The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-13
AN EARLY CITAPTRR
I'm the History or General Merritt alias
'ensrai" u. A. Marvin alias T. A. Mar
vim, the Distinguished Stranger Now so.
journing In Our Midst.

The following, from the ST. Louis Repub.
hcdn, Is the earliest chapter 10 the history
OF the mau Morton Marvin Merritt which
has yet appeared:
The removal OF General Budloug A. Nor
ton 6fiGS Arthur Merritt, with q string OF
other dIt1seS, from Lynn, Mass, TO Rich.
mond, Va, has recalled TO the recollection
Of Colonel james Cof, who was county
marshal OF ST. Louis from 1862 to 1866, the
doings OF General Merritt, who cut figure
under that name in this city. The kepubli-
can has quite recently recounted the doings
OF General Morton at Joplin, In this State,
aDdAt Fort Smith; but the following rela-
ton carries back tue history OF that adven-
turer for many years. Colonel Coff says be
has no sort Of doubt that the General Mer-
rift herein alluded to is the same General
Morton, rs the descriptions Of both person
ages perfectly correspond. The following
Is ex-Marsbal COTS statement:
BRIGADIER. GENERAL MERRITT
was on the staff Of General Fremont. He
was detailed as an engineer for the super
intendenee OF the construction OF the gum
boats. He was charged with forgery. He
was put on trial before Judge II. A. Clover,
OF the st. Louis Criminal Court, Seymour
VouIIaire being then prosecuting attorney.
After his conviction and sentence james
Il. Eads and other prominent citizens came
TO me and requested me 10 postpone bis
taking TO the penitentiaTy on account OF his
previous good conduct, as there must be
some error about 1t. They requested a
postponement until they could hear from
Pittsburgh, Pa, where be originally be-
loDged. At the request OF Mr.. Eads and
the gentleman with him | went to see Judge
". H. g.. 4. H.
gested to me TO go to see Hamilton L. Gam
bic, then the
PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR
OF the State, whose Office was on Market
street opposite the courthouse. This did
at the suggestion OF the Judge.
/ laid the facts before the Governor. and
he said, - As marshal, you'have the right to
retain the man." and he suggested to me TO
retain this man until Captain Eads and
Others could ascertain his hisiQrF at Pitts
burgh. Within week Captain Eads came
back, and said they were deceived ia the
man, that his reputation there was notori-
ously bad, that he was charged with crimes
there. and bad "skipped out between two
dsys1 on receiving that information L
proceeded to
TAKE THE PRISONER TO THE PENITEHTIARY
in execution OF the sentence OF the court.
came down 10 the Jail on the corner OF
Sixth aud Chestnut, and prepared 10 take
him up myself, but when | came there be
wasn'r in the iail-office, as ! expected. L
asked the deputy ialor, Lew Musick,
." Where ia this mau MerrittY" He said
he was not able to get out OF his cell.
asked, Why isu'l he out here?" "Why,"
said Musick, "he's got fits. can't bring
him out here" / peremptorlly ordered
him TO bring bim out, which he did. or
dered hack Immediately and bad him car
ried tOthe SeYentb.street depot. | rode Ia
thecsrriage myself with him. When i ar
rived ut the depot got the employees OF the
Missouri Pacific TO assist me in getting him
into the car. j may add that at the Jail
Office there was
A HANDSOME WOMAN,
who claimed to be his wife, and when !
asked, Why isn't the prisoner out heref"
she burst out crying. The deputy iailer
remarked 10 me, "Thsrs MerritPs wife"
on tue way to Jefferson City he had seven
fits. ] had good deal OF trouble. had
to hold him ard give him water during bis
spasms. People on the train were very iu-
dPnant that a man should be taken by an
officer in his condition. When | got to
tue laDQlUR III JtutlSOu Oll1 hiltN fNhi-
Gle and employed men to hold him in the
seat till got him to the penitentiary.
Captain p. 4. Miller was then warden,
and George M. douglass deputy.
THEY TOOK HIN TO THE HOSPITAL
immediately, and bad the penitentiary ply
slcians to attend him. They kept him in
the hospital eight or ten months. During
the spasms bis arms and legs would con-
tract 10 the size Of q child's. On the re-
OF the physician OF the pen
itenliary he was pardoned by Governor
Gamble as incurable. He came down to
St. Louis. The first place he struck was a
boarding. house on the east side OF Filth
street, where he registered as General Mer-
ritt. At this bouse Mr.. Voullaire, the pros
ecuting attorney, and his wife, were board
ing. At dinner NoulIaire sat opposite
THE NEW GENERAL,
and recognized him as the General Merritt
whom he had prosecuted and sent TO the
penitentiary, and so Informed the lIndlady.
Youllaire refused to recognize the General.
and he left in few days. The next |
heard OF him be turned up in Chicago,
where be committed some offences, aud the
next we heard of him was in Detroit, where
he got mixed upin an extensive laud swim
die in Tennessee. He then skipped across
from Detroit to Canada, where the officers
could not reach him.