The New York herald., 1877-02-27
THE MYSTERIOUS MARRIAGE.
Extracts from Merritt's Love Epis-
ties to Miss Knox.
PRAYING, LOVING, KISSING, SPELLING
Will the Shadowy Groom Have to Emil
crate to Utah

vr.s az. down for Yesterday at Carmel From far and
wide the farmers. anu squreens OF Putnam county
came 10 attend the trial. bet were not little disap'
pointed when II was announced by Justice Gregory
that owing >to death Of the vile OF Mr. Williams.
counsel for the unwilling groom, the Court would have
70 adjourn Till March H. thc Justice expressed the
hope thai this troublesome would then be dis
posed oil Merritt was present in court but his former
beloved, Miss Knox, was absent Perhaps the most
interested OF all tho spectators was old Merritt the
father Of Miss Merritt OF somers Miss Merritt is
relation OF the defendant, John A. Merritt,
hut was the choice OF his heart when he
grew tired of Miss Knox, and when tho latter
came forward and declared that Merritt had married
her Merritt pleaded that this could not have been the
case as he engaged TO his sweet namesake, MISS
Merritt OF Somers Now Mr. Merritt, her father, does
not is the situation at ALL He says that John A.
Merritt has promised to marry his daughter and marry
her he SHALL But how he If he has already mar
l,ed Miss KnoxY Mr.. Merritt, oil Somers, is quito
firm in his conviction that John A. Merritt did not
marry Miss Knox. But suppose the courts hold that
he did? Then the only way for the Merritt lovers to
marry one another is for Merritt to obtain divorce
from hls wife or have the marriage annued on the
ground OF his brides unchastity, by her having an
ilegitimate Child.
Tug EXCITEMENT STILL CONTINUING
Although the prevailing Sentiment in Putnam
county continues to be in favor OF the bride, and the
majority OF intelligent observers iecl confident that
Merritt aud nobody else was Miss knox's groom,
there is DOUBT that his friends mean 10 push the
sut which he brought against the Knox family for
conspiracy His counsel claim 10 have discovered
evidence such will satisfy every impartial person
that Merritt was not the groom. They depend upon
an aibi both to the marriage itself and the queer
application for divorce the previous evening. On
han re nde nj i'm IN havo
covered new witness, Mr. George Sears, who, they
say identifies Merritt as the who inquired after
Lawyer Miller, and got him to draw up articles Of
separation between himself and his future BRIDE IL
has been mooted that tho prosecution
mean to put young Merritt upon the witness stand,
and If he there persists that he was not the groom in
ihe face of the great OF testimony against him,
have him indicted ior perjury There is still great
excitement throughout the county over this curious
:ase. and in all the public resorts within radius OF
ten miles OF Lake Mahopac It Is the subject Of vehe-
ment discussion every night Dr. Dean the clergy
who married the couple, has been roundly abused
Tor his duplicty IN first stating that he felt certain
Merritt was the man, ana then turning round and de-
claring that not certain, after ALL whether hc
was or not The following s a verbatim copy OF the
marriage certificate
BREWSTER, Nov. Is. 1876.
This eeriiaes that John 4. Merit. and Mary Kncx
Rev J. J. DEAN.
The following are extracts from the love letters
which Merrtt wrote TO his beloved at the very time
Hhen as he now CLAIMS he was soemny engaged 10
Hiss Merritt OF Somers. All the letters but one are
without signature, IN pursuance OF an agreement
between the lovers but they are all admitted to DO IN
hs own handwriting 1t Is evident that Merritt never
attended the spelling "bees'':-
now HR PRAYED FOR HER.
CAaxxl. May ls. 1875
Loy s Su s sh to much %s T sss
there has been ten minutes at time that have
iown hearted that right the middle Of the field
Nigh, " 10 WITH Il would
ss The srsa.e.s pleasure the only knew
Ss
w tel s As oa w & G9a from Tn' bs as
and ihoaght that i would finish my letter Jus. before
at and sn n S 70 sa Ss
to Sers s'' %
here help it, Norman his brother first up
'Ss
reaan as Yours. truly. love.
Remember when this you sec.
Al tho meny mids apart
OH you sh. have sS my hear.
Many kisses
do not think that you
can read this
! am har;. IN great
Please excuse.
aud long
HIS INTENSE pIErY
The beautiful vein OF pely which through this
and other letters shows Merritt IN the light OF lover
not only solicitous for his swcethcarts kisses,
LuI also Tor her spiritual welfare He is
now ono OF tho class leaders at the union
orIh perfect stream OF piety and morality at every
meeting. In the following epstie from which
only give brief extract he shows that he was not
satisfied with kissing her picture, beautiful as 1t no
DOUBT was.
on May &c. 1876, he writes:--
DEAREST ExnA-- wish insted Of writing was
taking with you and then now | would Kiss you. .
Dear haved promised that would GEEK God be-
p m m snrs wSs' has snoan es oHe
her monogram on you're envelope viii oetray me- please
This letter signed with elaborate
In which the following is written in spider etters:-
"for you Love Is my motto"
MAKES THIN?
II appears from the following extracts that Merritt
did not conine his tender attcnti to Miss Emma
Knox, bot also bestowed an occasional kind word
upon her elder sister, Anna 1t Will be that upon
tae whole he prefers Emma. ana that IN the warm
month OF June he was in great trbulaton AT the too
ethereal proportions which his adored Emma be-
ginning to assume. One can imagine his deep solicit
tudc and profound grief when Anna acquainted HIM
with the fathers opinion that Emma had never been
thin as she was now"
In u letter dated June 20, 1875, he saye:-
You Just wate unit, soe you and see III don't kiss
ward there is better coming 1t Is very warm to-day
sister IS lockng tor me tomorrow night wish you
no sa before sU"F and o
you said woE ID like to know what Anna thcr
] bound do all nght. 6c.
Under date OF July 2s 1876, he wriics:-
DEAREST ExM, . Your sister told me that your
father ana he said that he
look bad before he said thin in flesh
What makes you my love It don't
know what to do My is and IL very
angry so you must excuse all. Write Good BY,
Good Ky with meny meny Kisses Ny Darling.
In another epistle IN the same month he says
very glad to here from but sorrie here
your sister last night and when came home the bird
k gng their happic songs wish 1t had been instead
OF her aitto enjoyed my self very much
THE FAREWELL LITTER
Aasl her dream Of love bret; for but two
months later he tells her, with many protcstatIons OF
uu:ying affection, that he wants no more OF her ana
thai he has found another more attractive magnet.
The whole Of The cpistie which Follows might be
d.dy summed up In THIS -'Emma, dearest, you arc
very nce; bu', excuse mo- have found another girl
IL will be from the postscript that ne must nave
carried this letter his pocket from August 20 TIL
only ihep cauId