Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1899-05-10
MORE PARTICULARS
About the Cowardly Murder Of MerriIl
at Santa Re.
STRONG EVIDENCE AGAINST LOCKE.

The murder was a most cold blooded
and atrocious u The victim had taken
Q walk 10 the reservoir with several
companions In the afternoon. When he
returned home he took a pint bottle OF
whiskey with him, and after drinking II
apparently threw himself upon the bed
without taking OIL his clothes. He was
In such q drunken stupor, II Is believed,
that he did not hear the murderer enter
the room. The officers believe that the
crime was the result OF jealousy over a
woman designated ~ Dolly" in letters
found In Merrill's room.
The murderer evidently struck Mer-
rill with an Ak four times across the
head with the sharp edge. One cash.
three inches long, cut open the forehead
and g0uged out IN eye. Two gashes
equally as long across each other back OF
Of the left temple, while q fourth long
cash opened the skull back OF the right
temple. There are also bruises and cuts
on the body. The blood spattered over
the headboard OF the bed and over the
wall. IL soaked the bed clothing and
formed a big pool In the bed and trickled
on the floor. where il clOtted in q large,
dark red spot.
The murderer then set to work to oblit-
crate the traces OF his deed and TO make
II appear M II Merrill had committed
suicide. He took a 10 csliber revolver,
which Walter X. Locke acknowledges IL
his, and shot at the dead man. The bul
let merely struck the pillow and passed
through II tore q ragged hole through
the head board OF the bed and knocked u
piece Of lime out OF the wall. A micro.
scopical examination OF the bullet. which
was found by Deputy Sheriff Huber.
shows that IL ia covered with down from
feathers OF the pillow. but never went
through MerrilTs head The murderer
then laid the revolver in his victims
hand. He took some SCOT from n stove In
another room and smeared II on Merrill's
right hand. 40 a. to make II appear ~ II
IL was powder burned when ~discharging
the weapon. He then sat down at the
table and wrote the following state
ment:
'Dear Walter: Good bye. am going
with Anna; she is with me almost every
night. Am tired Of this world God
bless you for what you have done for her
and me, and forgive me for going this
way. | just cannot live any longer. You
will find In my pocket 1. o. o. II card;
notify them, They will bury me. but, my
God. Walter, | would like to be buried by
her side.
BURY me just a. | am. Take every
thing from my pocket but your and
Josie's picture and put my picture Of
Anna's In my coffin.
Notify my father and Tom Philips.
and also Florence Of my death.
GOOD by. More than father, brother
you were my best friend ! ever had, and
may God take you to that everlasting
home. Walter, | am very near ready TO
go. Good by, ever more. and for the
last time on earth. may God grant that
You. you dear people. Anna and |, may
meet In heaven. Poor Fred. kiss dear
Flossie, good by. for uncle. FIRED"
up. S.-When we we're out to her grave
| wanted 30 much to dig down to her
cohin and lay down just to be near her
once more. Walter, please, IL In your
power. and II II does not cost too much,
bury me with her and you"
On this note were the names Of sew.
eral parties who II WAS claimed owed
small gambling debts. which, II col
lected. would pay burial expenses. The
note was signed Erred" After writing
this the murderer covered the body with
a blanket and left the room. The body
was not found until about two hours
after the deed WAS committed.
anna" referred to In the above state.
ment. IL the late Mrs. Walter Il, Locke,
sister Of the murdered man.
The axe used to commit the crime..has
not m yet been found, but II IL believed
that II has been thrown into a near by
we'll.
SOME DETAILS.
Merrill could not have inflicted the
wounds himself. The statement. when
compared with other letters, much nearer
resembles Locke's hand writing than that
Of Merrill. In fact, Merrill Is believed
to have been too drunk to write out a
statement covering three sheets OF letter
paper. One theory IL that Locke and
| Merrill had Quarreled over money, which,
II IL asserted, Merrill had kept from the
| proceeds OF the gambling table. One OF
| the debtors had paid a part OF the debt
yesterday afternoon, q fact OF which the
murderer was evidently ignorant.
Locke broke down and cried this morn
ing when he wa arrested. He soon raj
lied, however, and asked that he be re.
leased on bail. He retained A. b. Rene
han IA his attorney. The evidence
against Locke IL merely circumstar tial
He maintained sturdily that N rrill
committed suicide. but when confronted
| with the evidence acknowledged that his
brother in-lsw must have been murdered.
Deputy Sheriff Huber IL working on the
case, aud has quickly succeeded In gath
ering link after link in the chain OF evil
dence which will be produced against
the man accused OF the murder,-New
Mexican.