The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-06-12
The Z. & 7. Paymaster Who
Disappeared in 1878 Mar
ried at Lexington.
He Met the Lady Of His Choice
While Hiding at Trini-
dad, Colorado.
w. A. Littlef1eld IL the Name On
der Which the Ceremony
Was Performed.
A history of the Man Who 30
Cruelty Deserted His Excel.
lent Family in This City.

About the 2lst day of September, 1875
VIM. A. Morrill,, then paymaster on the M
K. & I. road mysteriously disappeared
from his hlme in this city, leaving hi
wife and children in an almost distracte,
condition. For years he had held the ne
sponsible position of paymaster, discharg
ing his duties, as was supposed, in the mos
faithful, efficient and satisfactory manner
ard his disappearance caused no littl,
alarm among his friends, vino, at tina
time, were legion.
1t was reported that on the last trip O
the pay car he started ON his usual Jour
ney and paid off the northern division g
the road between here and Hannibal, wher
the exertion proved too much for him, anG
he was obliged to return to his home.
The last seen of Mr. Morrill, was on Sun
day evening, September Odd. On the go
of that month Conductor Ben Blythe, Their
running on the NJ, X. & T., telegraphed to
Superintendent Huntington that he saw
Mr.. Morrill, sitting on the platform at the
Indiana street depot, near the oil house, on
Sunday night, between and 10 o'clock
He was quite positive as to the fact, for he
entered into conversation with him
during which Mr.. NJ. made use of a Ger.
tain expression that particularly attracted
his attention. Mr.. Morrill, then said that
he was going to ST. Louis.
The telegraph was brought into reuuisi-
sition, hut the most diligent search failed
TO reveal the whereabouts of the missing
man. 1t was then that the theory of suicide
Was entertained, and on the morning of
September 18th the fire bell was rung,
which soon gathered crowd of citizens al
the city hall.
Marshal Smith, from a window of the
hall, addressed the crowd as follows:
GENTLEMEN:-Theo object of calling YOU
together is 10 organize thorough search
for w. A. Morrill,, the missing pavmaster
OF the NJ, X. & L. i would like 10 have
some person volunteer to organize the
party and lead the search, and to that end
l invite all TO come up stairs.
Hundreds of citizens responded willingly
to the call to engage in the search and the
country was secured for miles, TO no avail.
Some one minated that MIR. Morrill,
might have drowned himself in the pond
east of where Goodwin's stable now stands.
and it was dragged, but the search revealed
nothing.
In the meantime it had become pretty
generally known that Mr.. Morrill, was
short In his accounts-a defaulter, In fact,
TO the amount of "a 500.
This, of course, furnished still another
theory, and there were many who were not
10th TO express the opinion that the de-
faulting paymaster had fled the country to
escape the penslty of his crime. This was
only conjecture, ii is true, but later devel-
opments showed that such was the case,
and the sympathy that hsd been showered
upon the unworthy man was turned into
Something like two years rolled around
without word from the missing man,
when, one day. a Sedalisn who was visit
ing at Trinidad, Col, ran across Morrill,
IN that city, where he was engaged in bust
ness, and going under the name of VIM. A.
Littlefeld. On returning home he told
lis story, but it was not believed. Later,
however, still other Sedaliaps met Morrill,,
,r Littlefield, at his home in the west, and
his hiding place was no longer secret
During all of this time his most excel |
ent wife and promi;ing children had lived
n state OF suspense, receiving the SYM
,athy OF this entire community. Never a |
word had they heard from him, and he was |
nOurned as dead until his presence in
Trinidad was made known by Sedalians |
Who had conversed with him there.
But now comes the strangest part of the |
tory. Last summer, Miss Emma c. Ham
EFT, of Lexington, this state, was seeking |
health and recreation in the Centennial |
tate. In the course of her journey she had |
occasion to stop at Trinidad, where she |
vas known to her only by the name of
Littlefeld. As to their love-making,
nothing is known in Sed ala, of course. 1t |
S known, however, that when she returned |
o her home in Lexington, it was as the |
of w. A. Morrill,, alias w. A. |
the man who deserted his wife /
md children in this city in September,
1878. That Miss Hamlet was ignorant of |
he mans true character, there
$ not a shadow of doubt. She |
s connected with some of the |
,est people of Lafayette county, and when
he learns the true state of affairs she will |
certainly be entitled to the sympathy of
III.
Morrill, visited his afianced some time |
asst winter, when, it is surmised, the we'd
ling day was set. He then returned to his |
home, and on the 18th day of |
Nay last again arrived in Lexington. where,
IN the day following, he was united in |
marriage to Mis- HAMLET, as the following |
rom the Lexington Intelligencer goes to |
how: |
Married, at the residence of the BRIDES brother,
dr. VIM. b. HAMLET, in this city, May 80 by Rev |
ieo L. Leyburn, Mr.. Vim. A. Littlefeld, Of Trini |
ad, Col, and Miss Emma c. HAMLET. The grosu |
prominent business man Of Trinidad, and the
ride lady Of such kindly and womanly character |
Q to have host OF very near and dear friends. /
arge company assembled to witness the marriage. /
Ihich took place in the early afternoon, the bride
eing neatly and becomingiy dressed in silk, re-
ieved with lace abont the bust and throat Mr.. /
eyb burn performed the marriage ceremony In his /
sually impressive manner, and amid the congratu-
ltions mingled the tears Of several of the near
ends OF the bride ~ the idea that she must leave
hem. A most sumptuous feast Of good thines had
cen provided as Wedding dinner, the taLls
eing beautifully ornanented, the decoration of
he cakes having been done In an elegant manner