Montgomery County sentinel., 1889-02-08
death of Judge Merrick.-Judge

Death of Judge Merrick.-Judge
William Matthews Merrick, of the Supreme
Bench of the District of Columbia, a pro-
found jurist, and one Of the most highly es-
teemed citizens of the District Of Columbia
died Monday after noon, a little before q
o'clock, at his residence, No. 1716 N street.
Early in the day his life was despaired of
and his family and friends awaited the in
evitabe at his bedside For some time past
he had been in failing health and the i'm
mediate cause of his death was he art failure
Judge Merrick was born Sept ember l.
1819 and was the son of VIM. d. Merrick'
| of Maryland, who was Senator from this
State from 1888 to 1S45, and inherited from
his father great ability and a uniform char
acter, which well qualified him for the sew
eral positions of Judgeship which he so con-
scientiously filled. His first appointment
as Judge was under the administration OF
President Pierce, who discovered in him.
though bat then q comparatively young
man, the high attributes which were after
wards so roundly developed and displayed
in all his legal reasoning and disposition of
trials over which he presided. He was at
the time of appointment a practitioner in the
town of Frederick, Md, and his subsequent
duties upon the Bench of the District were
as a Judge of the Giro uit Court, a court
which has now passed out of legal exist
ence
In 1868 he retired to private life again,
and re entered the practice OF law III Balti-
more; but later on removed his residence
to Ellicott City, and was shortly after, in
1878, sent from there as Representative in
Congress.
Upon Judge Wylies retirement from the
Supreme Court of the District, President
Cleveland re-appointed Judge Merrick as
the successor, and he served in this capacity,
holding the respect and esteem of his asso-
cate judges and practitioners before his
court.
Judge Merrick was practical member of
the Catholic church and was attended in his
sickness by his spiritual advisor, Rev. DR..
Chapelle, of st. Matthew's church.
PO Olesville Items.
On last Friday evening pleasant COM
pany assembled at the home of Mr.. Arthur
Fletchall to be entertained by the Irving
Society, DR.. Wootton presiding and Miss
Alice Bearisey secretary. The selections
proved to be interesting and up to the usual
standard of this wel.know Society. They
consisted o music by Mrs. f, Il. Williams :;
rpadinu of uC,.nrtSbin Of Milas Standiah " N
instalnents, by Misses Annie Poole, Eloise
Wootton, Lily Ayler and Anna Poole !;
vocal music by Misses DJra Gott, Bette
| Fytfe, Annie Poole AMI Messrs. f. and w.
| Poole humorous reading by Win Griffith !;
vocal duet, Misses Annie and Lily Ayler ;
reading, w. Fletchall; music, Miss Jennie
Waugh; reading, Miss Flora Gassaway; ;
| duet, "Sunflower and Violet" in costume,
Misses Fannie aud Lily Ayler; vocal solo
| by Mr.. Ed. Poole recitation of an original
Humorous essay with violin accompaniment
by Miss Alice Beardsley. Next meeting on
the 18th Of February at Mrs b. G. Cots.
A number of young folks from here at
tended the dance at Da wsonville last Fri
day night.
Miss Beck Hall is visiting Miss Edith
Carrier, of Washington Miss Este Bouic is
visiting Mrs A. Z. Fetchail, near here !;
Rev. ID. l.. Blakemore spent few days in
the village last week.
Believers in the ground hog anticipate
some wintry weather within the next six
weeks.
Mr.. Samuel Gator, probably our eldes4
resident, is quite III.
Feb 5, 1889. L.