The Dickinson press., 1904-02-27
MERRY IN 4
For Two Days. Took Leg Bail
Wednesday Night and Is
Now Fugitive from Justice.
Supposed to Have Left the
Country.

NOW Fugitive from justice.
Supposed to Have Left the
Country.
Fargo Forum: C.. F. Merry, the: in
surance man, who was arrested about
ten days ago In Moorhead and later in
Fargo, charged with receiving money in
the shape Of premiums for an insurance
company not authorized to do business
in the state of Minnesota, abandoned
hope Of making bond Saturday night
and was turned over to the sheriff Of
Clay County and locked in the county
Jail, where he will await the action of the
grand jury in May.
When arrested first in Moorhead
Merry succeeded in making bond in the
sum Of 5000 and was released. Shortly
after he gained his liberty the officers
feared that he would skip the small
bond, and another complaint making a
similar charge was sworn out. Merry
was located by Chief Malvey of Moor
head at the Metropole hotel in Fargo,and
was in the act Of making the arrest when
Merry stepped out of the hotel and
climbed into a jag wagon standing near
by. Chief Malvery mistrusted that he
was going to Moorhead and stepping out
into the street asked the driver, in an in
nocent way, whether that was a jag wa
gon. The driver replied, Eyes. and it's
going right to Haas tplace." "Me, too,"
shouted the chief and he jumped in. AZ
ter crossing the bridge Malvey turned to
Merry and said: "You are under arrest"
The insurance man was nonplussed,
but gracefully submitted. He was i'm
mediately arraigned and his bond in the
second case placed at $500. He asked
permission to stop at the Columbia hotel,
agreeing to pay a deputy to stay with
him and watch, and ior the past ten days
has made a herculean effort to secure
bond.
Merry had a hearing Saturday after
noon, Feb. 20, and was held on 5000
bonds on each Of two charges. He was
unable to make bond and went to Jail.
He has worked on two men over the
river who may put up bail for him.
So {. F. Merry is really in Jail this
time. He has had many close calls be-
fore in his checkered career extending
over a period of more than twenty years,
and that saying that every dog has his
day" is at least partially fulfilled in Mer.
rvs case.
Merry tried hard to raise a little mon
ey in Dickinson and went so far as to
write most threatening letters to certain
people whom he seemed to think could
be inundated into furnishing him with
funds.
The Forum OF Feb. Is gave the follow
ing account OF Merry's escape: lmmedi-
a,ely after Merry's arrest he made
arrangements with the sheriff of Clay
County to remain at the hotel under
gnard of a deputy sheriff, the expenses
of the officer to be betrayed by the pri-
soner. He remained at the hotel until
last Saturday. when his bond was raised
to $500 and he then abandoned hope OF
making bail and was taken to the county
Jail. On Monday last he notified the
sheriff that he thought he could make
bond if given partial liberty and he was
again allowed to 60 to the hotel, accom-
panied by a deputy. Last evening, short
ly after the supper hour, while seated in
the hotel Office, Merry discovered the
deputy off guard, and picking up his hat
and overcoat stepped u of the office
door and has not been seen since.
Officers in Fargo and all neighboring
towns were at once notified and all trains
we're watched last night, but Merry did
not put in an appearance. 1t is the gen.
eral opinion that he had a confederate
in waiting with a carriage and that he
was driven overland to some distant
point, where he is hiding. and later, dis
guised, will board a train and leave the
country. Merry has been mixed up in a
number of disagreeabIe scrapes, and is
said to be a very smooth artist in his line.
Fritz the tailor at The Hub is crowded
with work. 2-27-It
Postmaster J. c. Thompson celebrated
his 72nd birthday on the 23rd. Mr..
Thompson has a memorable career. He
ran a locomotive engine for 81 years and
for II years he was foreman in the Dick
inson railroad shops. May he live to
enjoy many mor years is the wish of
every person in this city as well AS all
those living at a distance who have had
the pleasure Of his acquaintance,
This week a family by the name of
Shaw was in the city and two little girls
were sent around to the business places
to ask for contribution to enable them
3 10 move along to Montana. This same
family was in Glendale last week and
. claimed there that they wanted money
to enable them to get to Mandan where
they had a ranch. The Glendale
Record intimates that Shaw took a hanc
. in some card games going on in the city
/ much to the sorrow OF local sports,
Mrs. E. L. Scoield entertained thu
: : Pioneers Monday evening and took ad
vantage of the day to give the club some
t thing out Of the ordinary. Flags wer'
placed on each table and the winning
. players bore their flag to the home tabl'
the score being the number of return
home with the flag, which became thu
! property OF the most successful. Hatch
!. cts decorated with red, white and blu
ribbon, served as tally cards. The de
licious lunch carried out the idea Of "y
= olden time" and each lady received
n George Washington" card done in wa