The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-30
CASHIER MERRITT'S CASE.
THE EXPERIENCE OF HOTEL CLERKS
IN CHANGING STRANGERS CASH.


Judge Hilton In the Trial of Mr.. Merritt.
On Saturday last at the close OF that
days proceedings in the examination OF Cashier
Clifton A. Il. Merritt. Gen. f. A. Merritt tho
uncle OF young Merritt. said to Justice Otter
bourg; 1 ask fair and just examination for
this young man. charged with this offence.
ask OF your Honor the most merciful consider
alton OF this case. and most careful study Of
its merits"
To this Justice OterbourR replied: Il am
only magistrate. Mr. Merritt This ls a pain
ful case to me. and innuendoes have. l am
sorry to say been circulated about me. This
boy has made a terrible charge against Mr.. Mer-
ritt. II it should prove false. will see that he
is punished to the extent OF the law"
On Monday. in summing up tho case for the
defence and asking the discharge Of Mr.. Mer-
ritt. Mr.. hHenry II. Rice. his counsel. said
We have produced respectable. honorable
witnesses. who must be stamped as perjurers
II your Honor takes the word OF Williams
II this is blow aimed at the hotel II has sig
nally failed. II II is a blow at the management
OF tho hotel II has signally failed. 1t is the duty
OF the Court. as the evidence clearly shows. to
protect Mr.. Merritt against tho attacks OF n
stranger. without q single fact to corroborate
his statement"
These remarks have attracted much atten-
tion. Mr.. Rice. who defended Mr. Merritt Ia
Mr.. Henry Hiltons general business lawyer.
His office is In A. T. Stewart n Co.'S store
The Metropolitan Hotel belongs to the estate OF
A. T. Stewart. Mr.. Rice said yesterday that he
did not caro- to add anything to what he had said
in court; that Justice Ouerbourg and Mr.. Price
might publish what they pleased but that he
should say nothing.
Judge OtterbourR thus exnlnins bis rep,,rk
In court The case had been before the public
but a day or 30 when heard of rumors. They
were everywhere and were not whispered
either. to the effect that Judge Hilton had said
that /. as Justice. had taken extra trouble to
prosecute Merritt. and that he Judge Hiltonl
would do anything to follow me up. Iunder-
stood that the supposed grounds for my sup
posed g-s Tore that J. rs q Hebrew, was anx-
ious to get revenge on account Of the trouble
between Judge Hilton and Mr.. Seligman az
Saratoga in the summer Of 1877. l heard these
rumors in such way that thought il my duty
10 defend Judge Hilton. aud said that
didn't believe that he had ever said any
such thing. or intimated Os much. AMI do not
now believe that he did. As far as l personally
was concerned. l dismissed the rumors from
my mind at once. / should not consider
myself fit for the position l hold. or for
much less Irresponsible one, did
let any such motives actu0te me in my official
position. thought no more Of 1t until yester-
day morning. when Mr.. Rice took occasion TO
refer to the attacks on the hotel and on the man
RRement in such a manner that / do not feel
that can let 1t pass unnotced.
am a Hebrew. by birth and belief. but l
suppose l am called liberal one In belief
Still the public can have no interest in my
manner OF life. As TO the interest took in the
Hilton -Seigman controversy you may Judge,
perhaps. when say that / have now as then an
account at Stewarts. Hundreds OF our people
Would not hny ave cents worth Bit r told my
wife 70 trade where shs Ee"sfd Gnd no we 5Sse
that Judge Hilton knows this. though
perhaps he does ns rec rece,Se ~ - tne ne
sixty days and thus far have been able to pay
them on presentation. felt that II was az un-
10 make the remark that he did. especially
after had explained fuly how me complaint
whit my decision will be | could not tell
now II | we're to die There Is a vast amount
q ana ana shs a6 Se bGpe GpdtH tSn Il w Bs
proved thnt the boy was mistaken rs % the de-
nomination Of the bill he rendered to Mr. Mer-
rtt. A wish to see is that strict ana impair,
tial Justice he done and with that idea ana
that alone in view. shall give my decision;
already in print about this subject. and do
not wish 10 add anything more
Conversations we're had yesterday with the
clerks and csls shiers OF many OF the prominent
hotels In this city as well as with cashiers OF a
few other large establishments, on the suplect
said he always ieit a bill offered him TO change
on top OF the counter until the person applying
for the change had counted what he received or
had taken il away In this way he had always
avoided trouble. D., +,
The clerk Of tho Brandreth House said i.t That
the hotel and asked for change for $50 bill.
Four t5 bills we're given him; The clerk was was
very busy. Soon the stranger SAID, LOOK
here. See what w have given me-three So
bills and a.i bill The clerk knew he was was
right but several guests OF tine house. who were
standing near the desk said that the man had
not moved from where he stood. The stranger
Indignantly demanded to be, searched, and a.
last the clerk yielded against his Judgment and
gave him t5 for the 81 bill. which he insisted
he had received Aitoward ha sI6 69y Sn sSiI hS h
came in. but his triend>~'nt out Just after the
clerk had hand d out tho change. That nigh'
At the same hotel during the war lashlon.
ably dressed man alighted from a carriage az
FS down H t5 biii. % and asked for change explain
ing hastily that he wanted to pay hls chbman
He went out ana T3m&Gh1 & oa fe
Several years ago. a man who had stayed dal
or two at the Brandreth House rs guest paiG
his bill and. MS he was about To go away
turned suddenly and asked the clerk to chang,
htl0 bill. The clerk who was ousy, ,ntIeV Iov
guest guest thrust them in wad into his. wallet an,
bade the clerk good m9wvnbiag wbngs ia h4bI tbe ossi
6ii mah 1T was sayS brand new @ bill. Look in YOU
dTGwer TPs Ss c me S6oked %een 3ngfe no G Ss dra%
and saw several. He was not convinced now
ever. The man glihly explained that on Ger
tain day he had drawn lust so much from w
bank and then carefully recounted lars
number Of expenditures. .Whch would leave
certain hnlRnre OF money in his possession
Then he counted his money. and the amouu
agreed with this calculated balance. AS ne pay
the money in his possession the clerk could d
nothing except submit TO tho loss or bring
civil suit. He submitted to the loss.
Al the Grand Central Hotel night before las
a hoy asked the clerk in charge ot tho hotel pos
pfice for three-cent stamp. ana tossed INe
rent silver piece on the counter. The cler
handed him out n thrre-cent stamp ana tw
cents. and swept the lye-cent piece into th
money drawer. utI,Aho.,
You saw me put the piece OF money IN u
drawer, didn't you 2" asked the clerk.
- Yes. sir" replied the boy. ,,n.
We'll if you can find q ten-cont piece In M
drawer" said the clerk, pulling out q
drawer and placing 1t before the boy. on u
counter III give II TO you. ,
There was no ten cent piece in the drawer.
The cashier OF the hotel says ne mas neV'
had any trouble in the matter OF max Ing chang
Why he does not know except that he has Doe
extraordinarily carefuL o, ~, -,
The cashier OF the Union Place Hotel sal
that he has mover had serious dispute ADO
change though 1t occasionally happens thhl
man thinks he has given 50 blll or " o,
Whan in fact he has only given Il VI DllL