The Washington times., 1932-08-12
SP|NSTER WILL
SCANNED FOR
DEATH CLUE
Janet Merrill, Once a Famous
Belle, Gives Up Gayety for
SeCIuSion at NatChez

(I.N.S. line Will OF Ine slain
68-year-old wealthy spinster-
recluse, Janet Surget Mer-
rill-a document as strange as
the secluded life Of the one
time bell of an old Southern
aristocracy led in her ante
bellum plantation home-was
scrutinized by authorities to-
day in an effort to shed fur
ther light on her mysterious
brutal murder.
Written by the murdered woman
in the flowery flourishes of an
older day, the will was filed for
probate today in Adams county
chancery court.
Children to Benefit
It bequeathed a fortune and
vast land holdings to Duncan
Minor, childhood sweetheart and
neighbor of the doughter of for
mer ambassador to Belgium, with
whom she forsook the brilliant
social gaieties of Southern capi-
tails to pursue life of rigid priva-
ton in the purlieus of the dreamy
Mississippi River town of Natchez.
But by verbal agreement, not
mentioned in the curious testa-
mant, which gives the fortune
outright to Minor, he was made
the instrument by which the &C.
centric spinSter's holdings are to
be distributed equally among the
children of her brothers, both
dead.
Live at Goat Castle"
Boyd also was to be questioned.
A fifth suspect in the weird
surrounding the eccen-
trio members of old Southern
James Richardson,
seen near the Merrill
home the night she was shot to
death, was also sought today for
questioning.
Meanwhile, Dana, laird of,
goat CASTLE" the shabby, goat
skeleton Of a once
proud colonial manor house, ad-
jacent to the Merrill estate, who
is known locally as the wild man
of the woods" because of his Gu
rious back-to-nature existence.
and Miss Dockery, the goat
woman" prepared to defend
themselves of the murder charge
lodged against, them.
RenOunces All Claims
"He CMinor) knows what dis
position I wish made of my
property and money, and will
attend to it BEST" the mistress
of Glenburney, one of the few
remaining showplaces of the old
South, where she lived and last
week died a violent death, wrote
in the will.
The estate, estimated in excess
of $250,0O0, includes Glenburney,
the Merrill home, and several
i n the Concordia
parish of Louisiana.
Under the murdered recluse's
instructions to Minor, who has
renounced all claim to the prop
erty except in the capacity of
executor, it will be distributed
among Mrs. John B. Dicks, Misses
Margaret and Mary Merrill, and
Linton Merrill, of Natchez; Mrs.
Henry Olsen. of New York, and
A. S. Merrill, of Phila-
delphia: the children of her
brothers, Ayres P. Merrill, Of Nat
chez, and Dunbar Merrill, of New
York.
Filed for Probate
A brother, Frank B. Merrill, of
New York. and a sister. Miss
Catherine Merrill. now residing
in Switzerland, though referred
to in the will. are not provided
for in the settlement of the es-
tate.
The will, executed seven years
ago, was filed for probate follow
ing a conference late yesterday
between Minor, attorneys and
relatives of the dead woman.
With revelation of the contents
Of the document, authorities to-
day sped forward with their in
veStigation of the spinster-recluSe'S
planning to re-question
Odel Ferguson, logger, to whose
hut near the Merrill
mansion bloodhounds led sheriff's
forces last Thursday night when
Miss Merrills body, pierced by
three bullets, was found in a
clump of bushes at the end of a
trail of blood. several hundred
yards from her home.
Ferguson Arrested
Ferguson, maintaining his in
nocence and claiming an alibi, is
held as material witness.
Authorities expected to develop
)ther lines of their investigation
oy questioning John Geiger, a
logger and until recently operator
Of a roadhouse known as THE |
5kunk's Nest" in an abandoned
building on Glenwood, the estate |
If Richard Dana, eccentric, weak
member of the famous |
Dana family. who, with his house
Keeper and guardian, Miss OCta-
Jia Dockery, 60-year-old daughter |
If Brig. Gen. T. o. Dockery. a
Confederate Army |
officer, are charged with Miss |
4.