| caption: |
Relations with Tributary States and Foreign Affairs |
| caption: |
murder of Mr Melville and Mr O'Brien |
| text: |
"2. In connection with the revolt at Manipur, a sad event happened on the Kohima road. Mr Melville, Superintendant of Telegraphs, was in Maniput on inspection duty, and he left Manipur for Kohima on 23rd March. That night he camped at Sengmai, where there was a guard of ten sipahis of 44th Gurkha Rifles, and the following morning proceeded to Kaitamabi, and on the 25th he reached Myangkhang, and there discovered that he was unable to communicate by wire either with Manipur or Kohima. The same evening, about 9 p.m., he was attacked by some Manipuri sipahis, who had come from Manipur for the purpose, and some Nagas called down from the Myangkhang village. In this cowardly attack, a signaller, Mr O'Brien, was killed, and Mr Melville and his servants managed to escape by the back of the house. Escape in the case of Mr Melville, who was a cripple, was hopeless, and a short distance from the house he concealed himself in a nulla, where he passed the night. Next morning the unfortunate gentleman was found by some Nagas and killed. The Manipuri sipahis engaged in this attack had the same morning defeated the small guard at Sengmai, and the next day proceeded up the road to Mao, which borders on the Naga Hills district. |
