THE M'GINNIS MYSTERY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1098, 7 April 1880, Page 3

THE M'GINNIS MYSTERY.

It is only recently that the facts in the case of Mr and Mrs M'Ginnis, of Green Bay, Wis., have been made public. It will be remembered that early last July Mr M'Ginnis, who is a wor- . thy gentleman, eminent in the local brick and mortar transportation business, appeared at his post of temporary duty—the new Murray block—in a state of profuse contusion. His general appearance suggested that he had been engaged in a difficulty with a locomotive engine running at full speed, and that subsequently all the coal dust in the tender had been poured over him. Later in the day it was reported that Mrs M'Ginnis was even more obtrusively black and blue than her husband. The milkman asserted that her face Was swollen almost beyond recognition, and that he never, in his whole life, had seen a woman with such an apparently total absence of teeth and eyes. Other witnesses confirmed the milkman’s story, and it was soon confidently asserted that the M'Ginnises had been engaged in a conjugal fight of the most lively description. Neither Mr M'Ginnis nor his wife deigned to furnish Green Bay with any explanation of their bruises. Gradually the black and blue of their respective countenances disappeared. Mrs M'Ginnis’s eyes emerged from their eclipse, and, although her missing teeth did not return, the smiling sweetness of her face was but Utile impaired. As for Mr M'Ginnis, his face regained its normal condition in about four or five weeks, with the solitary exception of his nose, which had been too much discouraged to be able to reassert its original prominence. Very unexpectedly Mr M'Ginnis himself abandoned, a few days ago ■ his policy of silence, and gave to a prominent citizen of Green Bay a full explanation ol the mystery which had 'so long been impervious to solution. Green Bay in the summer season is inordinately addicted to mosquitoes, ■which in size and ferocity far eclipse the largest mosquitoes of New Jersey or Rockaway Beach. There are mos-quito-nettings in the M'Ginnis house, as there are in all other Green Bay houses, but last July an accident . rendered the mosquito-bar in the window of Mr M'Ginnis’s bedroom useless. Of course the mosquito’s swarmed in, and about midnight Mrs M'Ginnis arose in a most exasperated frame of mind. On a shelf in the room stood a bottle of spirits of camphor, and it occurred to her that were she to bathe her face and arms with its contents, the mosquitoes might be persuaded to give her a little peace. Accordingly, she carefully bathed her exposed surfaces, and performed like service for the face and arms of her husband, who slept peacefully in spite of everything, Having thus done her whole duty, she crept back to bed, and being extremely sleepy, fell into a profound slumber. Mrs M'Ginnis has a strong prejudice against negroes, and when she woke next morning and found a man of extreme and unnecessary blackness sleeping at her side, she sprang np with a shriek and seized a heavy club which stood in the corner. The shriek woke Mr M'Ginnis, who, in his turn, was unspeakably astonished to see an athletic black woman in the act of banging him on the head with a club. Assuming at once that, a felonious negro woman had broken into the house he proceeded to protect himself and family. Mrs M'Ginnis was a woman of exceptional strength, who knew no fear, and was infuriated at the supposed presence of a negro in her sleeping apartment. It is unnecessary to dwell upon the scene that followed. The two combatants were not unequally matched, in spite of the differof sex, and they fought with great Jfithnsiasm for the next 20 minutes. At the end of that time the wreck of

white clothing incident to a fight hotly conducted at an early hour in the jaornting led. to mutual recognition. Mrs M'Ginnis threw away her club, exclaiming, “ Pat! and is it you !” And Mr M'Ginnis, clasping her to his bosom, begged for forgiveness and an explanation. Measures have since beep taken by Mr M'Ginnis to prevent

the possibility that his wife shall a second time mistake the ink bottle for the bottle of spirits of camphor. That no possible blame attached to Mrs M'Ginnis for the mistake which had such violent results is generally conceded : and the public will be glad, even at this late day, to receive a full and authentic account of the great M'Ginnis mystery.—New York Times. For remainder of news see last page.