Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-06-14

CuftyQHy.
In the early days of this inquiry took
occasion to request of Mr.. Richard Mel
ville a private interview.
The exact time was the day following
the interviews with the domestics of the
Melville household. / made my request
without consulting Mrs. Melville. II
you desire 10 know why did not first
consult his mother, who was also my
employer. viii quote you a few words
from the first conversation | had the
honor Of having with that estimable
LADY: my son is Melville and gen.
tleinan." she said atsthat time. mo
servant ever had cause TO complain Of
i'll treatment at his hands" These are
her exact words, and. well. my business
with Mr.. Richard Melville was to -
quire into his relations with "A servant.
Now, YOU can see that was right In not
consulting his mother.
At first Mr. Melville positively re-
fused to grant me the interview. had
not gone TO him to end defeat. l re-
fused TO take no for an answer. Ny in
terviews with the domestics had put in
my mind positive information that the
housekeeper had been heard to address
Richard Melville in terms and tones in
which no servant should be allowed to
address her master. She had been heard
time and again to address Mr.. Melville
in terms of pleading. reproach and Of
anger.
WANTED to know what there was be-
tween Richard Melville and his mothers
housekeeper. put the question straight
to him. Again he refused to answer.
and again insisted on being answered.
"If you have private and personal rea-
sons for not complying with my re-
quest" explained. lyon can state them
to me in confidence. In that case !
pledge my word Of honor that your con-
fidence shall not be violated. If, how
ever. any of your conversations with the
housekeeper were upon matters connect
ed, however remotely, with the death OF
her brother l shall insist upon all my
questions being answered. ! have no
power to force you to speak of these
matters in private. have the power to
force you to speak Of them in public. l
must leave you to decide the time and
place-now and in private or tomorrow
and in public"
To use a professional term, Mr.. Mel
vile weakened.
II can't see how my private converse
tions with my mothers housekeeper can
in any way affect the question of her
guilt or innocence" he said. II am in
formed that but for the protection of my
mother the housekeeper would now be
in the custody Of the police. l believe
the course my mother is pursuing to be
the correct course. do not think the
poor woman should be taken to jail
She should be taken to a madhouse. In
my opinion the housekeeper is insane.
She has been insane since her husband
was killed in the army.
For the sole purpose OF proving my
position to be the correct one am about
to grant your request. You shall know
what we talked about when the med
ding servants overheard us. You
shall know all that know regarding her
defornity Of mind-all that know re-
garding her claims on me.
The housekeeper accused me then
just as she accuses me now OF being an
impostor in Hrs. Clark Melville's house,!
She accuses me Of being Maurice Green!
She accuses me Of being the man who
married her in Maine aud who died in
the hospital!''
/ can write down here the words
spoken by Mr.. Melville. l cannot de-
scribe the white heat of rage his voice
and manners betrayed. That is beyond
the power of any human pen. have
seen many a man in passion never
saw a passion like that which had pos
session of Richard Melville at the time
of that interview.
"She has been a curse to me ever since
she came into the house." he continued.
when her own efforts proved futile to
accomplish my disgrace, she set her
brute of brother on me-her goodman
in disguised"
In my mind I saw snares gathering
about the feet of Mr.. Richard Melville.
but his passion was so great he saw
nothing. lie raved up and down the
room like maniac. ! made no com
ment, but sat patiently waiting for him
to 60 on.
Il know what you are about TO ask
ne" hecontilued. 81 will answer your
questions in advance. can't tell YOU
why did not turn both of the miser-
able creatures out OF the house. Per-
haps it was because their reproaches and
demands annoyed without distressing
me until Miss Cara Roberts arrived in
the house. Up to that time l BELIEVED,
that the poor, deluded woman would
soon discover her mistake. When she
talked to me on the subject think al
ways answered her in that way. al
ways refused to consider the matter
seriously.
Il offered 70 give Der the influence Of
my bank account and nv name to aid
her in her search for the husband she BE-
heved to be alive. but / refused 10 in an v
way discuss or argue the matter with her
or her brother All my offers were de-
clined- She had only one thing TO demand
II me- That one thing was that should
recognize her "a my wife before nv
mother and before all the world.
When Miss Clara Roberta came 70 n.
she came As my promised wife From
that time on bad no rest, night o. day.
Wherever went the hoasekeeper threw
herself ia my war. Wherever | vent
her reprosehes filed my ears I cant
bear 30 see ron IN that woznan's oora-
psuy. she would say. wringsnG her