Merrill Drake Aldrich (1899 – 1957) was an American politician who served as mayor of Taunton, Massachusetts from 1941 to 1946.
[6] The Republican nominee, Patrick H. Dupuis, defeated Democratic incumbent Edmond P. Talbot in the general election and appointed Aldrich as a deputy sheriff.
[7] In 1941, Aldrich ran in the special election held following the death of Taunton mayor John E. Fitzgerald.
He was alleged to have "corruptly promised to use his official authority" to reappoint Israel Louison to the office of License Commissioner during his reelection campaign.
[12] District Attorney Frank A. Smith's only piece of evidence was an undated letter signed by Aldrich stating that he would reappoint Louison.
On January 15, 1945, Aldrich, Louison, and a third defendant - county commissioner Leo Coughlin, were found not guilty.
[13] That December, Aldrich was reelected in a close race with city council president William Duffy.
[15] In 1946, Aldrich was an unsuccessful candidate for both the Democratic and Republican nominations in a June special election for the Massachusetts Senate seat in the First Bristol District.
On June 21, 1946, Kelliher filed a paternity suit against Aldrich, alleging that he had fathered her 2-year-old daughter out of wedlock.
[3] On January 13, 1957, Aldrich, who was scheduled to undergo a serious abdominal operation, saw 2000 A.D. a television program on WBZ-TV about the Boston Eye Bank.