The New York herald., 1877-02-03
INTERVIEW WITH THE BRIDE.
The Noted PersOnages Of the Trial--Queer
Scenes in court.


Before tho case was resumed the writer honored
with an Interesting interview by the heroine Of the
case Miss Knox in the parlor OF Ciearwater's Hotel
She thcro in company with hcr older sister and
father, and two other women residing In tho hotel
broke IN twice during the conversation and
disoIntedy participated.
A SKETCH OF raE BRIDE.
Tho bride Is a thin, bony little woman OF twenty
seven, with shnrp, aimlety head. with prominent
cheek bones broad forehead and pointed chin glaring
dabs of red color both checks, long. eshcss but
not over straight and two imposing massive
upper front teeth which, protruding between the lips,
form the most conspicuous feature OF her
countenancc Tho open wide mouth, tho lous.drawn
expression the face tho lclcss gray eyes, and the
intense carmne or rather yermil:on OF her cheeks,
made her tho very embodiment Of an unpreposscssing
utterly guilcoss young country woman. Not quito
clearly understanding the nature OF interview she
was at nrs. unwilling to submit to tho process
.You can't get tho minutes Of the Court from me-"
SAID she. with nadcny coyncss you've got to 20 to
my counsel, Judge Ryder, Tor that"
ssOh he only wants TO talk with you for q minute
her father plain honest looking farmer, expostu-
lated.
She CONSENTS UNFOLD HER
SWELL" said she, opening her ruby lips q little
wider and disclosing few more Of her pearly teeth
Arc you certain Merritt Is your bridegroom ?'' she
was then asked
.'or course am" she rejoined determinedly. ~
am sure he the man."
'Hc told you the wedding day that he wanted to
get q divorce from youp''
eyes. tho drive home," sho returned, ''he told
me tha. the day boiore he had been the lawyer
Miller and got HIM TO draw up the divorce. He asked
II wouldn't sign 1t, so that he could marry Miss
Merritt, at somers, and whether wouldn't sign 1t
any wav / asked him what he wanted to get u d.
the other girl.
..That was rather an unpleasant communication to
make O the wedding day.
A FRIENDLY SUGGESTION
Miss Knox looked indignant, and one Of tho females
casc-rd put bullet through hm'
This sentiment seemed 10 please the bridc very
much, and she turned back and satd Yes, you could
manage hm, bet!"
father sis that we should have ever had anything 10
do with such u darned tool''
'.I the Judge decides in your favor do you purpose
living with Merritt?" the bride was asked
"lg y" querIcd, in voice OF muilled ire; "why,
wouldn't live with him n minutc-not n minute"
''what she wants." explained tho father, good hu.
moredly, ''is TO compel HIM TO recognize her his
wife; that's all.''
"Ana how do you explain his conduct IN marrying
The bride had theory offer, her elder sister,
who is little more good looking but nve years older,
volunteered .his:-.i'll tell you When he was com.
shouldn't keep company with ner un.ess he really
meant to marry her. with look of deep sympathy
that ho would have TO marry her because, II he
d,an',, she could sue hlm FOR breach OF
promise Well you know, he wns'Shffad that she
would him. and SO he thought the best thing
marry her first and then get divorce IRON her,
that he would then marry Miss Merritt Tho fool ho
didn't know that II he got divorce separation
with her consent he couldn't marry again in this
State %
CHURCH CLIQUE PROTECTING MERRITT.
''why does the minister not acknowledge that
Merritt was tho QroomT
Mr.. Knox took up this query and said, .Yos see, he
Is great friend OF Rev. Mr. Humphrey, the Methodist
minister at Lake Mahopac whore the Mcrrtts attend
and Humphrey has been trying 10 get young Mer
out OF the scrapc They are all Methodists and stick
together"
She crried her short upper lip and her two upper
front teeth fairly dashed as she repIied:'I hope am
not nythng he is.'
She then gave some instances OF his former devotion
TO her and said that he had often told her that he
prayed for her In the held
''Did he never pray for you at church?'
