The New York herald., 1879-03-20
MERRITT'S MILLIONS.

ADDITIONAL HEARING IN THE CoNrEsT-TESTIa
MoSY AT WHITE PLAINS.
The trial in the Circuit Court at White Plains be.
fore Justice Dykman and struck jury to determine
the legitimacy of William j. Merritt, Wilson.
claiming to be the and heir to the estate OF tha
late John A. Merritt the millionaire cattle dealer Of
Port Chester. continued yesterday, when the fol.
lowing testimony. given in behalf Of the plain.
tiff. Merritt. or WILSON,
G. T. Johnson testified that when quite young he
went to reside with the family of Jotham Merritt
and work on his farm; he slept in the same room
with John A. Merritt; witness had John
and Eliza go out together along Hogpen Ridge. and
had also them together in the upper part of the
house, while Eliza was there she did most of the
housework; at one time she went away and came
back with u child; witness thought that Eliza
absent about two months; Eliza and the babe then
lived at the homestead until she was married to
Althouse; the child must have been two or three
years old when Eliza went away the second times
witness thought that was tho occasion of her
marriage; eliza lived with Arhouse somewhere
at Horse Neck, but the child continued
with the Merritt family; he never lived
with Althouse and Eliza witness. recollected taking
the boy back to Merritts; the boy slept in the
with Mrs. Merritt as far as witness could see tha
and John was playful with it; the family called the
child Williams witness could not say who he was
named attcr, but Mrs. Merritt had brother name0i
William after the marriage of Eliza to Althouse
and the chud had been. at the house some
father had words. when John would threaten,
to leave the house and go New York, and
he would speak quite tartly to his mother; witness.
left the Merritt family when he about seventeen
years DID, but continued TO live in the neighborhood
for some time; the plaintiff was called William Mer-
ritt among the people. but in the family he was only
called William in consequence of some sickness in
the family Eliza sent for and she attended to tho
duties of the house; she was there when lothian
Merritt Johns father died. witness went to Cali,
fornia and returned in ls49; Eliza still at Mere
ritt's house. and the boy William also there;
witness never knew man by the name of Avery.
nor did no ever see him about the house neigh-
borhood.
OTHER WITNESSES
Louis Crawsher said IL married q daughtcr.of tho
plaintiffs knew John A. Merritt in his lifetime; r
have been at his house frequently; marr1ed int
1867 used to spend the season at the house
OF plaintiff; John A Merritt almost always about
read the city papers which took up with me; hos
always acted Just as though IL was his own home.
of last witness and the daughter of the plaintiff; r
am the oldest child was born at the Merritt hone-s
stead rccollect living in New York and going back
TO the homestead; my father lived in the house,
where lac lives now was married in 1867; knew
come and constantly he would
ask how l getting along with.
my lessons at school, and he used to hear me read,
my lessons; he generally spent his evenings at our
house; nc always entered without any ceremony =
when visited New York in the spring and at fall hG
always gave mo S5 to so TO buy dresses and other
articles with; he used TO ask what was going to
buy; he always wanted me Co buy something useful
with the money he gave mo; John a. Merritt oftenf
visited our house in New York; from the time my
brother died until after the funeral Mr.. Merritt did
work; he went and got medicine for my brother
when he was Sick and his return one day with
medicine the doctor said of use, John was
DYING Mr. Merritt became so effected that he let tho
powders fall on the floor. his hands trembled 80; at
the funeral OF my brother Mr.. Merritt cried after
looking ut my brother i'm the coffin he turned away to-
cry
williamJ Merritt. or Wilson, examined The plain
t testified in substance that from his early boy hoo
he was William Merritt and aftcrward by advice and
directions of old Mrs. Merritt his name changed
to Wilson, and he had never been called Wilson until
that time; and IL WAS long time aftorward before
the public or his companions began to call him by
the name OF Wilson; that all the money he received
to spend was received from john A. Merritt, whom
he always regarded his father while at school ho
was known only by the OF Merritt.