The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-30
A Strange Complication OF Romance
and Trouble.


rested ut Taylor's Hotel, Jersey City, at
late hour on Sunday night by Detective Sin
gleton, on charge OF kidnapping. The
complainant In the case, James j. White,
about four years ago married Mrs. Merri-
mans daughter, girl of twenty years, and
removed with her to Milwaukee. There a
child was born TO them, and their married
life went on smoothly until n year or so ago,
when Mrs. White discovered that her hus-
band had another wife living in Wisconsin.
Shs Astified him that she was going to leave
him, and before going he obtained her sig
nature to an agreement surrendering the
child to the father. White then took the child
to his wife's mother, to whom he paid regu:
larry five dollars week to take care OF it.
A few weeks ago Mrs. Merriman con-
ceivcd the idea that White would in short
while take the child away with him to Eng
land, and she has since refused to allow
him to see his son. White learned that
Mrs. Merriman had placed the child with
parties in Jersey City, and on going to his
mother-in-law's house, Mt No. AS Smith
street, Brooklyn, he was told that the child
had been taken away. He went ut once be-
fore one Of the Supreme Court justices in
Brooklyn and applied for writ Of ha6eas
corpus. The writ was granted, and Mrs.
Merriman was cited to appear with the
child in court at 10 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing. Mrs. Mcrriman, on receiving notice Of
the writ, left Brooklyn, and took room in
Taylor's Hotel. White followed her, and
caused Justice Davis, of Jersey City, to issue
Il warrant, upon which she was arrested.
She is now in police headquarters awaiting
examination. Since her incarceration she
has confessed that the child is with woman
living near Gowanus.
White has secured patent which yields
him handsome income, and he declares he
don't want to take the child to England, but
to Milwaukee, where he lives. He offers to
take the entire Merriman family and his
wife, who has since assumed her maiden
name. and provide for them for the rest OF
their lives.
The mother Of the child is pleasing per-
son, and tellsa singular story about her mar
riage with White, who, she says, is a veal
thy man in Milwaukee, and interested in q
large iron-works. Having come to New
jersey some four or FIVE. years ago tobuy
machinery, and feeling lonely in a strange
place, he advertised for friends from Castle
bar, whence he came. Mrs. Merriman, who
came from there, recognized the name, and
said perhaps the advertiser was young
man who was taken sick and desired some
friend TO care for him.
She answered the advertisement, and
White became intimate with the family. He
represented himself as a widower, and paid
attention to Jennie Merriman, who was then
only fifteen years and a half old He asked
her mother and father to consent to their
marriage, which they did. After two
weeks stay he returned to the West. lie
wrote suggesting that Jennie should come
out with some one and meet him in Chicago,
where they would be married. Her brother
in-law accompanied her, and White met
them station or two this side OF Chicago.
He asked Jennie whether she felt like get
ting married, and she said she did. They
went to the Briggs Hotel, and White
sent the brother-in-law out to get
wine, directing him where he should
20 for it. As soon as he had quilted the
room there was knock at the door, and a
gentleman entered and asked, " Is this Mr.
White 2" Mr.. White replied he was the
person, and the visitor explained that he was
the minister who had been sent for to marry
A couple, and that his name was Walsh. He
had only fifteen minutes to stay, and there
must be no delay If they wanted his services;
Jennie said she wished to wait until her
brother-in-law returned, but White urged
her to stand up, and did, and Walsh married
them, giving certificate. White subse-
quentIy asked Jennie for her lines, as he said
they must be registered, but she declined
to deliver them up. Three or four days
afterwards he asked her for them again,
but she again refused. One morning, how
ever, he took them out Of her pocket before
she was awake and burned them, rs he
afterwards admitted. A week or so after
this White told Jennie she bad better 60
and see her folks, and she did SO. After
wards she and all her family returned to
Milwaukee, and she went 10 live at Whites
house, on Spring street. Subsequently. it
was discoved that he had former wife liy-
ing, and the person who married him to
Miss Merriman was.not a minister, but an
undertaken named Cutler. r
Yesterday morning application was made
in Brooklyn to Judge Walsh for warrant
for Whites arrest on charge OF bigamy,
but he declined on the ground that he had
no jurisdiction. Jennie subsequently ap-
piled at the district attorneys Office, but
was informed that the application must be
made in the county where the offence was
committed brooklyn paper: 81.