Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-11-14
CHIEF JUSTICE MERRIMON
HE DIES AT RALIsIGH THIS
MORNING.
The Dead Man Was q Native of
BuncOInbe, Sixty Two Years of
Age. and a Very Prominent
North CarOlinian.

l
BuncOmbe, Sixty Two Years of
Age, and a Very Prominent
North CarOlinlan.
RALEIGH, N c., Nov. 14.-Chief JUS
tice A. S. Merrimon, of the Supreme
court of North Carolina. died this morn
ing of diabetes. He was 62 years old.
Augustus S. Merrimon was born in
Pennsylvania, then part of Buncombe,
county in September, 1880. His father
was minister of the gospel. Augustus
worked during his boyhood OH the farm
and at saw mill, attending the district
"old field school" at intervals. But DOS.
sessed Of a disposition to learn and
ambitious to excel, he studied as occa.
sion permitted, without teacher, quail
hed himself for the study of law, and
when q years old was admitted to prac-
t1ce and at once located in Asheville.
Brought into contact with the strong.
able members OF the legal profession OF
the period, young Merrimon soon won
the public confidence and soon reaped
the reward of his care and diligence. He
was repeatedly elected county solicitor,
and made rapid strides towards the
front rank of the profession.
In 1860, when public questions were
greatly agitating the people Mr.. Merri. |
mon was, as Union Wing, chosen Bun
combe's representative in the Legislature.
On the breaking out of the war he was
rendered staff appointment as major
by the Governor, but being about the
same time elected solicitor for the noun.
tam district, he accepted the latter Office,
which he held during the war period.
During this time oftentimes neiehbor-
hoods and even households were divided,
and under these circumstances, when the
duty of enforcing the law became most
delicate and responsible, he acted with
hrmness, zeal, courage and high pa
triotism.
In 1866, during Governor Worth's ad-
Mr.. Merrimon was elected
a Superior court judge and became very
popular in the district where he held
court. In the following spring the Re-
construction acts were passed and North
Carolina, under act of Congress, became
subject to the will of a military com.
mander, who, in August, 1867, directed
the courts to disregard the laws passed
by the Legislature and enforce military
orders instead. Judge Merrimon pre-
Ferred to resign rather than be an in.
strument to carry into effect these mill
tary orders subverting the laws he had
sworn to execute.
Returning to the bar, Mr.. Merrimon
to Raleigh, and at once entered
lpon lucrative practice. At that time
steps to subvert the existing State gov
were being rapidly taken. The
legroes were enrolled as voters and a
was called to frame a new
constitution. Mr.. Merrimon threw him
'elf into the struggle and sought to ar 4
est the destruction of the State institu-
ions. In the campaign of that year he .
vas chairman of the State Executive
committee OF the conservative party. and
le was nominated one of the five Su-
,reme Court Judges, and voted for at {
he same time with 'the proposed con- t
titution.
In 1870, when the Kirk war was in. d"
ugurated, he contributed articles to the tt
'aleigh Sentinel, participating in the cam il
aign and working incessantly. When, fl
S the outcome of the success achieved :,
t the polls, the new Legislature !.
npeached Governor Holden, Judge Mer. 81
lmon was associated with Governor II
'raham and Governor Bragg as coun- H. l.,
el to conduct the Impeachment. In his ID ID
xamination OF witnesses, Mr.. Merri- " "
IONS skill was admirable, and won !
i'm great reputation. u
The next year the Conservatives turned ~
n him as the most available candidate y.
'r Governor, but despite a memorable :,
anyass he was defeated by Governor af
aldwell by small majority. The leg 81 81
lature OF that fall elected Mr.. Merri- % ..
ION as United States Senator to succeed W
'hn Pool. At the end of his term he re. al
armed to Raleigh and resumed the prac >,
&c OF law. On the resignation, in 1889, h,
Ju 1ge Ruiiln from the Supreme court ~ ~
ench' MIR. Merrimoa was appointed to Nv
Il the vacancy by Governor Jarvis, and
as IN 1884 elected to fill out the term,
eng again elected to new term in H
SS6.
His Relatives Here.
Chief Justice Merrimon has a large cir
of relatives in Buncombe and adoin. W
6 counties. Three of his brothers, II
lessrs. J.. H., Erasmus, and L. II. Merri- &C
on, live here. while another, Jesse NJ, Je
res at Hendersonville. He has three W
sters living here, Misses Martha, Eliza a,
Id Mary Merrimon. Capt. Matt At de
nson, Or. j.. 5. T. Baird and l. c. Baird 81
this city, are brothers-in-law of the 81;
lad Chief Justice, as is also ]. NJ. Craig, NJ NJ
lies of Marshall. Capt. Atkinson went sso
'wn to Raleigh this afternoon to attend II II