The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-16
THE YONKERS TRAGEDY.
Waiting the Burial of Theron Merritt
and His Victim.
BUSY VILLAGE GOSSIPS.
WHAT the Friends Of Mrs. Leggett Say OF
Her Former Conduct.

The neIghborhood OF the Leggett and Merritt resi-
denccs, near Tuckahoe, where the terrible double
crime OF Theron Merritt committed on thursday,
yesterday astir all day long, friends OF the two
families, local oc ais reporters aud curiosity seckers
coming and goag constantly. Village gossip baked
for day by the sudden Of the murder and sui
eide swung into the tuIi tide OF scandal and storss
that had been half forgotten for years raked
and retold with presumabie additions. 1t Is only
right TO say that not one OF the stories told went un
coutradicted, but the pity was that nearly all who
fought the scandal od iricpns OF Of the fam
lilies and active In spreading stories about tho
other Tho two houses were closed against all but
the immediate friends OF the mourning i'll
mates and those who came for niorma-
ton received the outside and courteously told
that tho Coroner's inquest had developed all that
was known Of the particulars OF the tragedy Tho in-
quest was reported yesterday, showed nothing OF
the cause which led TO tho crime excepting SO far as
the statement OF the jury that Theron Merritt la
boring under alteration OF mind when no killed
himself This moderation OF the Coroner IN not at
tempting to investigate the preliminary circun-
stances to crime which the pcrpetraior had
expated with his lie, was denounced by many dis
appointed people, aud the celebrity with which the in-
quests held aud the vcriicls rendered was
deemed evidence that the Coroner unduly
10 suppress scandal. None OF those who talked
in this way however, could say what end could have
been attained by further investigation, excepting to
satisfy curiosity
THE COMING
II was announced ut the Leggett mansion that tho
funeral OF Mrs. Lcggctt would take place Monday
next, probably about ten A. ~ Her remains Will be-
buried IN Woodawn Cemetery beside those OF her
husband. A friend OF tho family. who answered for
Mr. Clarence Legsett. tho eldest son, in
bis absence, said that the family still
loss TO imagine what possible
could be assigned for Mcrrtts crime, and could only
understand 1t by supposing that he was insane at tho
time. This gentleman contradictcd, by authority tho
stories that there had beea pocuniary transactions
between tho two. excepting that Mrs Leggett may
have employed Merritt to buy different articles for
her. She had loaued him money TO any
extent, II at all, and II not believed BY
hor childrcn that he making an attempt
TO borrow money OF her. Concerning a story thal
she was In the nablt OF going frequently TO New York
IN company win Merritt, no declared that Tho only
formation Tor IL tnat Mrs LcggeL IN tho
habit OF going to visit at the house OF her sister, Mrs.
Leopold schmidt. and that II Merritt happened to 90
by the same train IL was nothing moro than ac0k
don't
Al tho Merritt homestead It was said that the fu-
neral would take place Sunday Ito morrow) and
that the ooly would DO buried IN Woodiawn. Among
Merritts papers, In tin box was found a memoran-
dum In hs handwriting saying That when no died he
desired that his funeral should be plain and
teutatous possible, and that ho should DO buried
In manner to give as little trouble possible to
any lie wished the expense OF the interment 10
be not more than 500 and much less possible.
| He requested that his friend, the Rev. Edward
Eggleston, should say prayer over MS body aud aid
NOT care that any other ceremony should DO per-
formed. He was not a member vi any church.
| WAS PKEMEprArEDS
Tho Rev. Dr. Eggieston went " the house where
being shown this paper he complied with that part Of
II which related TO him by Offering prayer by tina
Some discussion to whether tins paper did
not AFFORD evidence OF presentation of the
| aid me- mi anlu no
however, did not prevent the spreading OF rumof
that letter had been found in The pocket OF the dead
man explaining why he was about u commit the
crime. anu the Coroner was denounced Tor suppress.
lug n document that never existed.
| Another rumor, which by careful inquiry shown
to be equoly bascess was that Theron Merritt in
habit OF drinking, und that possible souton Of
! time. IL learned beyond doubt that no an
unusually aostem,ous man though not a teetotaller.
and his most intimate acquaintsnces declare that
they never saw hm under the influence OF liquor IL
the slightest degree.
