[GOPcapitalist]

Taney and the Keys (Taney's in-laws) ran in the same social circles. (If I'm not mistaken, wasn't it Taney's nephew who Dan Sickles offed in a lover's triangle?) The Baltimore elites hung together. We aren't talking about 169,000 people.

You're delving into speculation and innuendo, capitan. If you want to prove your contention you'll need sterner stuff than that.

May I make a suggestion to anybody with access to a US census database? If you can get ahold of the Baltimore County census from 1860 you should be able to figure out exactly where Taney lived and where Merryman lived. If they're on the same census block then they were indeed neighbors. If they're not then the NY Times and capitan are, as usual, lying.

[capitan_refugio]

I have provided proof by quoting the Chief Justice. The allegation that Taney knew Merryman personally, and was his neighbor, stands unrefuted. You may take issue with it, but you haven't refuted it. I am satisfied with Rehnquist and the times article he used (out the the hundreds he could have used).

It is a relationship that makes sense, given Taney's unorthodox actions in the case.

[4CJ]

Neither John Merryman nor Roger Taney are enumerated in the 1850 Baltimore City census. Neither John Merryman nor Roger Taney are enumerated in the 1860 Baltimore City census. Roger Taney is not enumerated in the 1860 Baltimore County census. In other words, Roger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, did not reside in either the city of Baltimore nor in Baltimore County.

In 1850, Merryman lived almost 15 miles from Baltimore, near Cockeysville, MD. In 1860, Merryman STILL lived near Cockeysville, MD.