Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-29
ALLEGED MURDER CONSPIRACY.
Belief Growing in Boston that Mrs
Coolidge is Merely a Blackmailer.

4 dispatch from Boston to the Philadelphia
Press regarding the Mellen case, says: The
belief Is gaining ground here, in the absence OF
information from the police, that the Balti-
more murder conspiracy was case OF black
mail rather than of intended murder, Mrs.
Coolidge hoping TO make something out Of her
knowledge of secrets of the Mellen family.
Her counsel, on returning from a visit to her at
the jail this afternoon, said: "Mrs Coolidge is
in a most dangerous state of mind. She ap-
pears very much worn by the events of the
past few days, which have completely over
powered her. There is not a shadow OF a doubt
in my own mind that she is deranged. think 1t
may be truly stated that she IL insane, not viO-
lently 50, but the germ of reason has been
bsa wi,bap assisnins reasons the an
thorities had her write q letter by dictation and
sign her name and then sign certain articles
which they prepared, and she, wOman-iike, un-
suspicious of being the victim OF q conspiracy,
let them use her thus, on the pretense that if
In a very few days the entire mystery and its
attending causes will be clearly shown"
A dispatch from Wilmington, Del. says: A
ton of Mr. and Mrs. A. l.. Mellen, of Baltimore,
registered at the Clayton house, about $50
oc1sk this evening" as are barton sgna ana ws
ments on the first floor, where they had their
supper served after expressing Il desire to have
card to the room and the guest got out OF his
bed to take it. but closed the door on the pOr-
ter and refused to talk. Two strangers arrived
at the hotel soon after the others had registered
and requested to be assigned certain rooms
which are in close proximity to that of the sup
posed Mellen. They apparently are detectives.
They keep close look out in the hail, in which
Barton or Mellen is recognized by some OF the
guests of the Clayton as the proprietor of the
stockton house, Cape May, last season.
Mrs. Taber Testifies.
SHE SAYS HER HUSBAND STRUCK HER, AND
EXPLAINS HER RELATIONS WITH DOwNES.
Tn tho Tab aS,,ifi in
day, Mr.. Taber concluded his testimony and
counsel for the 1ibellant rested their case. Wit
nesses for the libeller were then called and
sworn, and Mrs. Anne j. Taber took the
stand. She told of i'll treatment received at the
hands of her husband, and said that their trou-
bles continued until his conversion in the spring
of 1884. Mr.. Taber then expressed sorrow for
his il-treatment OF her, and the relations be-
were most friendly till the following fall. Then
| a GOODNESS arose between Mr.. Taber and the
pastor and her husband began to i'll treat her
on one occasion striking her in the presence O
| witnesses. She finally lett mis- house apd took
rooms on Derne street last July. Witness then
| described in detail the church duties she was
| called upon to perform, and alleged that her re
/ lations with Rev. Mr.. Downes had been only
| those of a parishOner. At the time when the
| detective broke into her room she was sitting
| upon the bed beside Mr.. DOwnes eating an apple
| The gas had been turned down and her visitor
had removed his coat because of the heat OF the
| room. The door was not locked. The clott
Mr.. DOwnes arrived, while she was changing
her dress. She had told her landlady when SHIT
| asked II Mr.. DOwneS was her brother that h
was her brother in a certain sense.