The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-21

Of all the murders that have been perpetrated
in our midst since the fearful tragedy enacted
by Anton Probst, the murder of Mrs. Miller on
the day before yesterday seems to have created
the greatest attention and excitement. Her
daily life was SO kindly and so retired. and the
circumstances attending ner death so brutal, that
the entire sympathies OF the public have been
aroused in her behalf.
Chief Franklin and his detectives have ex-
erted themselves to the utmost to ferret out the
name and whereabout of the assassin, and prl-
Vate citizens have likewise been on the alert to
assist in bringing 10 Justice the guilty wretch
The 6rst arrests made were on Wednesday
evening, when two men were taken into custody
on suspicion of being concerned in the affair IN
some way. They were examined yesterday, and
the evidence elected failing to impl;cate them
in any degree, they we're, as matter of course,
discharged.
Finding themselves at the end of this clue, the
detectives turned their attention In another di-
rection. They made inquiries as to the owner
ship OF the premises IN which the Miller family
had resided 80 long, and ascertaned that it mad
formerly belonged to butcher by the name of
Gottheb Williams, who was possessed Of consid-
erable property IN the nelRhhorhood, whlch
was distributed among his children at his death
some years since.
One of the sons of Williams, bearing the same
name as his father, was desperate by nature
a butcher by trade, and vaga6ond by practice
of a lie time. He Is thirtyeight years of age
this day; has been deprived of the entire use of
his left arm and partially OF the use OF his eit leg
by paralS ' sis; is of the medium height and has
tnat listless, dcvilmay-care cast Of counenance
which career OF vagabondage and crime inva-
riably stamps upon iIs victims.
When only sixteen years OF age Gottheb Will
hams the Younger first imbued his hands In the
blood OF a fellow, creature. He was then assist
ing his father at the butcher stand of the latter,
on Market street. near Second. 1t was on the
2Oth Of February, 1874 that he became involved
in an alteration with a lad named Peter
Doescher. which was terminaied by young Will
lams taking up knife and stabbing his antago-
hp N 81
Williams was arrested and tried torthe ofense,
which resulted, on the 9th of March ensuing,
IN a verdict of involuntary manslaughter. On
the 9th of April he was sentenced bv Judge
Campbell to four years imprisonment in the
County Prison.
When this severe sentence was announced the
elder Williams, Who was court with his un-
happy son, leaned his head upon the latter's
shoulder, and burst into tears. The guilty
youth likewise broke down, and the scene then
presented by the courtroom was affecting IN
the extreme. Young Williams, however, as it
appears, old not serve out his tull term in iall,
having been pardoned at the earnest solicitation
of his iather. ..,
effect upon Williams, who went from bad TO
worse. Alter killing Doescher he is said to
have caused the death of fireman by tue name
of Toner by ing him on the head with a
spanner, but he was not convicted of this
During the war Williams enlisted in the 95th
Pennsylvania Volunteers, but deserted at the
eiment only two months He was in company
with man named William Ticknor, when he
left the regiment. He came home, escaping
arrest and finally declared his intention of
going tc California. He had reached Chicago,
on his way West, when he was stricken down
with paralysis, resulting in the crippled condi-
tion IN which he is at present.
Returning to the East, he again entered upon
his career of vagabondage, spending great deal
OF his time IN the Almshouse
Having been acquainted with the Miller family
I.A.n Iax,p had haaA
accustomed to nuIse him, he frequently sought
their house 10 beg meal, which was never
refused him. On the day preceding the murder
he had obtained his breakfast there. Mrs.
Miller informed her sister-in-law of the fact in
the evening, stating that she had given him the
meal because she was AFRAID OF him, and desired
to get rid OF him in that way. Before visiting
Mrs. Miller's, Williams was in dwelling oppo-
site, swearing vengeance against the world in
general, and threatening to obtain a meal
somewhere and also saying that he was deter
mined to leave his mark on somebody before he
died.
visited a lager beer saloon near Ninth and But
JonWoOd and after remaining a short time, left;
and thus far no one has been found who saw
him in the same neigh0orhood that day. His
appearance so early in the morning attracted
the notice of the proprietor OF the saloon, who
knew him we'll, and who had been In Tue habl
OF seeing him frequently in the afternoon, aud
Who was surprised that he was not there at hit
usual time that day. He was next traced TO tho
neighborhood of Laurel Hill, to meat-packne
establishment.
This was at O'Clock on Wednesday afternoon
He looked haggard, and, after picking up
knife lying on the porch OF the house, proceeded
to sharpen it on stone, rem marking at the time
that he would be 3S years OF age tomorrow, bu
did not intend to live to see his birthday, at thu
same time he drew from his pocket small
bottle and with a curse, said that he had pro
cured some laudanum, but the cork had COM
out, and he therefore lost the poison.
The men who heard HIM thus threaten TO tax
his own life noticed that he had blood on ht
rAutAoons, but as he had been in the habit o
Isl, re slauPhter-houses, thew paid little otter
ton 10 the circumstance, They lost sight Q