The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1877-03-09
Who Married Mary RnOx-A Bride With
out n Husband
Real-life hints of plots for sensation:

country anu MOI Ai 0hG CIV ~ @o .
girl should sit down with her brother
and plot to 90 to the minister's house
with him and there go through the form
of marriage in order that she should be
able to claim real marriage with an
other young man, trusting to luck that
the minister would not be able to dis
tinguish between the two, is feat OF
daring in the field of matrimony that
would never be yentured upon In city
life. Yet this is precisely what the de-
tendant would have the world believe
in the knox-Merritt case, in Carmel,
Putnam county, n. Y, and what there
is, as far as developed, singular
scarcity of evidence to disprove. Young
Merritt, tic defendant, has not yet
made this specific charge against George
Knox, the brother of the bride, but he
ayers that somebody personated him,
andlthe evidence, so tar as taken before
Justice of tile Peace George Gregory,
of Carmel, shows that George Knox
is suspected in the eyes of Merritt's
friends.
The attention of the public was
specially drawn to the case by the pub
lication, December 4, in the Graphic,
of the pictures of the bride and putative
groom. Yesterday the Rev. j. J. Dean,
the pastor of the Methodist Church, at
Brewster's Station, on the Harlem
Road, who married the couple at his
house, was on the stand all day. He
was confronted with Merritt and George
Knox, and gave his views at length as
to the probability of each having been
the groom. Finally, he testified that
at the first session OF the court he had
seen man standing in the rear of the
room, on the south side, who very close
~ resembled the groom-much more
SO than either Merritt or Knox. He
went to the house of Rev. Mr.. Bishop
that night and told him the circum-
| stances, and the Rev. Mr.. Bishop said
he had noticed the same young man.
The witness, who was greatly impatient
at the slow methods of the law, and
wanted to tell the whole story right out,
was asked why he had not told the rep
resentatives OF the people of the same
circumstance. He replied with some
asperity that he was not accustomed to
| volunteer his services.
Before proceeding to give the story
of the trial yesterday the story of the
drama should be briefly recalled to the
/ reader, with such recently discovered
| particulars as have served to deepen its
mystery. The parties to the case are
near neighbors, living among the beau
tltnl lakes whose waters at length find
their way over High Bridge in the Gro
ton Aqueduct. John A. Merritt, the
| aflor1n1 a hoe
his boyhood, specimens of which, mis-
spelled but glowing with tender pas
sion, are shown by the bride in proof OF
often proffered affection. On the night
OF the last election, November {, he met
Mr.. A. j. Miller, young lawyer, at
| Brewster's Station, and asked him what
was necessary in order to procure di-
vorce in this State. Miller told him,
but he replied that he could not prove
any misconduct on the part of the lady.
He then talked to the lawyer about
drawing up papers of separation by
mutual agreement. When he was
about to leave him he enjo1ned strict
secrecy rs to the nature of their conyer-
sation. This is one of the remarkable
facts in the case, because the marriage
/ CCICtIOIiy JlGs lCS64u OINL AIOb Ud hG
place until the following night. The
bride, Mrs. John a. Merritt, or what
ever may be the name of the groom
says that, in accordance with an agree.
ment made on the preceding Friday
evening, Merritt came for her in car.
riage on Wednesday evening, and after
she had got $50 from her mother to pay
the necessary expenses, drove with mel
to Mr.. Deans house, and that there The
ceremony performed. Immediately
afterwards they drove back. She got
out at her fathers ho.se and he drove
away. She never saw him afterwards
except as he was driving by. He say,
that on the following day, Just as hi
happened to be shaving off his mustache
MIR. Knox, the father of the bride, came
to his house and informed his folks o
the marriage. He was greatly surprised
to learn that he was accused of being
the groom. On Thanksgiving Day tn,
, lawyer, A. j. Miller, visited his father
Mr. John G. Miller, also a lawyer, a
Connel His father told him that Mis-
, Mary E. Knox, or Mrs. John a. Mer
j ritt, whichever she is to be called, hao
/ applied to him for legal assistance t.
compel Merritt 10 support her as hi
wife. Young Miller was surprised tina
his father should know anything of tn
conversation held the evening before til
marriage on the subject of divorce ant
? separation, but the father told him tha
Mary's story was that on the night c
f her marriage Merritt had told her a.
!. about it. Merritt, it should be added
claims that he can prove that he was a
J. the village OF Croton Falls at the tim
!. of his alleged marriage; that he droy
J. down there to get box of matches an
called on his uncle, being gone from hi
house about three hours These are til
: statements in the case which have bee
: made up to the present time.-Ne'
York Graphic.
!, s'Some visitors are coming, and yo
n must keep little still this afternoon,
4 4