MURDER HERE.

Chas. F. Melville Brought to Augusta Insane Hospital.

He Killed His Wife at Mars Hill, Thursday, April 2.

Court Ruled He Must Be Examined for Insanity.

Martin Lawlis of Houlton, high sheriff of Aroostook county, arrived in Augusta on the Yankee, yesterday afternoon, bringing with him two prisoners, both shackled together. One of them was Daniel Regan, sentenced to one year's imprisonment at Thomaston, for breaking and entering, at the session of the supreme judicial court, which adjourned at Caribou, Wednesday; the other was Charles Melville, known also as Charles Melvine, who killed his wife at Mars Hill, Thursday, April 2, and who has been sent to the Augusta Insane hospital to be examined as to his sanity.

Sheriff Lawlis took both prisoners over to the hospital where he left Melville and then brought Regan to Kennebec jail, where he placed him in charge of Sheriff Ham until this morning, which he will proceed to Thomaston and turn him over to the tender mercies of Warden Smith of the State prison.

At the term of court in Houlton, two weeks ago, Melville was arraigned for the murder of his wife, Hon. Don A. H. Powers acting as his counsel. The latter set up the defense that Melville was unsound mind. At that time an order of court was issued that he be sent to the Insane hospital at Augusta for examination and that he be kept there until the September term of court in Aroostook. Sheriff Lawlis has attended to the first part of the order. He has brought him to this city and he is now domiciled under the roof of the Augusta Insane hospital. Whether he is insane or not will be determined in the four months before the Aroostook court again convenes.

The crime for which Charles F. Melville is held, pending the question of his sanity, was committed, Thursday night, April 2, at Mars Hill, Aroostook county. The affair occurred at the home of George A. Brown, where Mrs. Melville was at work. The couple had been separated, although they had been married but two years before. One child was born to them but it died several months before the murder of its mother, and it is alleged that a blow inflicted by its father caused its death. Soon after the death of the child the couple separated, Mrs. Melville going to keep house for George A. Brown, a widower, in a lonely house in the forest.

Before her death, Mrs. Melville made a statement in which she said her husband called at the Brown house, Thursday afternoon, and asked her to go with him. She refused and he then drew a 38-caliber revolver and shot her, the bullet striking her in the right side.

Brown's two children were the only persons with Mrs. Melville and she lay in the house from Thursday night until Saturday morning, unable to move. Friday, she sent one of the children for aid and help was sent from Mars Hill.

The woman was revived and told a remarkable story of brutality. She says she was sitting by the fire when her husband asked her to go somewhere with him. She replied that she would in a little while, when she got her feet warm. He went into an adjoining room, she said, and returned with a 45-caliber revolver. "Damn you, I will give you something that you will remember." he said, and then fired. The heavy bullet struck her in the abdomen and passed entirely through her body. Physicians were summoned, but could not save her, and she died at 10 o'clock, Saturday forenoon.

Melville escaped into Carleton county, N. B., where he was born and was subsequently captured. He came back to Aroostook county without requisition papers. He is about 30 years of age, weighs 145 pounds and has a light, sunburned complexion. He was married to his wife, July 7, 1901. They never lived together, but boarded in various places where Mrs. Melville obtained work as housekeeper. At the time of his arrest, it was alleged that he was jealous of his wife and wished her to leave Mr. Brown's employ and locate in another town.

At the time of Mrs. Melville's death the coroner's jury returned the following verdict:

"We find that Nellie O. Melville came to her death by a bullet from a revolver held in the hands of Charles F. Melville at the home of George A. Brown, and that the said bullet was fired by Charles F. Melville wilfully[sic] and feloniously."

Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME 15 May 1903