PAINFUL TRAGEDY IN MELBOURNE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2609, 18 January 1894, Page 3

PAINFUL TRAGEDY IN MELBOURNE.

The other night on the Kerford road pier, South Melbourne, a servant girl named Minnie -M‘Lellan, after chatsing with her lover for some time, bade him good-night, suddenly swallowed a phial of poison, threw the empty phial at the young man, and as suddenly jumped into the sea. One of the many persons on the pier, named William Satchell, jumped in after her, but he could not save her, and in the darkness both were drowned. Satchell was about 23 years of age, and a young man well esteemed by all who knew him. He was particularly favored in bicycling circles, and as a rider in competitions had often made good records. TTin last appearance in public on the track was at the Austral Wheel Race meeting on the Melbourne cricket ground last month, when he won the Obstacle Race. The girl M'Lellau was about 27 years of age, and a former resident of Warruambool, where her friends and relatives reside. She seems to have been a particularly unhappy girl, as she was married nine years ago to a man who she afterwards learned was already married. When she made the discovery of his prior marriage she left him and went into domestic service. She had one little boy the result of this union.

The particularly painful feature about the case is brought to light by a letter found on the girls'*bcdy when recovered, in an envelope addressed to her mother. It read as follows :

My dear Mother, Father, Brothers, Sister, and my dear child, —Forgive me, mother dear, what 1 am doing, as I cannot face this world of misery any longer, as i'f. B'-rtlea drives me to this. He has deceived me under tbe promise of making me his wife. For 15 months it has just gone on like this. I have been like a wife to him ; nothing but a convenience for him. Now he is tired he has turned on me and treated me with contempt. I cannot stand contempt from him. I love him dearly, I have begged him to turn, but he is Btubborn. He will not make me his wife as he promised, nor have anything to do with me now. It matters not. He even took me last Eaßter —from the Good Friday to the Monday, and placed a wedding ring on my finger and called me his wife, and then put his arms around my neok and kissed me—to Frankston Coffee Palace, and then took another name and told me afterwards. Mind, he gave the name of " Buckley " instead of Birtles. I can see it all now. He filled me With false hopes and deceit. Mother, I cannot bear this disgrace on my mina. Mrs Fuller got to know it and she turned me away from my situation. She said she could not believe it of me that I was guilty of such things. Mother, I trusted him, but he has deceived me. It breaks my heart, as I love him. I cannot be paiced from him to live. I e'lall part in death; then he will Bee What he has done. Mother, look after my chiftl. God spare you to see him grow up, and may he prove a blessing to you. As, mother, 1 am always separated from him, never let him fcnowhis mother's fate. Do not feel for me, as 1 will be better off, as thora is no future now for me. My life is blighted now for ever through Alf. B' rtles. No man would ever make me his wife, nor I could not deceive one after being a mistress to him. Good-bye, and God bless my child. Heart-broken daughter, M. M'Lellan. My brother. D""'"^^ Aif. mm for what. ie has do - e t 0 ° mej and arive me to God. Fay debts without money. He will not prosper now. Live, for Alf. to laugh and slur at me, I cannot. I have hit him when he treated me with contempt, as 1 could not stand contempt, and he sent me an angi/ letter to send an apologise to him—after the way he has wronged me. Good-bye, mother dear, good-bye. God have mercy on me. My child, good-bye ; Good bless him.