The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26
HER SANITY QUESTIONED
Mrs. Ma.hilde lIelIi an Inmate of
the House of Detention.
Alleged Queer Actions ut the Ameri-
House Arouse Suspicion
Threatened to Jump From Win
dow-Ci.inlx She Was q Teacher of
French mt the Eastern High school

| Mrs. Mathilde Meli is an inmate of the
! House of Detention. She was taken into
custody late yesterday afternoon at the
| American House, corner Of Pennsylvania
| Avenue and Seventh Street northwest, and
| is held pending an examination today into
| her mental condition. For several weeks
| she has been a guest at the hostelry, the
proprietor of which caused her incarcera-
tion, fearing she might do herself bodily
harm.
Mrs. Melli is about thirty years of age,
of French extraction and a native of Paris.
| She speaks English quite fluently She was
neatly attired and is apparently educated
! and refined. Her "reminiscences are enter
| tanning, particularly that concerning her
| life in this country during seven years
past. She has resided in this city about
one year and claims to have been an as
| sStant teacher of French last winter at
| the Eastern High School. Verification of
| this statement could not be obtained last
| night.
| In the little reception room at the House
! of Detention Mrs. Melli was seen last
night. She greeted the reporter cordially.
She readily consented to relate a portion
! of her life history. She began by saying
that she was native Partisan. Her friends
and family live in Paris, she said, and
| there she desires to go next year. Her
! funds are somewhat low, she said, thus
| forcing a postponement of the trip, for
| which she has planned some time. A sister,
she said. has long resided in Baltimore,
| but recently she left for Paris to see the
Exposition.
| About seven years ago Mrs. Melli came
/ to America Since then she has Travelled
! extensively, visiting the West and the
North, finally coming to the Capital. She
/ landed in New York City and remained
! there nearly two years. Several occupa-
tions engaged her attention but teaching,
| her favorite means of securing a livelihood,
| took up most of her time. Prior to her
| arrival here Mrs. Melli for time lived in
| London. But the fog was severe the rain
disagreeable, and stories Of America proved
| enticing to her. So she came to this coun-
| try. In New York City she found much
| that was instructive and entertaining She
made few friends, she says, giving much
| of her time to the study Of the English
| language.
She finally secured position as a teach
er OF French with private family. This
| suited her for a time, but people in New
YORK had few characteristics in common
with or to her taste. They were too in
quisitive. said Mrs. Melii, and then they
wanted TO know her life, her past, present,
and future. So she left New York She
went TO Cincinnati. at is great city;
full OF smoke. smoke. smoke" sGid she
last night. Il was there about a year, and
| had varied experiences. Taught in sew
eral families, but l do not know that
have any real friends in Cincinnati
She finally came East again, this time
locating in Boston. There she met numer-
GUS professors and other wise folk, she
said. They treated her kindly. yet even at
the Hub there was some hing missing for
which the foreigner longed The weather
was cold and the people distant, so Mrs
Meln sought the South in which to cast
her lot. She went TO Norfolk. There en-
ploymenI was difficult TO obtain 50 n year
ago she came to Washington
Through friends of her sister at Ba.ti-
more, Mrs. Meln obtained employment
/ here. She states that she was appointed
/ junior teacher OF French at the Eastern
High School last winter. and remained as
such during the term. She then boarded
/ at the corner Of Eighth and Streets
/ northwest. she says. More than a hun
( dred students Of French attended tie
/ Eastern High School last winter, and of
! these Mrs. Meii claims to have taugnt
( about forty. The school term closed in
/ June last. She did not fancy her abode In
I the northwest section when hot weather
came, and moved to apartments at the
American House. There she spent several
weeks. Mr. Leannarda. the proprietor,
noticed her actions, which from day to
day are said to have become more and
more unusual and yesterday he impaired
his impression to the police that the
woman was mentally unbalanced. Sani-
tary Officer Frank took the case in hand,
and, after interviewing the woman, sent
/ her to the House of Detention.
II was reported yesterday that the
woman had threatened to jump from a
window OF the hotel on more than one oc-
casion. To reporter MIS-. Meli said she
felt decidedly nervous last night. Sac
had no remembrance of unusual conduct
while q guest at the hotel.