San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-30

fused TO take no for an answer. My in
terviews with the domestics had put il
my mind positive information that tn,
housekeeper had been heard to addres.
Richard Melville in terms and tones il
which no servant should be allowed tC
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, you can state them
to Inc 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 | shall insist upon all my
| questions being answered. l 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. |
must leave you to decide the time and
place-now anl in private or tomorrow
and in public
To use professional term, Mr. Mel
vile weakened
Il cant see how my private converse
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. | 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 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 l am about
to grant your request. You shall know
what we talked about when the med
ding servants overheard u.s. You
shall know all that know regarding her
deformity 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 Mrs Clark Melville's house.
She accuses me OF being Maurice Green!
She accuses me Of being the man who
married her in Maine and who died in
the hOspital!'
can write down here the words
spoken by Mr. Melville. / 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 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 a brother on me-her coachman
in disguise!'
In my mind | saw snares gathering
about the feet OF Mr. Richard Melville
but his passion was 50 great he saw
nothing. He raved up and down the
room like maniac. | made no com
ment, but sat patiently waiting for him
to 90 on.
Il know what you are about to ask
me, hecontinued Il 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
Inc until Miss Clara Roberts arrived in
the house. Up to that time | believed
that the poor, deluded woman would
soon discover her mistake. When she !
talked to me on the subject think al
ways answered her i'll that way al !
ways refused to consider the matter
seriously.
Il offered to give her the influence of
my bank account and my name to aid
her in her search for the husband she be- !
lieved to be alive, but | refused to in any
way discuss or argue the matter with hrr !
or her brother. All my offers were lie |
clined, She mad only one thing to demand
OF me. That one thing was that should |
recognize her as my wife b"fore my
mother and before all the world
When Miss Clara Roberts came to us
she came as my promised wife. From
that time on had no rest, night or dav
Wherever I went the housekeeper threw
herself in my way Wherever | went |
her reproaches filled my ears. 4 cant
bear to see you in that womans COM
pany,' she would say, wringing her
hands and crying as you saw her wiring
her hands and cry at the inquest. You