Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-15
AS. MERRIMON DEAD.
NORTH cARollNRs CHIEF JUSTICE
PASSES PEACEFULLY AWAY.
His Life and Public services-The Re-
mains to Lie In state-RcsoIutions ofthe
State CounciI-Donaid Balm Dying.

Correspondence Of tho Richmond Dispstch.l
RALEIGH, N. c., NoTcmbe- 1s.-At2:30 O'Clock
this morning Augustus summerneld Merrlmon,
Chief Justice o. this State died ct his home here
after lingering illness. His life had for woeks
been despalred Of His disease was diabetes.
For several years ne had been In failing health.
SKETCH OF BIS LrFE.
Judge Merrimon was born in what was thea
Buncombe, but Is now Transylvania county, Sep
tember ] 5, 1880. The place OF his birth was
known ns Cherryneids. He was poor and re-
ceived A rneagre education, mainly at Asheville.
He was admitted 10 the bar and soon gained
reputation. In 1850 he was elected 70 the lower
house OF the Legislature ana IN May, 1901,
was appointed a captain In the quarter
masters department here. The same year
he was elected solicitor Of tho Eighth
District. 10 1865 he was elected Superlor-So ourt
judge. Ho had tho most arduous work IN pre-
venting riots and deadly ARRAYS between the ex-
Union and ex-Confederate sympathizers IN tne
western counties. Ia 1866. having conflict OF
authority with General Canby. ne resigned as
,udge. lie came here and resumed bis law prac-
tce, his partner being Hon. Samuel Il. Phillps
In 1868 be declined the nomination for Gov
ernOr. He was nominated for Associate Justice
OF tho Supreme Court, but wns defeated. lie
was prominent, In 1S6S-'70, in the kirk-war
troubles. and was one OF the hrst 10 apply lor
hnbeas-corpus wr1ts.
NOMINATED FOR GOVERNOR.
In 1872 no was the Democratic nominee for
Governor, but Tad. II. Caldwell defeated him.
In 1872 after notable contest, he was elected
United SENATOR defeating Vance, eighteen ne
publcans voting for him. he was very abie
senator. In 1883 he was appointed Associate
Justice by Governor Jarvis. In 1870, at the
death OF w. ~ IT.. Smith. Governor fowle ep-
pointed him Chief Justice, and In that year he
was elected 20 the same position by over 4O.uVV
majority He married Miss Margaret Bard, OF
Buncombe, who survives him. lie leaves SIX
children.
THE FUNERAL
His funeral will be held at noon tomorrow
from Fdenton-Street Methodist Episcopal church
here OF which he became member on ms
denth.bod His body will be in state tomorrow
in the Supreme-Court room from y 70 X. Inc
public buildings IRE closed and naee NJ nail
mast The bell of the City Hall was tolled this
morning from 4:30 20 ..
REVOLUTIONS oP RESPECT.
The Council Of State met to-day and adopted
RssoIrcd, That in the death OF Chief-Justice
Merrimon, the State has lost an eminent cltl9en,
statesman, and iurist, and that the sympathles
| OF the Governor aud COUNCIL De eXtenueu 10 INC
family OF the deceased.
The body will be in state at tho supreme
Court room from 9 O'Clock tomorrow morning
until o'clock In the afternoon, when the funerai
will be held. The hour was fixed owing 10 tele-
grams from relations that they could not get
here earlier.
TuR TREASURER DYING.
State-Treasurer Donald W. Balm, who "a also
grand secretary Of the Grand Lodge OF Masons,
is living. BY almost a miracle he lived through
last night. His death will be the fourth nnder
the present administration the other dead be-
ing Governor Fowle, Secretary-of-State Saun-
ders, and Judge Merrimon.