The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-14

uUl. Itll anu, II dpptdlSt, was llt
same. each was in search of a runaway
husband, and on comparing notes they
became convinced that both were in pur-
suit Of the same mantle elder woman
was Morrel's Banbury wife.
Bigamy was a capital offence in those
days, and it may reasonably be expected
that the ingenious Morrell was now
near the end of his tether But it SO
happened that before a plot against
him could be put into execution by the
two women, he was met face to face in
the street by his real wife. She was so
much affected as to be on the point of
fainting, but Morrell was equal to the
occasion. He promptly helped her into
the nearest tavern, gave her the where
| Withal to restore her spirits, and when
she recovered listened to her reproaches
with an air of penitence. He then told
her that he had never willingly forsaken
her; he had been driven by necessity;
but now, when he was no longer in
want, he desired that the past might
| be forgiven. In short, Mrs. Morrell was
completely talked oveI 1t was arrang-
ed that the reunited pair should settle
| in town, where he could find full scope
for his abilities as a medical man. In
| her delight at the recovery of her hus
band, Mrs. Morrell, of course, betrayed
the plans of her allies, and their ar
engagements for his capture came to
nothing.
Mrs. Morrill, still had her furniture
at Banbury and this was brought to a
house in Westminster; but her second
| honeymoon was of short duration. One
evening, after spending the day with
cousin, she came home to find her house
cleared and her husband missing. She
returned to Banbury to be kept by the
parish.
Mr. Morrills triumphant escape on the
above occasion did not dishearten the
Ludlow wife and he had yet to learn
that an injured woman is not an 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 took place in
London, whittier he was removed under
writ Of habeas corpus at the cost Of
a Southwark clergyman, whose daught-
er 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
rages only, but twelve others; so that
he had 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
imprisonment was short, Mr.. Morril's
sentence was not too severe; but the
Judge at the same time directed that
one of the wivrs-the daughter of the
Southwark clergyman was the lady Sc
lected-should enter an action against
him for $4,000 damages, and remanded
him to Newgate till this claim was set
tied This was probably considered
tantamount to imprisonment for life.
Though his prospects could not well
have looked more gloomy, Morrell did
not despair Before long he contrved
to get himself transferred from Newgate
to the more easy custody of the Kings |
Bench, and when there exerted all his |
remarkable powers of pleasing the Mar
S0al. lie was SucttSSluI ii certain !
amount of liberty was allowed him, and |
he showed his appreciation of it by
giving his patron legbail A heavy re-
ward was offered for his recapture, but
with no result.
But all these events had brought him
well into the downhill of life. He had
no longer those personal graces which
fitted him for the gay deceiver, and his
career as a bigamist was practically
over. He made a few more marriages;
they We're not brilliant ones-mostly
with mature 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 Morrill, if he had no con-
science, he had Il fine sense of humor.
Indeed. the last 2X,Nloit of his life was
s. rcely more a sN'i'idle than jest, and
l.e may be said to Lave laughed at the
W. rid as he left It -Cornhil Magazine.