, 1873-08-16
BlGAMy.
10 Prightens Wife No. | Into Silence, and
Makes Ao. 2 Decd Him
l1or Property.
The PeddIer and His Victim Disappear
and Are Never Seen Again.

The Pedder and His Victim Disappear
and Are Never Seen Again.
Tho Superior Court ngain furnishes q Bonsa-
tion worthy threo volume novel. Tho bill Of
Mary L. Wolcott by ". L. uirat, Jr., her so1ioi-
tor, and Z. G. Assay l. E. A. OtiB her counsel.
yesterday filed, allrnB TINT sllo is tho only child
and hoir at law Of Eliza Brown, who diod In
state Of imnocility, rs Bho had livod previous to
her docoaae leaving complainant solo devtsoo
by her last (lsnown) will mud testament Of the
south half Of Tho southwest quarter Of Section
10, and tho oastorn ton Of tho aonth half Of
tho aouthoast quartor Of said Section 10, Town
ship II, IS, worth from 5000 to $4,000. Tho
will appears to have boon only latc1y discovered,
tile dcceaned being believed to have departed
this life early in 1872, md tho will being nd
mttted to probate in tho Cook County Court
Oh tho 18th inst.
Shortly before Mrs, Browns alleged death,
early In 1879, and whom elo was 88 years Of ago,
ono William Smith, q rag-peddlor, called at hor
house, and, quickly finding out her imbccility
and failings, as we'll tho valuo Of hor property,
deliberately SGT to work to induce her to marry
him. Ho represented that ho WAS travelling for
large iron firm, aud that ho was studying for
the ministry. Making loyo to each other with
tho passionate a1dor Of golden youth, they passed
the flying hours In praying and psalm-singing,
altcrnated with copious draughts Of whisky. 10
promised to lend her to God, and obtain her
eternal salvation. Only four days lator
they escaped to Indiana, and woro mar
rled, viz, OH tho 9oth September, 1871, and
thoncoforth Mrs. Brown was isolated from MI
tho world, and nothing positive is known Of the
peddler's immediate proceedings, except that he
was soon to threaten hor frequently with his
fists; md subsequent events Justify tho belief
property to him, it tranBpiring that sho made
conveyance to him, and tint ho mado a recon-
veyanco to her, and aoon after sold tho personal
property for what he could got.
known that Smiths real nalno was Merrill that
le had wife living in Chicago, and was IN CO.
capped convict, wandering over tho country to
Escape from the handa Of Justice.
Smith, alias Merrill, intimidatod is victim into
signing what purportod to bo her last will and
testament, .bequeathing all her property to him;
which will has never beon soon or probated.
In November, 1871, he took her away secretly
from the surveillance Of llor friends. and moved
her to Chicago, whero he routod little room
and kept her solitary, and in manner Gagged up.
Noxt, Smiths, alaa Merrills wife, turns up,
and Smith, alias Morrill,, is found trying to in-
dnce her to, 60 to Canada, to be out Of tho way.
Events begin to crowd thick and fast. Tho old
woman is safely looked up md her frionds can-
not find 4er, tho first wifo is making last win
attempt to secure tho allegiance Of her faithloss
husband, who, with an alleged accomplice, is
trying to cajolo or scare her into running away.
Merrill. VAS arrested in Chicago for bigamy,
and lodged in jail. Tho following day j. Il.
Bradwell became his bonds1nnn and ho was re-
leaHed and under same aato quit claim deed
int 4
woman to Benjamin W. Ellis, for which no con.
ellerat1on was ever paid.
Tho noxt day ho took tho old woman and left
tho city, and nother Of thom have ever since
has boen discovered Of them poing q report that
they wont to Vermont whore SMITH, aims Merrill,
rays the old womln died, aud that information
reached them only through Bradwell. who re-
fused to say when or whore she died. or where
complainant could find her romnins.
Smith, aliaa Merrill, procured a divorce, OBJ
tainod, 1t is alleged. by false swearing Of nogro
witnessos, parties to fraud and oollusion. The
decree was obtained in December, 1871.
Bradwell d Ellis arc now alleged to DO in
possession Of said property and refuse to give it
up, claiming under such guit-claim docd, aud
they have put tenant on tho land and arc col
lecting the rent. During the last days Of Mira.
her q trust doed to l.. @. Paine Freer on tile
property to secure o noto Of $4,000 to A. j.
Bnen, the proceeds Of which the husband never
accounted for. Smell only paid Smith, alias
Merrill, $4,000.
Therefore, complainant prays, among othor
conveyance OF said propert. ITO this complainant,
Freer, q release Of said trust dood, and shall
give up and cancel tho said notes, and that an
said notes, trust decd, aud property. 1t does
not appear how Bradwell co1nca into possession
OF tho property. the dood being. to Ellis.
AiidAyits iilod with tho bill are as follows !:
~ he went with Mira. Mary A. Wolcott, wife Of
Alexander Wolcott, to the aforesaid J. II. Brad
wells Office, and, after passing the usunl compile
ments, Mrs. Wolcott asked after the health Of
much confusod," and said hor mothor was dead,
but refused to give her my particulars.
Jane Smith, wife Of William Smith. alias VIII
lard Merrill, af{lrms TINT sho mot Smith on q
following Monday TINT they lived together q
year and mouth, when size fell sick. Ho left
her. Ho returned to her In seven months aud
thcn went off to carry out his Bchemo for the
was married to tho latter he camo homo to aiIt.
ants house, and told her all about 1t, Haying nov
he WAS rich man, and showing her tho doods
She made breakfast, aud ho paid her s5 and loft,
returning in two weeks, when no again con:
Of e5. Soon after, ho persuaded biz
wife that there was dangor OF tho double mar
riage being found ont, and OF her befng ARRESTED
and Detained in Jail as witnoBs. wherefore Blt
went to milwaukee,. There he followed her, atlt
again plying her and increasing her foars, in
duced her to 60 to Toronto, Canada, whore hel
brother lived, giving hor $50 for expenses, but
ehe found hor brother waB dead, and returned te
Detroit and thence to Chicago. Sho then foun{
out her husband and asked him to giyo hcr S1O0
30 that ehe might start business somewhere
He took her, Us he said, to his lawyers {Brad
wel's) Office and on entering, 80 she afirms, tl'
lawyer asked who she was, and she said she waI
Morrill, wife,-"oue Of them. She then asked be
husband again for the money, and, Oh his do