He served in both houses of the Massachusetts General Court, was president of the Highland Street Railway, helped organize the Boston Consolidated Street Railway, and defeated incumbent Thomas N. Hart to become the Republican nominee in the 1890 Boston mayoral election.

In 1893, financial and legal difficulties led him to flee Boston and live under an assumed name in Silver City, New Mexico.

In 1867, Merrill was a junior member on the defense team for John Moran, who had been indicted for murder.

In 1874, Merrill, who was chairman of the committee on the state constabulary, passed legislation abolishing the agency over the veto of acting governor Thomas Talbot.

Merrill also served as chairman of the committee in charge of memorial services for Charles Sumner.

[4] Merrill was the founding president of the Highland Street Railway, which received its charter on April 12, 1872, and opened on October 24, 1872.

In 1886, Merrill was able to secure passage of legislation allowing the consolidation of the Highland Street Railway and the Middlesex Railroad.

[4] Merrill was also the proprietor of the Hotel Bellevue in Boston and was president of the Magneso-Calcite Company, a fire proofing business.

[18][4] On June 7, 1893, the Boston Daily Globe reported that he had a total of $157,000 in attachments on his property and was being sued for nearly $75,000 by his sister-in-law.

[10] On June 30, Edgar S. Hill, Louis W. Raycroft, and James Hewins were assigned by the court to resolve Merrill's affairs.

Merrill's work with Coler required frequent trips to New York City and he kept a second residence there.

Brice and Coler purchased a block of stock in the Silver City National Bank and made Merrill president.

[23] Judge John R. McFie introduced Merrill to Territorial Governor Miguel Antonio Otero.

Merrill secured an option on the Hanover Mines from Thomas B. Catron for Otero and Chief Justice William J.

[22] As there was competition from New York interests on this property, Otero was very grateful towards Merrill and rewarded him with an appointment as a regent of the New Mexico Normal School.

The following day he reported back to his superiors in Boston, who informed him that Merrill was still wanted on an 1893 indictment for embezzlement.

[24] On June 2, New York Governor Benjamin Odell signed the papers for Merrill's extradition to Massachusetts, stating that while evidence had been presented that Merrill had paid back some of his debts since leaving Boston, the proper venue to decide his guilt or innocence was Massachusetts.

He was released on $10,000 bail, which was put up by Mariellus Coggan and Hollis Street Theatre proprietor Issac B.

[30] On December 24, 1903, Merrill died at his apartment at the San Viente Hotel in Silver City from pneumonia complicated by other diseases.