''He said ho did she returned. energeticaly and
then she related how he made her acquaintance two
years ago and Immediately asked if ho '.nlght keep
com pany with her next Sunday evening""
''To TO church f'
"Oh, nol' she returned, ''ho didn't want to go to
s.How did he part from you after the marriage ?"
''Why, he drove me TO fatEer's house, kissed me
good night and said he'd call for me next Saturday
when should 60 together get the marriage Ger.
tincate from the minister"
ruE DEFENDANT AND THE LAWYERS
This ended the and every body repaired
to tho court room, where rough and motley crowd OF
gaping aud boistcrous countrymen waiting with
Knox and her father and sister took inside the
bar behind their counsel, Messrs Ryder and Miller,
criminal to a seat behind his lawyer, Mr. Williams,
of Chappaqua. Merritt Is understood, low
browed, stupid looking fellow. OF swarthy-
muddy complexion; coarse, heavy features
whose most conspicuous features OF countenancc arc
wide, acshy nose and an intensely black growth Of
hirsutc brstlcs his blunt chin and thick lip Mcr
rtt, who sported gay blue scarf, also solicited
explain his side OF the story, but his COUNSEL Mr. will
ians, TALL grim, Puritahic style OF man, probably
moving that anything his dull client could say would
only prejudice his case forbade him speak any
Representative OF the press On tho Bench sat Justice
Gregory u mpacty built, rather dumpy man, with
clear cut, preposscssng face close cropped brown
hair and light brown, irzzy full beard, cover.
ing the lower portion OF his expansive countc-
nance. Beside him were several representatives OF
the press. Mr. Ryder, OF MISS Knox's counsel, pre-
sented quite notable appearance, being thin, tall,
smoot h-taccd; saow ioncd man. with strong
beaky nose, eyes OF the ntenscs blue and wavy IRON
gray hair strcaking a high forehead
CONDUCTED.
Rip Van Wrinkle was n very fast. lively sort OF boy
compared TO these country lawyers Ths The
mode OF conducting the examination OF witness.
Tho lawyer wouI mechanically rccito the question put
to the witness pronouncng the words CT the Of
about "a word ~ minute, and writng them slowly
down at tue same time, ~, Tor instance:--
Question tpaage OF a mnutc-Smce--th
oi--tbetnarriagc-havc- you - seen = The inan
as--inarricd-at--thc-ume :" The r.ral spec
did chaic under this snaliko proceeding at
ALL but the witnesses, their rapldy of ut,erance
would sometimes break forth aud proclaim two words
IN minute and then the lawyers would shout stop
siopl Don'i 70 SO fasiIr ana thus the sleepy per.
formance went on, only cnlvcncd by the spats be.
tween counsel which were extremely amusing
TnK CHRONIC onJEcTuE.
Mr.. Williams, Merrits counsel, objected 10 pretty
much every question that was put, and injected little
stump speeches between his objections, Tins became
50 chronic that the Justices nat, objection over
ruled" became monoonous addltion 70 every
qucry-so much so that Mss knoxs counsel. Mr. Ry-
der finally anticipated The Justices decisions, aud
when Mr. Williams had shouted "l object" Mr..
Ryder would quietly III his eyes to the Justice and
sGggcsivcly inquire, "Objoction oycrrulcdf" as
though that was u matter OF course AL! these ana
other side trusts OF counsel were rcshcd as kecnly
by the au though the legal contestants wero
Serjcant Bukiuzz and Dodson and Fogg.
MAGNIFICENT GRAFTON.
The first witness Mr.. Emerson W. Adds, the
editor the Brewster Standard who contradiced the
minister Ur Dean. some utterly unimportant point
But II Afforded Mr. Williams welcome opportunity
Tor an grafton lie rose, and, addressing the DUMP.
founded Justice, said:-'Your Honor, object 10 such
The people havo interest IN pursuing this
M nd Law hns intercsl In haVlpg law