The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-02-03

Miller intoxicated; WITHIN three years had seen
him intoxicated from % to so times Don't
Was IN Portland in the winter of so 70, and
had a conversation with M. this was the third
time had been sent for. charged him with
trying to choke her and beat her head against
the wall. mat was the last time was called.
Am not certain whether this was the time
when Gen. Shepley came in and we PLAYED
WHIST; 90 not recollect who was present when
we Played with Gen. Shepley; aiL positive no
liquors were introduced. The paper was sign
ed IN Mr.. Strout's Office. Mr.. M, at the time
o. .ne conversation did not say that the charges
were not true. Think / got my information
from Mrs. M. 1 went to Mr. Strout to get
MIN to draw the libel; went with Mr.. Strout to
see Judge Davis; employed Judge Davis then
a., employed Shepley s. Strout to draw the
noei; cant say who drew the libel (the one
USED IN !S69). 1t was drawn while 1 was here
ana put into the hands of the officer. At the
time Of my daughters marriage in Brooklyn in
1893 don't remember whether liquors were
used; have NO doubt they were. Don't remem-
Der of any occasion at Mrs. Miller's house
when splri'uous liquors we're used never knew
uors. Have met Mr.. NJ. at Ellsworth within
tive or six years; don't remember of using fq-
uOrs with him there; was at Mt Desert in 1869
with members of my family; don't remember
that anything was said about the divorce; Gen.
Shepley came there at the time IN yacht and
been subject to bysteric fits; never informed
Mr.. Miller that it was so. In all my converse
tiOns with Mr.. n. he never complained that
gentlemen came too often to his house; that
Gen. Shepley came thsre and he objected to it.
Miller was at my house in Brook lyn after his
marriage. Members of my family would occa-
sionally visit at Mr.. Millel's during my resi-
deuce in Brooklyn. The visits we're brief;
none Of my family spent their summer visits at
MS; he never informed me that such visits
- anI1 Il. ID, A..
these visits were one of the chief sources of the
difficulty. Saw Gen. Shepley frequently at
Mr.. Miiler's when have been there; have no
recollection of ever seeing Mr.. and Mrs. M.
drinking liquor together at their house.
Mr.. Strout here put into the case the follow
ing document:
PORTLAND, Sept. Q, 1869.
Reports having been circulated that the under
signed has at various times and places in Portland
and elsewhere uttered language chargr G in direct
terms or by implication that his wife, Sarah E. NJ IL
Ter. has been guilty OF improper or mprudent con-
Duct and rejecting upon her character as virtuous
woman and faithful wife and mother; and where's s
the undersigned claims and asserts said reports
without foundation and untrue. and is willing and
DESTROYS OF doing justice by his said wife and OF vim
dicating her character against the calumnies and
falsehoods that have thus been circulated by evil dis
posed persons. he solemny asserts and hereby pub
cly declares his full and entire belief in tie purity
and innocence Of his said wife, Sarah E. Miller; and
further declares that he has never had, directly
indirectly. by word act or deed any cause or ground
other than pure, chaste and virtuous wife without
o stain suspicion of blemish upon her character.
He further declares that reports or stories to the
and that The said Sarah Z. Miller has always con-
Quoted herself as pure and faithful and afectionste
wife and mother, bearing with the inrmites of tho
undersigned. and that any word or breath against
her character as o virtuous woman would be foul
and groundless SANDER upon an innocent woman.
(Signed) N. j. MILLER. JR.
J. D, Decelle, deputy city marshal, B. W.
Slower, policeman, Geo. w. Rich, merchant
Mr.. Hanson, policeman, e. G. Bolton. ex-
deputy marshal, Frank Mlliken, bar keeper at
the White House, Melville Higgins, John
keeper at the Eureka saloon. Daniel f. Gerts,
ex policeman, and James Osgood, hack man,
were put on the stand to testify to Miller s
drunkenness. Mr.. Decelle aud officer Slower
testified to drunkenness and disturbance at his
own house, and that they removed him at the
ton. MIR. Osgood testified that two years ago
be took respondent and others to the White
House and brought them back; respondent
was drunk: There were women in the party
but Mrs Miller was not one OF the party.
