New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-16
JEALOUSY COST TWO LIVES.
FREDERICK MERRICK KILLED HIS WIFE
AND COMMITTED SUICIDE.
THEIR FTvE-YEAR-oLD SON THE ONLY WITNESS
OF THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OBTAINED
BY PRIVATE DETECTIVE LED

TO THE CRIME
Jealousy, brought about by suspicion that
his wife was unfaithfu. caused Frederick Mer-
rick, jewelry salesman twenty-eght years
old to shoot and kill her yesterday morning. In
a fat on the second floor Of No 70 South Fifth
ST. Then he committed suicide by shooting him.
self in the right temple in front Of looking
glass The tragedy was witnessed by the only
child OF the couple, boy five years DID, whose
name is Frederick Allen Merrick Mrs Merricks
surname was Ida, and she was daughter OF
Mrs. Annie Suss. French Canadian, VINO lives
at No. lis Shepherd-ave. Mrs Merrick mad
sister Mrs. Keat, who lives with her husband
ut No 1O17 Putnam-ave. The Merricks were
married six years ago, and went to housekeeping
in a fiat In upper Seventh-ave. New-York
For nearly a year their married life was or the
manifest kind Then it Is alleged Merrick began
to suspect his wife Of being altogether too
friendly to other men. He reproached her, and
the affair eliminated in fierce quarrel, and
they separated. Merrick went West, where his
father, in st. Louis is in the jewelry business
the firm being known Merrick. Welsh &
Phelps Two years ago Merrick, through the
influence of his father was employed as salesman
by the Gorham Manufacturing Company In New
York.
1t was the intention OF Merricks father to soon
take him into the business as partner and make
him the Eastern agent After returning 10 New
York Merrick looked up his wife and found she
was living with her sister Mrs. Keat Through
the intervention Of friends a reconciliation was
effected In September. and the couple resumed
housekeeping In this city. About q month ago
Merrlck II Is alleged, received an anonymous let
ter calling his attention to the fact that MS
wife was often seen In the company Of a book
thA C,nny
racecourse Merrlck asked his wife about 1t and
she denied IT. Then he decided to change MS
abode and three weeks ago they moved 10 the
fat in which the tragedy occurred
After they were settled In the fiat Merrick got
an inkllng that his wife was meeting the book
maker Last Friday he consulted a special
policeman named Martin and made an arrange
| ment with him to watch Mrs. Merrick. Merrick,
II is said. promised the man Slo0 and gave MIN
s25 down, promising 10 pay the rest II evidence
| touching his wfe's unfaithfulness was found.
| Martin went to work on Monday. He watched
| Mrs Merrck's house. She was at home nearly
| ali day with her little boy and Miss Marion
| IIanlon OF Pleading. Penn, who Is professional
nurse and was In the habit OF stopping with
| Mrs Merrick at times
On Tuesday afternoon early Mrs Merrck left
her fiat She went to her sisters house. Mar
tin followed her. and when she left her sisters
house Martin asserts that there was man
with her The man answered the description or
| the bookmaker. According to Martin he followed
| Mrs Merrck and her companion to house IN
| Broadway near Fulton-st. The couple remained
| there an hour. In the mean time Martin COM
| munlcated with Merrick and the latter left his
| place OF employment. and on reaching the
| Brooklyn house which Martin, 1t Is alleged, saw
Mrs Merrck and her companion enter, he dis
| covered that they were gone.
Martin related all OF Mrs. Merricks move
ments TO Merrck. and agreed to meet MN yes
| terday in the flat.
Merrick then returned home and was greeted
| pleasantly by his wife. on the same evening
Kcat and his wife called at the house and played
euchre with the Merricks until nearly 10 o'clock
when they went away. Several times during
the evening Merrck was seen to put his arms
around his wife and kiss her.
Miss Hanon went to bed in rear room after after
the Keats had left the fiat. The Merricks slept
In room adjoining the parlor. Their BOY slept
with them. 49,
At $50 o'clock yesterday morning Miss Hanlon
was awakened by pistol shots. and on getting out
Of bed noticed that door leading to the bedroom
of Mrs Merrick was shut After Miss Hanlon
had heard four shots she went toward the room
and had difficulty in opening the door. She
found that n chair had been put against II.
horrible sight met her gaze. Lying on the moor
beside the bed was Mrs Merrick gasping
There were two bullet wounds In the forehead
and another in the chest Miss Hanlon put PHI
low under her head and then ran into the front
where she found Merrick on MS DdCk on the
floor In front OF looking-glass with bullet
wound in his right temple. .3S-calibre revolver
lay beside him. Both Merrick and his wife were
only lightly clad Their boy sat on the bed
CRYING not realizing what had happened.
Miss HanIons screams brought neighbors. and
soon Ambulance Surgeon Sternberg OF the East
ern District Hospital and the police were on
hand Dr. Sternberg said the couple were dead.
Miss Hanlon refused 10 give any information to
the police and afterward was arrested as wit
ness and taken to the Lee Avenue Police Court,
" here she
She declared that the Merricks seemed 10 be on
good terms when they retired on Tuesday night.
and that she did not hear them quarrel at any
time She paroled by Justice Goetting TO
appear when wanted. The Of the dead cou-
pie continually asked for his parents. and wanted
TO know from the police II they were better.
on the arrival Of Mrs. Suss and Mrs. Keat they
became hysterical and the police had all they
could do to restrain Mrs. Suss from entering the
room where her daughter lay In pool OF blood.
Martin the special detective was on hand. and
when Captain Short learned what part ne mad
10 do I'm the tragedy he communicated with the
Superintendent OF Police and asked that Mar
tins shield be taken from him.
Coroner Nawn arrived at the house at noon and
ordered an autopsy. Mrs Suss will have charge
of her daughters funeral Last evening 1t was
thought by the police that Merrick probably shot
his wife while she sat on the edge OF her bed. and
her head was turned from him. when he went to
his trousers pocket and got the revolver. which
was new one
AT the Bedford Avenue Police Station at o'clock
Yesterday afternoon to tell all about his de-
tectiye work IN connection with the agreement
10 watch Merrck's wife. but did not appear.
A Tribune reporter was told that Miss Hanlon
took the revolver from the pool OF blood In
which 1t lay. alongside Of Merrick. and put It
IN the Kitchen She told the police that she did
not think il any harm in removing the pistol
In Merrck's pocket was found letter ad-
dressed to his mother In st. Louis, with nve-
dollar bill incosed. Merrick wrote to her that he
was sorry he couldn't send her more 1t was
that Mrs Merrick expected that her husband
would some day kill her. and that she CMiss
Hanlon) was staying with Mrs. Merrick In order
to prevent 1t.