The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-29

brought them to London. Their errand,
it appeared. was the same; each was in
search Of a runaway husband; and on
comparing notes they became convinced
that both were in pursuit OF the same
MANTLE elder woman was MorrelI's
Ranbury wife
Bigamy was a capital offense in those
days. and 1t may reasonably be expe
that the ingenious Morreil was now near
the end of his tether. But it so happen
ed that before a plot against him could
be put into execution by the two m n,
he was met face to face in the street by
his real wife. She was 50 much aft scted
as to be on the point of faintng. but NJ r
rell was equal to the occasion. He
promptly helped her into the nearest tav-
ern. gave her the wherewithal to restore
her spirits, and when she recovered lis
tened to her reproaches with an air of
Eenitenoe He then told her that he had
rever willingly forsaken her; he had be
driven by necessity; but now, when he
was TO longer in want. he desired only
that the past might be forgiven. In
short. Mrs. Morrell was completely talk
ed over. 1t was arranged that the re-
united Fair should settle in town. where
he could find full scope for his abb tiles as
a medical man. In her delight at the
covery of her husband, Mrs. MERRILL Ct
course betrayed the plans of her allies,
and their arrang ements for his capture
came to nothing.
Mrs McrrCll S i'll had her furniture at
Banbuly.aEd this was brought to house
in Westminster; but her second honey
moon was CT short duration. One even
ing, after spend ng th9 day wi h a c5usin.
she came home TO find her house cleared
and fec husband missing. She returned
to Banbury to be kept by the parish.
Morrelfs triumphant escape on the
above occasion did net dishearten the
Ludlow wife. and he had yet to learn
that injured and determined woman
is not enemy to be despised. She still
pursued him, and at her instance he was
arrested in the Midlands and lodged in
Worcester jail. His trial. however, tooE
pace il London, whittier he was removed
under writ of habeas corpus at the
cost of Southwark clergyman, whose
daughter had been one of his victims.
He was indicted for marrying six wives,
and the six ladies were all in court ready
to give evidence against him. But they
had not that satisfaction. He pleaded
guilty, and admitted not the six mar
riages only, but twelve others; so that
he lad by his own showing eighteen wives
living at that time. And, having done
this. he claimed the benefit of an old
act by which the punishment of death
might be committed to branding in the
hand and term of imprisonment. His
Plea was allowed by the court.
AS the branding was humanely done
with cool iron and as the term of i'm
prisonment was short Mr.. Morrel's sem
tence was not too severe; but the jl"A~
a the same time directed that one of the
wives-the daughter or the Southwark
clergyman was the lady selected-should
Tor ', q N
damages, and remanded him to Newgate
till this claim should be settled This
was probably considered tantamount to
imprisonment for life.
Though his prospects could not we'll
have looked more gloomy, MorreH did
not despair. Before long he contrived
to get himself transferred from Newgate
to the more easy custody of the Kings
bench and when there eXerted all his
remarkabl powers of pleasing the mar
shall. lie was successful a certain
amount OF liberty wos allowed him. and
he showed his appreciation of 1t by CIV
ing his patron leg-bail. A heavy reward
was offered for his recapture. but with
no result.
But all these events had brought him
we'll into the downhill of life He had
no longer those personal graces which
fitted him for 81 gay deeeiver, and his
career as bigamist was practically over.
He made a few more marriages-they
were not brilliant ones-mostly with ma
ture servant maids for the sake of their
savings-but rather devoted his talents
to frauds of other kinds. and these were
always ingenious and often comic. For
Morrel If he had no conscience, had
fine sense OF humor. Indeed, the last ex-
plot of his life was scarcely more
swindle than jest, and he may be said
to have laughed at the world as he left
it-Cornhill Magazine