. Young
Mr.. Mellen also stated that his mother
was taken quite ill on hearing the read
full charges. The first intimation that his
parents had of the story was on reading
the papers on train while ON the way
from Philadelphia to Baltimore. His
mother was at once prostrated by the
statements,a and was compelled to be taken
back to Philadelphia.
The new phase of the matter, and
which seems to be corroborated by the
facts, is that the whole thing was a gigan-
TIC scheme to blackmail u sorrow stricken
family. A Mrs. Coolidge and James
Donnhoe, alias John Bull, are alleged TO
be the parties to the scheme. Bose Cobb
got wind of the affair, and to curry favor
with the police, informed them of the
plot. But John Bull suspected Cobb.
and to save himself went to police
headquarters and told the whole
story of the conspiracy. Then came
the meeting between John Bull and
Mrs. Coolidge, at which the inspectors
were present, but unseen, and during
which Mrs. Coolidge talked freely'
supposing that John Bull was still
tscting squarely with her. The more she
alked the deeper, of course, she got into
mire, and there is not much doubt but
that the police have strong evidence on
which to base complaint of attempting
to obtain money by extortion. The
statement that 81 900 had been received
by Donahoe from Mr.. Mellen ia
pronounced untrue, although it is said
that the detectives have actual proof of
this payment.
MIR. A. L. Mellen has denied in toto
that either he or any of his family are in
any way implicated in the affair, and pro-
nounces the whole story untrue and
absurd.
MELIEN AT THE CLAYTON HOUSE.
A. L. Mellen and wife, the father and
mother of the young man whose wife is
said to be the proposed victim of the
affair, arrived in this city yesterday after
noon week and were driven to the CLAYTON
House. He signed the name of al. f.
Barton, Philadelphia" on the register,
and Mr.. Brindley, the day clerk, added
land wife," to which the mnn assented.
The couple was assigned room "a, and
were at once shown their apartment.
Mrs. Mellen looked very much fatigued