New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-19

THE CAREER OF NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL.
ARREST AT LYNN, MASS. OF ARTuCR MERRITT.
WHO RECENTLY MARRIED WOMEN IN RICHMOND,
VA, AND LAKEWOOD. n. 1.-THE HUSBAND OF
MANY WIVES AND BOLD COUNTERFEIT AND
FoRGER.
The arrest at Lynn. Mass through Plnkertons
Detective Agency. Of Arthur Merritt. alias the Hon.
Alfred T.. Marvin. alias Thomas Marvin aiias
David Lnsley, alias General Morton, and so FORTH
who has made himself notorious recently by marry
Inc women at Richmond, Va. and at Lakewood, N
j., was announced yesterday Merrtts career for
many wears seems 10 have been devoted to adver-
Using for governesses. marrying young women and
widows count rfetiuP committing forgeries. and
obtaining money under false ,preteEces. While
he is known to have married no less than
ten different women. very little is known of more
than tive of them. excepting the fact that he was
their husband requsition has been obtained
from the Governor of Virginia and Allan Pinkerton
went to Boston last night to take charge of Merritt
and take him to Richmond, where he will be charged
with forgery. obtaining money under false pretences
and bigamy
Although Merritt has had so many wives he is not
credited With living with any of them more than a
few days, Ylth the exception of one in New Haven,
who bears the name of Morton. by whom he has a
daughter. and with whom he has boarded at the
house OF Mrs. Kenney for the last three years He
is described as about ffty-tive years of age,
five feet ten inches in height Of about $50
pounds weight, with hOrd complexion. finely
drawn features. large gray eyes of fine culture and
appearance, and an excellent conversationalist. SO
far known by Mr.. Pinkerton, Merritts history is
as follows: His habit to be absent from home
at intervals always returning with plenty of money.
he always obtained passes over railroads by repre-
sentine himself as A. b. Morton, president of the
Goal Mountain, England and State Line Rail
road" la tho name of James Miller he obtained
passes from the Ohio ard Mississippi Railroad in
1879. In the same year he swindled bank in
Beloit, Kan. out of $1,000 on forged draft He
also committed forgeres banks in Eufala, Ala. in
1879, over the names of William L. Morgan, Thomas
II Morgan, William Foster aud Eenry Maynard. He
attempted 70 swindle the Holton Exchange Bank of
Hoiton, Kan. June D. 1850 He also swinded
in Joplin, Mo-, out of So, 900 and forged sew
erai drafts on st Louis banks three years ago. He
was arrested IN ST Louis in the spring of 1880 and
being released $4,000 bail. forfeited his bond
The Chief of Police found burglars tools and coun fer
feiters' and forgers implements in his trunk and
letters and kilograms containing information to the
effect that, In connection with rogues in Buffalo
be was soon to put afoat counterfeit money.
In May last Merritt advertised in The Hartford
Conn Churchman. over the name of Thomas A.
Marvin, for a governess. He received several an
swers TO the advertisement, including one from a
Miss Turpin of Richmond Va. and one from Mrs
DE Hart 1.-THE widow of minister who
formerly lived at Jamaica. L. l.. whose father is the
wood. j. Miss Turpin was young woman of
good family. and after considerable correspondence
In which references were ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS n
swerng inquiries to imaginary persons whom he had
gwen as refeTeness-She accepted a proposition TO
be settled upon her by will $50, 900 Immediately
after being married being identified by A. NJ; Brow
a asx He osed aa S s Mss II Ss Mr R
sicnal Bank Of Madison. Wis, payable at the First
t tar OF GbSsg aSR S n and
AT the same time that he was making arrange
ments TO marry Miss iurpn, Merritt was making
SIMILAR arrangements with Mrs. De Hart who was
then visiting relative of her husband at Jamaica
He represented himself as the Hon Albert +. Mar,
made favorable impression upon the widows
father. at Lakewood N j.. where the so-calied
Marvin went to make terms for the daughter II
was arranged that the marriage should take place
In the last Of June but Marvin fcigning Illness it
postponed until July IL when they were married
by Mr.. Hovey Prior to the marriage Marvin made an
effort TO ger tT9 drafts cashed-Qne for $500 and
village. and SO borrowed 800 from his new and
unsuspecting fatheI-n-aw. He then took his
W HS SR SFsS trip and stopped At the
saying he wanted to go to Fredercksburg Va, to
visit his sick child, He. went to Richmond,
with her. When he reached Washington he nut his
wife on the train and went back to look for his bag
sent dispatch to his wife that he would meet her
st the Windsor Hotel. Jersey City, as he had been
Hotel, where he met the Lakewood wife, and
sent her to her home in Lakewood, saying that
H.
mond wife and took her to Albany. By this time
Mr.. Browne discovered that the drafts presented in
Richmond were forged, and about the same time he
read the account of Marvin's marTiagein Lakewood
published IN THE TRIBUNE August 4. He wrote to
cX-Judge Shipman, IN this city, and put the nat-
to Albany. where it was learned that lie mad
had draft cashed by Spencer Trask 81 Co. in the
name Uf A Is Morton, taking part in two smaller
drafts. one Henry c. Black and the other ON Mrs
kenney, both of New-Haven Marvin was then
traced to Rochester and Albion He left his Rich
mond WI at the latter place and returned Roch-
es err where he caused false account of INJURIES to
Mrs. Turpn while riding in Richmond to be rub
ished he sent the account to tho wife in
Albion and advised her to return home by the Wav
OF Harrisburg, where he promised to join her. He
however, went to Toronto and had forged draft on
TIE Merchants Bank for $1,000 cashed. He then
worked his way back to New Haven and from there
to Lynn, Mass, where he staying at the saga
more Hotel. Mr. Pinkerton telegraphed to Mr.
Brownell. was in New Haven. and he went to Lyna
and secured MeIritt's arrest, which was brought
aeout through the assistance of Chief of Police john
Zoe. IT., OF Richmond, and Chief of Police Webster
and Ii. +. Adams, of New-Haven.
In addition to those mentioned above Mr. Pink,
erton has evidence that Merritt married to two
women in this city about three years ago under
the name OF Linsley of them he took to w ash
tngton, where he deserted her. and he served the
osher IN the same way at Chicago after borrowing
$500 from her mother Merritt was also married
ONO; next to O. woman in Jersey City then
70 woman IN philadelphia also TO a woman in
Little Rock, Ark; and he was engaged to the
uaughter OF an ex-iovernor in Missouri. He has
Kept up correspondence with his wives but was AL
ways careful to mail his letters postal cards so
rections where letters could be addressed to blln