The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-24
TIE CASE OF REV. MR. MERRILL.


pearance from Plattsburgb, New York, after
being charged with most disgTaceiul conduct
In connection with young lady in North
Adams, Massachusetts,, led many to suppose he
had committed suicide--a suppositlon strength
ened by the fact that portion Of his clothes
were found by the banks OF river in the
vicinity of the t0wn-has made his appearance
In the West, and written q letter to the Trov
Times, in which he recounts his experience from
the time he entered the ministry until the pre-
sent. BE says that ever since he commenced
to preach, in lS4S, he has been constantly in
debt, and to this fact alone he charges all his
troubles. He says:-
In s4s left school, at the request OF several minis
ters and went 70 Warren Circuit 20 aid the preachers
towns, was poor boy, but eighteen years Old had
sens%Sn gave me anu CASTOR oyercoS 1 70 n fese aeSS e
from suffering with the cold, ana another gave me
able TO save enough @ pay debts aud get me some
FAMILIES der Sendent upon them tor support, and % tSe
people, tor the most part, were poor, and it took
through the year and received but four dollars aud
my 6oa.d ,. AZ The close Of the year was sent 70
hose & al anG , carrage & IL had M no money and run into
end OF this year found that my income had been q
trine less than 500. OF course my debts remained
stopped preaching then and gone into some other
10 be married and my pride rose up against going and
making an open Acknowledgement that must stop
my dTst Sad mistake. But others said / had better
i1fure so 66 eed and so believed was arreF ri
and made the best show could tor Housekeeping
ton Mountain Mass. With my wife and one child 7
Church. S is but an pa store II which preach;
with Re0y @ debts t GP SIDE Ss SoS % my
new church fnis@hed @ and paid for. I had received
miles, TO the Canada line in Vermont. had not one
aSH ooE % % 'RS Weeks S
In her weary arms and i9r among strangers we made
to travel over, and no means TO buy horse Then
95 tor nd arse mo- owg gne %s
in debt 5000, My conscience told me ought go
RS aSd the m Of Py
me back This Winter c was 81 70 sdi th1y clad and 50
that my health gave way & and sickness 1, and
was stricken down with hipjoint disease. from
which she bas pever recovered. For days and
undone which love could suggest or skll accomplish
debts overwhelming me with confusiOp, but a living
death filling our hearts with the prooundes sorrow.
days passed heavily on, and my burdens bowed me
o Albany gOo Of V th9 % Sy
were now coming , upon upon the ma nation For one year
uS Sne% ho% 1d az ae ss ms de-
voted my energies and influence to aid the war
curing volunteers for & the army In 1852 wentwlth
contest. stayed as long could, and did my duty
as well as IL knew ,a how >, I had JET left my wife with
something for my country in her hour Of Trial and
embsrrassments that it seemed to me must sink aud
90 distracted At this time made several attempts
debts Those Who ffused me- felt lard because sY da
not So%nE my Rba a he 3
as we'll as could under such trials. many times
neral nature recoiled with horror. When those whom
owed asked me for money would give them all
it. ought to have laid aside all pride. and appealed
y SS@ would RGao feel S he @ But and 0Hg 6dE
upon themselves as pauppers So hoped for
meaRwhe =, 6egsn to gr0w more and more
and society. / sought the more Joyous and worldly
persons for company In 1864 was stationed at North
tried to serve % them faithfully and O Se i fEdeeed,
witch held there was engaged one 6undTed
and twenty-three nights In succession. MY nervous
perfectly overwhelmed me at times. sought the so
Se OF Sun 9aa SeT he 3s an
| This gave occasion for talk. Some scandal soon
true only sought this society in preference to the
more sober TO drown the trouble OF my mind. l was
of friends, Up TO this tim time my reputation as
year drew TO close, my reputation was suffering
| more than was at tht time aware Of was indis
name has been so sadly more frequently
Injury, but the e family also But GOD Knows 81 did not
intend to pjure any Two three OF the family
rs Ri re s sasss sn
DARKNESS which had settled down upon os M me- mi
on / was miserable indeed When on my way
| J.
unfortunately associated with my own IN Troy, and
| and imprudent step. This gave occasion for that
awful article which appeared In the Times, charging
| with elOpement. When that article was published
we were more than two hundred miles apart, and
| wnen the paper handed me and read the article
the last ray of light seemed TO be extnguished
| on my way home. Oh God! my mind wandered aud
| my brain was fire. tried to pray wept and
| walked the boat. 1 returned 10 Troy and secured a
retraction in the papers. But whatever paper took
| in my hands from distant parts OF the country, my
| eyes We're hoTrihed with the most extraVagRnt and
| false statements in relation to me-
And here desire TO say, that no part OF the blame
or censure belonging 10 me for impudence or wrong
doing in this whole matter should be cast upon tue
| young lady involved in this sad H1atr. older,
/ and my uncovered head let the blows OF condem-
! nation fall lam To blame Every fair minded per-
| Will see that what / now say cannot be said TO
| screen or in any way help my case, further than
truth will do it, But as God is my judge. and
expect give strict account at His bar in the last
great day for all speak and do. and as hope for
acquital when all men shall stand 81 ent before God,
being earth, as far as know, that young lady Is
as pure that shine her head by night
Il or The which lights her path by day.
He further says his troubles worried him so
4 much he resolved to commit suicide, and
/ actually made the attempt, but when In the
/ water he thought of his wife and children, and
| he repented of his design. He then fled 70 the
| West, where he wrote to his family. Toe letter
closes with pteous appeal for charitableness
/ and forgiveness.