The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-07-12
KNEW
TRACY AND
MERRILL
When They Were Boys
Together
Merrill was the Worse of the
Two
And Responsible for Tracy'S
VictS Downfall

at the Atlantic Hotel, Tacoma, tells an
interesting story, in the Tacoma Ledg
er of the youth of Tracy and Merrill
the notorious Oregon convicts. Ten
years ago Mr. Tuscon occupied the DO.
sltion OF police justice in Vancouver
Wash, and in his official capacity
learned much of the nature and dispo.
sition of both boys, Eyes, know them
BOTH he said in reply to a question
from a Ledger reporter last evening.
Both families resided in Vancouver
while was there, the Tracys being
on the east side and the family of Mer.
rill on the west. The boys were total.
ly unlike In disposition, and from my
knowledge of them am satisfied Mer.
rlll was the cause OF Tracya down.
ward course, Mrs Merrill, young Mer
rill's mother, is well connected In Port
land, but had little regard for tho
bringing up OF her son. The Tracy's,
ON the contrary, as family. were
highly respected, and young Tracy
was thought by all to be very prom.
ising young man. lie was good-look
Ing, frank and generous, and few at
that time would have believed It pos
sible that he would ever sink TO what
he has since become--a fugitive from
justice with a murderer's price on his
head.
Il recall an incident that came to
my notice in my capacity as police
Judge that will serve to illustrate the
character of the Merrill family at that
time, One day farmer living on the
Columbia river, few miles from Van.
couyer, complained to me that he had
been robbed Of three geese. imme-
diately detailed my constable to make
n round of those stores handling pouL
try with view To finding ont II any
had been offered for sale to them by
any one to whom suspicion might at.
tach. The inquiry developed the fact
that young Merrill had disposed Of
three geese TO one store, and war.
rant was Issued for his arrest.
AT that time the boys were prob
ably 10 years of age. When be ap.
peared In court his mother accom-.
panied him, and, upon being found
guilty aud sentenced to 20 days i'm.
prsonment, the mother attacked me
In the yllest manner The end of the
matter was | told her to be quiet i'm.
mediately, or would be forced to
send her along with the boy. This she
did, The young fellow almost had To-
be- carried to the Jail, however, 80
hercely did he fight with the police
man who had charge OF him. lie
served but six days OF his sentence,
however when he was released on ac.
count Of his extreme youth, although
at the time considered this 10 be a
great mistake. and It was not at my
instructions that he received his lib
erty
"A short time after Merrilrs re-
lease. he and Tracy began 10 be seen
frequently In each others company.
There was considerable talk Of this al
the time, as the families were scarcely
known 10 each other. The friendship
continued however, and many times
as was passing the military reserya'
tion on my way from my factory toI
the city have seen the two out walk.
Ing, and frequently lndulging In shot
gun practice. They were lndefaiig'
able at this exercise. and were both
excellent shots. aud this 20 some ex.
lent accounts for Tracy's prowess with
he rifle at the present time
About this time small articles be.
gan 10 be missed from the yards Of tho
1mcers quarters. which were located
quite close 10 the rife range. and not
ar from the city. Linen OF all kinds
would disappear from the clothes lines
md in other ways II became evident
hat thleying was going on. Later
Merrill was suspected, but never Ira.
-. though even at that time one was
probably az bad as the other
Il left Vancouver shortly after that
md the next heard OF either Tracy or
derrlll was when they made their sen
ational break from the oregon peni
enuary a few weeks ago"
Asked whether he believed Traoys
tory 10 the effect that he had killed
ierrlll Mr. Tuscon replied emphatic
ny that he ala not such a thing
would be too nat "a contradiction OF
ature They were boys together con
lets together and together they
haired danger and death not once but
dozen times Tracy was not natur-
ny a bad man. and / would far rathey
ispect Merrill Of such an act than
raoy With proper bringing up ! am
itianed Tracy would never have
irned out the way be has and / am
J certain a. ! am about anything that
ernll was the influence ln Tracy's
70 that Will now bring him 20 his
'alh az the hands OF either the hang.
an or the ahenh'a posse"