The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-04
THE MISERY OF
TH0MAs MERITHEW.
foAanaLl

In 49, Thomas Nerithew, a wealthy
gentleman Of Bu&so, died. His life
had been exempl&r He had expend.
ed large sums III clarity and on bis
church. He had Rver been in busl-
ness, nor had It'll een necessary for
him to earn mon&s for he had inner
tied a fortune, Vhcn grew steadily
while in his posse fslon. Since he left
no children. his VIE inherited all his
property. A few FEARS after bis death
the wife died, arin the estate passed
into the possession Il Merithew Inger-
soil, bis nephew.
During Thomas berithew's life there
were whisperings e0ncerning him. Ii
was said that he OIL not live happily
with his wife and hat he would fre-
quentiy 90 away from her; that when
he did so no one knew where he went:
that at such times instead OF being a
model of probity he led a Wild life
But there was Discrepancy in these
reports, for If no one knew where be
went how could IL be known that be
lived a wild life?
Ten years after his death his former
friends and acqualntances were aston
ished to read in newspaper that
a young man living in New York city
had put in a claim for the MerIthew
fortune. This person had been brought
up undera the name of Edward Coyle.
but claimed the name of Edward Meri-
thew, asserting that he was a egiti-.
mate SON of Thomas MerIthew that
his mother had been married to Meri-
thew prior to the latters marriage to
his acknowledged wife and that as the
sole surviving heir be was entitled to
all Of bis fathers property.
The case proved intensely interesting
to both those who knew the Merithews
and to the public generally. AS soon
as 1t was begun the rumors that had
been circulated during Thomas Meri-
thew's life took shape. Leonard Grif-
fin, BuffaIonian, testified that he had
had speaking acquaintance with Meri-
thew: that on one occasion while visit
ing New York be had met Merithew on
Wall street. had bowed to him. and
Merithew passed on without noticing
him. Wondering if he could be mis-.
taken In his man, be followed him and
saw him go into an office. Merithew
soon came out and Griffin. going IN.
asked who the man was. He was told
that he was William CoyIe. ostensibly
bond broker. but really speculative
investor.
Another witness, Putnam Palmer,
testified that in restaurant in New
York he had seen nian he supposed
to be Merlthew. Merlthew was with
woman and boy. phImer looked at
Merithew, who returndi his gaze with
out recognition. Upo1 inquiry at the
desk he was informed that the man
often dined there with the woman and
the boy, who were understood to be his
wife and son.
Leonard Anderson testified that Meri-
thew had told him TINT there was
man In New York who SO closely re-
sembled him that the two men were
often mistaken for each other. Counsel
for defendant before the trial came on
had endeavored to find this double. He
traced him up to a date not far from
that Of Merithew's death; then the dou-
bic suddenly disappeared. He also
searched for the wife and son. but
could find no trace of them. The at |
torney made strong point OF the fact I
that they had made no claim to Meri-
thew's fortune at the time of his de-
cease.
Witnesses were produced who knew
Thomas Coyle OF New York. and they
one and all testified that he was not a
man OF good character BY any means.
He was known to have been interested I
In the organization Of spurious corpo-
rations. from which he Invariably re
tired with the money OF the creduious
investors.
There would have been no case at al /
for the claimant had it not been for
Thomas Merithew's frequent disap-
pearances. Counsel fof the defense
made every effort to f5 the place or
places to which he wentldnring one or
more Of his absences frbm home. but
failed. The moment he lfft Buffalo he
seemed to have passed tout of exist
ence. Ingersoll. the defendant, ran
sacked his aunt's letters hunting for
one from her husband Written during
one Of these periods, but found none
10 prove that be was not Il New York.
When the trial was cbacIuded and
The jury returned to the room to an
aounce a verdict It was found that
here was no agreement Six Jurors
we're for the plaintiff anp six for the
OF course thete was new
rial. New evidence addlced at this
.fiaI was mention by Mrs. Thomas
|lerIthew in q letter to her husband Of
former marriage Of her husband, but
chen Merithew had cone to Buffalo
nMny years before he gave out that he
saa married at nineteen had his wife
sad died, An acquaInfahce Of Mrs.
ogIa testified that she mas not an
|ssQeaied woman and mug have been
fAw years older than HFr husband.
na claimant stated that ahe had died
o1n after tie death Of Thomas
f.Iiw.
second trial resultta like the
lheut 4 verdict. tlkngh ten Of
81 we've jufymen we're 81 favor Of
~ Alntin After this eond trial
B.