EXTRAORDINARY OUTRAGE

Western Star, Issue 2219, 5 July 1898, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY OUTRAGE

The sensational death of Mrs Melvillp, wife of the harbor-master at Buckie, immediately following the eating of one of a number 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 1 measured about 4in in diameter, was handed by the postman to Miss C 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 conained, and all three ate of them. There were fourteen balls of chocolate in all. Scarcely had M-a_ Melvthe eaten one than she complained ot a burning sensation in her mouth, ana trrew very excited, declaring that she was poisoned. An emetic was admin istered, and this was followed bv an of vomiting. • Before a medical man could be summoned she was beyond all human aid, and she died in about an hour. Neither Mr no Miss Melville was injuriously affected by the sweets On the top of the sweets inside of the box was a slip of paper contains these words, written in lead pencil, addressed to Miss 0. Melville, who is about seventeen years of age :—“To my sweet little Chrisy. Eat the whole, speak not one word after, and you will dream of the sender.” Besides paper containing those words, the sweets were also covered with a small piece of cotton wool and a piece of tinsel paper of similar size. It has boon 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 sweets is not sold by any "f the merchants in Buekie. Mrs Melville, who was forty-two years of age, had j resided over seven years in Buckie, and was greatly respected by the townspeople.