Inform alton received yesterday indicated that tho
account OF tho Merritts AS gwen on tho night of The
uogedy was Incomplete Theron Merritts record
sann now 'A While psymns.er oa .n es steamer
Kansas OF the United States Navy, during
n nS aaa no was a. enS found to no acai,ss
TO considerable anount-somc say $l2 900 aud some
say SIC, 600. sut was brought against him by tho
government, which was compromised by a payment
In part OF the sum CLAIMED, though II 10
believed that NO. more .han $1,000 was
failure In the hardware business III Chicago he has
| Tried various modes Of obtaining iiving, IN
mono OF wLch he particularly successful lie has
al det times tried 70 Introduce Inherent patented
ARTICLES among Them preparation OF spices for adj
ID xture with horse iced, ana such business has
boon the nabIt oil going TO New York twice or
three week. He has, however, never been IN tho
| habit his mother says, OF staying away over night,
but was always a, home curly IN tho evening and
spont ms leisure time WIN his Iainily
mERRirr's INSANITY.
! Concerning his insanity there seemed hardly any
room Tor doubt. HIS iathcr in-law Judge BurwciI.
That Tor abou. year pas. his actions have been
stru IN Kur vol nul tnpu ph II
probable that IL would Uc necessary 10 connne hfn
IN an asylum Tor tho insane. THIS thought,
and II queily discussed by tnem from
time to time, without the knowledge OF his vile. how
| lew days. aud whom It was broacne1 10 her she dc
ciared ner opposition to II. Ua Thursday morning.
however, AS the family sat at breakfast, the subject
vas openly mentioned, anu It was even discussed 50
lar as TO speak oil the choice between dierone
asylums Theron Merritt himself spoke sIigntngly VI
his trouble on thai OCCASION saying mat II would soou
pass over, that II was not serious, &c Tue Ismiiy
thought dihcrenty howcver as ne haa oomp'a,nsu
frequently during tho WINTER and even iartncr back,
OF ierrDie pains IN his mead and had acted strangely
In different ways HIS thought OF suicide was we'll
| known, for he mad for long trnc been IN the
habit OF saying To his vile and CHILDREN that he would
bs better out Of The world. aud that tney would 10
better OF no were gone Than thcy could DO who no
lived. An examination OF his papers since his death
that years his mind has dwct tns
subject OF scli-dcsructon and That he has conteu-
plated II almost constantly. No thought OF his ate
tempting violence toward any one else seems TO havo
been entertained by any one. and his own
family scom as thoroughly assounded as Mrs. Lcg-
get.'s at mis- terrible deeds Tho theory OF his ln-
sanity entirely adopted by ali tie relatives
that no Is elt by Mrs Lcggctts children and
Clarence, her oldest son. yesterday went with his
wife TO see ner sister, Theron Merrtt's widow.
VILLAGE GOSSIP.
Notwithstanding this belief OH the part OF those
most interested, who might DO supposed to under-
stand aud feel the calamity most thoroughly, tno
scandal loving neighbours are dissatsnci with ~. and
point to certain remarkable circumstances which
tncy declare have strange significance now. SIX
or seven years ago, wnen Mr. samuel Leggct was
living, and wnen he and his iamiy occupied q
small old-fashoned farm house about half mile from
the handsome residence which AIRS. Leggctt's latner
built for her, there boarded with them a man named
sIoan, VINO Is now Europe. H. Was an Inventor,
ana amoug his Inventions Is mentioned the giniict-
| pointed screw. He occupied sleeping room IN the
barn, where he had \ workshop also fitted up,
aud no engaged In business with Mr.. Leggctt
at Spuytcn DuyviL the village scandaImongcrs
we're satihcd with this arrangement, and tucs
agitation whom Mr.. sloan was shot gt one night IN the
| IMAM cd