Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1902-02-01
HE'S JOGGING ALONG.


We got letter a few days ago from
Mr.. Waiter c. Merritt. OF Middleport.
~ Y. Merritt attended college here
at least had his name on the roli--a few
sessions ago. He had good time. and
Others had good time playing practical
Jokes on him. One night a crowd took
him oat to rob Mr.. Frank Wolie's melon
path. Mr.. Wolfe was on hand, having
been previously informed, and the way
ne shot at Merritt ard his companions
would do credit 10 the army IN the Phil
pines. Did Merrit. runP No. he few
B AZ be hung TO his rnsion. and ate it too.
rhe next day 10 carry the joke farther,
ar. Wolfe Threatened prosecution. Was
abr. Merritt scared. Well. ask him
when you see him.
Matter was always sy'--deao
easy" de was sharp though. snd was
a spunter from way back. Once a we'll
known merchant got mao a. walter
and made break for bim. Walter made
a break Tor the door, thence the chass
led TO the Raleigh Hotel, where the SPIN
ter boarded. II - said a wardrobe saveu
the promising Merritt.s liic. Dicss tns
wardrobe
but " here Walter Merritt we drOY
he Mister, because wheu nen get great
We "Mister" them no more) MADE has
| mark was IA his correspondence Tor "a
Richmond paper. Merritt had been
trained Ia the held-the held OF the
yellow journal, and had painted many q
GLOW pasture. Our young man Will
1ne-pen, this graduate Of the yellow, TIA,
var correspondents from the sAauONs u
me Greater New York. " here journalists
wars are as common as ox-eye daises IL
an old Virginia held, turned into a sleu-L
one day he became aSherlock Holmes.
And on this account.
| The Peninsula Bank attracted the evil
eye OF Topeka Joe. Joe fell on the bank
safe with nitrO-glS cerine one fair night
IN May. The whole city and country
side was wild with excitement.
That was when Walter took it upon
himself 20 become a detective. Perhaps
New York reporters had done likewise
why not Merritt Well, the scribe led
of gently. 1t was a mysterious rob
| berry, he said. Then a little more bold
I ~, prominent men in williamsburg are
suspected" Then TO cap the climax.
arrests may be made any day" And
an arrest was made. Walter was sum-
moned before the grandjury to testify as
TO what he knew. But Walter was
scared, and while good % dctecti se
| proved bad witness-for himself at
least Asked 20 testify he said IL would
"incuminate" himself On the strength
of that statement Merritt was Indicted,
and held in the sum of $500 bail. Pres.
Tyler, always true 20 his boys" went
on the great Sherlock's bond, and kept
him out oi-"trouble"
OF course the Indictment was with.
drawn. As far as the bank robbery was
concerned corresPondent-detecti Mer.
nit was as innocent as lamb. The only
cause of trouble was Merritt's inability
20 grasp the meaning of the word ''ir-
criminate." He told us he had never
heard of the word before and didn',
know its meaning. That was why Ia
ell down SO hard before a James City
grand jury.
To further humilate the great de
toctive-this New York Holmes-his pa
Der came out IN an editorial and called
him an amateur" Merritt never re.
covered after that. but went TO Newport
News aud "scabbed" in the old DAILY
Ticket office.
Merritt IS jogging merrily along. auC
growing fat and sassy" and rich run
ming a JOB printing office.
| Poor Dick BAYLOR! Everyt ody remem
b:rs him. lie artel ded College here, and
was very popular. Several years ago
ne went away on a ship. The ship went
down and Baylor is supposed 70 have
been last wiki IT.