Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-08-27
The Scoundrel Marvin.


Thomas Marvin, the man oil many
.,iases. who was arrested III Lynn, mas,
-, saturday last, TO, drait on Nh',"so
W. III and who is known To- nave oeon
pnu mn. of MANY other crimes, was ar
ss.;gned in the court at Boston on oa.s-
Aeiast and held i'm 5000 until Tuesday.
oSi u,as Marvin, whose real name is
,.i,,r Merritt, so far as has been discov-
A.ibos married no less than ten women,
e 'i hos deserted each in turn. history
n'1Lis crimes is ~ interesting as romance.
r. nav last he advertised in the hartford
r.urchman for Il gOveruess, his alias on
,his occasion being Thomas A. Marvin.
uoLad 4 daughter : years old, who was
,h.n living with him, and 4 woman who
6. s,id TO be his laval wife. Miss Tur-
,ip. Young lady of good Virginia
{,milv. who resided in Richmond, an
srered the advertisement, sending a list
AZ Richmond references. In reply Mer-
rItt alias Marvin, wrote that he llked her
letter, and subsequently, referred her 10
Judge COwan, of Germantown,
william A. Taylor, of Camden, y. J.' anu
Rev. John Dapforth, of Media, Ia u
has since been discovered thar these pei
cons were all myths, but there aiieScu
nlaces of residence were near enough 10
enable Merritt 10 get the letters aaure>sea
~ them in q single day, and answer esch
A. he saw fit. BY the next mail Miss
rurpin received letters from all the rel
srcnces," in whirh Marvin was spoken OF
n. Al elderly man OF wealth, lhtellSehce
and rare virtue. The letter TO MI. lay
Tor nurported To be from Mrs. Taylor, Mr..
T.ylor being absent, and told Miss Turrin
Inst Marvin was good natured old
ANl- far
ysther than for q governess. If Mr.. Mar
vim proposed after meeting her, the letter
advised, she could do no better to than &C
cep; him, IS he was kind, loving and
wealthy. 1t is unnecessary TO say that
this letter was from The clever pen or
Merritt himself. Having thus paved the
way, Merritt journeyed To Richmond and
introduced himself. While the negotia-
tons were in progress Merritt declared
his love, and Miss Turpin accepted his
etfer OF marriage. They were married on
July 20, aud Merritt, who was introduced
bv Mr.. A. NJ. Brownell, the brides broth
er-in-law, negotiated 4 draft for 500.
Il WAS drawn on 4 bank in Madison, Wis,
aud made payable 10 L. 5. Marvin. Not
content with this haul, Merritt borrowed
$500 from the clergyman who performed
the marriage ceremony.
Merritt having thus arranged his
finances, started OH his wedding tour,
reaching Washington on the evening OF
his wedding dav. lie took his wife TO the
Metropolitan Hotel. Early in the sum-
mer Merritt appeared in Lakewood under
Che name Of A. +. Marvin. He laid serge
60 the heart of Miss Nellie de Hart, OF that
village, and on July ! they were married
Ov her father, Rev. G. llovey. lie pre-
vsiled upon Mr.. HOrey before the mar
rage TO introduce him 10 n bank, where
lie Iried unSuccessfully 10 get draft OF
s., 900 cashed. Not in the least diShcartd
- this failure he borrowed 800 from his
Intended tAther-in-lsw and the wedding
went on. On this, rs on the occasion
with Miss Turpiu, he TOOK his bride 10
Washington, but at which hotel he quar-
tered her has not been made known.
From July l. 10 20 utey were happy, al
though the bridegroom had frequent oc-
csSion to leave his bride. He told her on
July IS or IL that he had to 60 10 Fred
hricksburg. but went instead TO Rich
mond, where his COurtShip OF Miss Tur-
pin WIS in progress. Having married
this Young lady and taken her 10 the Met
ropOlitan Hotel. Washington, he left her
30 visit his bride of July II. He told the
latter to get ready to go 10 Philadelphia
nv the next train, which she dill. CleV-
rr!v managing 10 miss the train, he re-
inrDed 10 Miss Turpin, and III her compa-
nv started 10y the neN. vain for PhiIadei-
Tllia. Before the train left the depot he
autographed 10 bride No. l, iustructlug
her - go 70 thc Windsor Hotel, Jersey
Civ, sud await his arrival. With bride
NO. 2 he went TO Philadelphia and thence
10 New YORK, xnd finally visited Rochss-
Ter and Albion. Leaving Miss rurpin ut
the latter place he went TO Albany, seven
days after the marriage, and there, under
the name Of General \. b. Morton, he
succeeded in cashimg another draft. In
order 20 get rid OF Miss Tmpin easily he
caused the insertion in n Rochester paper
which she MAS sure 10 sec, OF bogus tel
eSram from Richmond announcing that
her mother had ben severely injured by
= carriage accident. ~ teIcgraphed 10
hsr also, telling her 20 90 back 10 Klch-
uond 10y way Of lIarrisonhurg, where he
would meet her She obeycd HIM and
h,, mover seen him since. lie went to
canada perpeirated two or three forgeries
for small amounts, prepared hi2 plans Tor
Ansthcr marriage and then drifted TO
Lynn, M,s.. Meanwhile the brother-in-
law Of Miss Turpin and the Pinkerton
dstsctive were on his trail. They lost the
rrent nj Rochester 0nd were ut loss FOR
sSRe time, but on Wednesday Mr..
BrowDell. the wronged girls brother-ln-
Jaw, recognized him at the Sycamore
Es0se, in Lynn, and had him arrested.
HE name IN Lynn was Benjamin r.
Adams. On Wednesday detective Pink
Srton received dispatch from Chief OF
Polec John Poe informing him that
Iruuisition had been issued by tho Cover
nor Of Virginia for Merritt alias Marvin
.has Morton alias Adams, sid asking him
% 90 10 hoston ~ procure the necessary
warrant. Ar. Pimkcrton started Thurs
day night, and began his Journey to Rich
rn6nd with his prisoner.
Merritt il described as 8 person of faSCi-
Mating manners. 10 IL over fifty years
old, five feet nine and 3 half or ten inches
in height, and weighs AS pounds. His
complexion is somewhat tlOrid and rugged
a. II from high living. His features are
clearly and distinctly drawn, and limos.
Intended by age but partially concealed
~ art. sarround his nose and the ends OF
his mouth. iIis hair and plentiful, we'll
trimmed side whiskers are snowy white,
his teeth are perfect and uniform, ana ne
always dresses neatly and In good taste.
His record "a higanist, not Vet July
and completely traced, is wonderful
sns. Two year, ago he married two
Young girls of respectable families within
a few weeks. This was in New York
where he bore the name Of Lindsay. Not
long afterwards he married lady of
gainesville, o., and then Jersey City
girl. Then came damsel whose parents
fvrd in Philadelphia. In all he had ten
wives living. He has never been known
NJ live more than one week with any Of
bi. wives Except the first, who is legiti-
mate, invariably deserving them and lsav-
ing them to their fate. He WAS once en-