Extraordinary Outrage

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 1521, 5 July 1898, Page 3

Extraordinary Outrage

The sensational death of Mrs Melville, wife of the harbor-master at Buckie, immediately following the eating of one ot a i.umber of chocolate sweets sent, through post to her daughter, is, (says the Scotsman) exciting a great deal of speculation throughout the district. The box, which was white with gilt edges, and measured about 4in in diameter, was handed by the postman to Miss 0. Melville herself, who, believing it to be some gift from a schoolmate at a private boarding establishment in Aberdeen, invited her father and mother to partake of the sweetmeats which it contained, and all three ate of them. There were fourteen balls of chocolate in all. Scarcely had Mrs Melville eaten one than she complained of a burning sensation in her mouth, and grew very excited, declaring that she bad been poisoned. An emetic was administered, and this was followed by a tit of vomiting. Kefore a medical man could be summoned she was beyond all medical aid, and she died in abjut an hour. Neither Mr nor Miss Melville was injuriously aflccted by the sweets. On the top of the sweets inside of the box was a slip of paper containing the following words, written in lead pencil, addressed to Miss C. Melville, who is about 17 years of age :—" To my sweet little Chrisy. Eat the whole, speak not one word after, and you will dream of the sender." Besides the paper containing these words, the sweets were also covered with a small piece of cotton wool and a piece of tinsel paper of similar size. It has been stated that the sweets were not originally sold in the box, as the outside was very much soiled ; and, further, that the same class of sheets is not sold by any of the merchants in Buckie. Mrs Melville, who was 42 years of age, had resided over seven years in Buckie, and was greatly respected by the townspeople.