The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-02-10
Who Married Nary Kiex-A Bride
gia'iA Wltheut 4 Husband. ia.. si52

Who Married Nary Kiex-A Bride
.iaf~ Without 4 Husband. Ah.i. ~
ef.J lHtitHg5,t s&4i-- ggdi - 80
Real-life hints Of plots for sensation
al dramas must be looked for in the
country and not In thaD city. That q
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
he,a able to claim q real marriage with
another young man, Trusting to luck
that the minister would not be able to
distinguish between the. two, is feat
of daring in the field of matrimony that
would never be ventured upon in city
life. Yet this is precisely what the de-
PENDANT would have the world believe
in the Knox-Merritt case, in Carmel.
Putnam County, N. Y, and VIII THERE
is, as, far as developed, q singular
scarcity of evidence to disprove. Young
Merritt, the defendant, has not vet
made this specific charge against
George Knox, the brother Of the bride,
but he AYERS that somebody personated
him, and the evidence, SO. far as taken
before Justice OF the Peace George
Gregory, of Carmel, shows that George
Knox is suspected in the eyes of Mer-
riit's friends. - u -
The attention of the public was spe-
cially drawn to the case by the publica-
ton, December 4. in the GSaphic,, of
the pictures of the bride and putative
groom. Yesterday the Rev. j. j. Dean,
the pastor of the Methodist Church, at
Brewsler'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 a man standing in the rear of the
room, on the south side, who very close
ly 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,
resentatiyes' 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 DE 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
tiful lakes whose waters at length find
their way over High Bridge in the Cro-
ton Aqueduct. John A. Merritt, the al
legged groom, has written poetry from
his boyhood, specimens of which, mis-
spelled but glowing with tender pas
sion, are shown by the bride in proof OF
often profered affection. On. the nigh,
Of the last election, November Z, he me,
Mr.. A. j. Miller, a young lawyer, at
Brewster's Station, and asked him what
was necessary in order to procure q 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 abou,
drawing up papers of separation by
mutual agreement. When he was about
to leave him ne enjeined strict secrecy
as to the nature of their conversation.
This is one of the remarkable facts in
the case, because the marriage cere.
mony before Mr. Dean did not take
place until tho 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 tho preceding Friday
evening, Merritt came for her in q car
riage on Wednesday evening, and at.
ter she had got 500 from her moth
or to pay the necessary expenses
drove with her to Mr.. Deans house
and that there the ceremony was per
formed. Immediately afterwards they
drove back. She got out at her fs
theirs house and he drove away. She
never saw him Afterwards, except a:
he vas driving by.,-He says that OF
the following day. jast as he happened
to be shaving off his mustache, Mr.
Knox, the father Of the bride, came t.
his house and informed his folks of the
marriage. He was greatly surprised
TO learn that he was accused of being
the groom. On Thanksgiving Day the
lawyer, A. j. Miller, visited his father
Mr.. John G. Miller, also lawyer, a
Connel. His father told him that Mis-:
Mary E. Knox, or Mrs. John A. Mer.
rift, whichever she Is to. be called, haG
applied to him for legal assistance tt
compel Merritt to support her as hi:
wife. Young Miller Mas surprised thai
his father should know any thing of the
conversation held the evening before thu
marriage on the subject of divorce and
separation, but the father told him thai
Mary's story was that on the night OF
her marriage Merritt had told her al
about it, Merritt, it should be added,
claims that he can prove that he was al
the village of Croton Falls at the time
of his alleged marriage; that he drove
down there to get q box of matches and
called on his uncle, being gone from
his house about three hours. These
are the statements in the case which
have been made up to the present time
-NeaD York Graphic.
~
The dangerous results of too-ab
sOrhing oonyereetiOl we're lately felt il
Belgiun. .Twogsntlemen were 90 en-
crossed in an animated discussion that
they drove on to q railroad track just
as "a locomotive approached. but the
horse not being SO preoccupied plunged
round, and the train hit the carriage,
smashing it to bits, and sending the oc
cupants aud the horse down AM embank.
mest. The engineer stopped as soon
as he could, and the guard rushed te
help the supposed. sufferers; to the
,amazement of 2e7exys one they had
scarcely Q scratch or gbruise. The en-