Evening journal., 1911-03-17
MERRITT SLAIN
IS The BELIEF
Police Work on Theory That
Dead Man Was Robbed
First
WOUND ON HEAD
THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT

The police today are working on the
case of George H. Merritt. whose dead
body was found in the hall way Of the
second floor of Walnut Hall. at No
900 Walnut street, yesterday morning,
by Richard Ryder, colored. Bruises
that were found on the mans head. at
first believed TO have been caused by
falling, are now believed to have been
inflicted by somebody whose object
was robbery.
That the man died from these in
juries was proven by the autopsy held
on the body by Coroners Physician
Bastian yesterday afternoon. The ply
sician found a clot Of blood on the
brain showing a concussion and this
caused death. The bruises on the head
in themselves could not have caused
death. but the internal hemorrhage
which followed, the physician said
was fatal
DR.. Bastian said today that he be-
lieved the man was murdered. yet it
could have been possible for the man
TO have received his injuries by fall
ing.
Coroner James T. Chandler held an
inquest in the case yesterday after
noon with W. o. Brown as foreman
Of the jury. After hearing the evidence
I the jurors returned a verdict that Mer-
ritt came TO his death from hemor-
rhage of the brain caused in some vio-
] lent manner. unknown TO the jury.
State Investigates.
The case has been referred to the At
torney-Generais Office and in the alb
sence Of Attorney-General Gray his
deputy, Josiah o. Wolcott will have the
affair thoroughly sifted. The police
also are working on the case but 50
far have no clues which might lead e
the capture OF the mans assailant II
the event that he really was murdered
The theory that the man was kille
and that robbery was the motive
) borne out by the evidence brought on
at the inquest II was shoWn. that Mel
! ritt when he left home carly on Wee
; nesday evening wore "A sweater a
) overcoat, and also had a cheap watc
} and a gold signet ring All four al
} ticles we're gone when his dead bod
} was found An umbrella which th
} man took with him when he left hom
was recovered by the police, VIII
found il in a saloon.
The police learned that Merritt
left his saloon at 1915 o'clock and
they also found that he was sober al
the time. They traced Merritt "a
Tenth and Walnut streets and that
was the last seen OF him.
Following Clues.
Patrolmen Devinish and Bradford
were at work on the case all day
and they followed out several clues
but with little success. They sue
ceeded. however, I'm tracing Merritt
TO a short distance from the build
ing in which he was found dead
How Merritt came to be in the
building is a mystery TO his friends
He was never known to assOciat,
with colored people. Some person.
express the opinion that he was car
ried there, either dead OF uncon
Hcious, and thrown into the hallway
On the other hand the authoritie
} would like TO know where Merritt wal
} from the time he arrived at Tent
and Walnut streets until $40 o'clocl
I'm the morning when hts body wal
found. They say it IS hardly likell
that the body was IN the hallwa'
from IL or 12 o'clock at night unit
. 6 o'clock in the morning withou
somebody stumbling over Il. I'm view
OF the number Of people living IN tn
, building. who come and go at al
, hours.
The body when found lay face dowi
and the hat which Merritt wore wa
, found lying IN a window. a few fee
} away. There was no evidence of
. struggle and this adds still NOR
; mystery to the case
The funeral services will be held ol
Sunday evening at 6 O'Clock al tn
late home Of Mr. Merritt, No. so
Lombard street 1nterment will b
made at Galena, Nd. on Monday.