John a. Efaery-Live at No. 81 Park street,
corner opposite 10 Miller; in Jnly, 1870, some
time between IL and 2 o'clock at night. was in
bed; was startled by very loud howl; it came
from Miller's house; recognized his voice; he
was abusing somebody very badly; heard a
heard a child's voice saying "don't father;'
heard him say you Cd id sinking bitch
get out Of my sight; this kind of language kept
on an hour and a half; saw two young men
about the house listening; would pass along
the street and return.
Cross-examination reserved.
Phebe A. Peters-Am sister to Mrs. Miller;
visited my sisters house the first time after
their marriage 10 or II years ago; they then
lived in State street; remember Millers intox-
liz. l~.~vA
since; remember being at the Cottage (Cape
Elizabeth) with my sister; came in from the
Cottage one afternoon to tea, and while at the
table the little boy asked his father for some
thing the second time; Mr.. Miller took him up
and threw him up and let hm drop on the floor;
that was hive or six years ago. Ever since 1
can remember be has used profane language to
Mrs. Miller and his children; the next time
visited there was after the tea was thrown; l
saw the marks of the tea on, the wall. When
ever Mrs. Miller asked him any question about
domestic matters his answer was almost al
&c d-n you, hold your yop." I was there
at that time three weeks. He would come
home intoxicated two or three days in success
sion, and then again would seem to be perfect
" sober, He very seldom answered Mrs Mil
Ter respectfully. The next time visited there
was two years ago He then came home in
toxieatsd veEy frequently, ned used very abu-
sive language to Mrs. Miller in presence of the
children and about my family. Have heard
him use abusive language about his own TAM
lily. remember one evening about six O clock
be came staggering into the house singing
songs, and went up stairs and rang the call
bells in the house for a long time. He
then went down stairs to his supper and
while there used very bad language about Mrs.
Miller and all the family. l remember of his
saying that Mrs. Miller and all her family were
SO putrid that hill was not good enough for
them l saw him at that time come and shake
his fists in Mrs. Miller's face and thre ated her
life. He called her 1.-THE language is too OBJ
scene and blasphemous to be printed. He
used prOfane language to his children. 1 re-
member at one time he told Charleyiat the ia
BILE that his mother was higher than 1.-THE Sa-
viour-coupliDg the name with horrid blasphe-
my.J Six or seven years ago i remember of
his telling Charley at the table that he did not
wish him to believe there was any God; that
he was an intidel; that he never wished him to
forget an injury, and that his motto through
life should be, Vengeance. One afternoon,
after he got through dinner, he locked us into
the house so that was not able to 60 out,
when a lady came to take me to ride. When
ever his wife. asked him proper question he
never gave her decent answer; used pro-
family to her always. Witness here cotroho-
rates Mr.. Peters statement that he came
bone aud raised chair to him; that he could
have Mrs. Miller but rot the children, and
threatened to blow his tPeter's) brains out i
One night he came home intoxicated aud raw.
ing and was sitting ON the steps. He sat down
and told me if a certain paper he had signed
was not returned to him he should murder Mrs.
Miller and every one OF the family; that he
should commence with Mrs. Miller, then the
children and then take every one Of our family
aud rip them open with a kniie Just as far as he
could The next L remember was the Monday
before we left. He came home intoxicated. I
was sitting up stairs sewing; Mrs. Miller was
out VI the room. He came in with large
jack nife open and says. "Phebe, | am goin e
to kill Sadie" I said, "Why Jones,'' or some
thing like that, and be said, Il am; do you
blame me for doing it?'
happened to lock at the door and Mrs. Mil
Ter was coming in. Mr.. Miller ran after her in
this same was with the knife She ran down
stairs and he after her. She went to the door
and attemp pied to call Mr.. Putnam, the grocer
across the way. Mr.. Miller grabbed her and
brought her up the stairs. She afterwards
showed me the prints of his bands on her
arms. He thsn locked the doors and went
down to his mothers and stayed about an
hour. When he came back Mrs. Miller was out
of the room. He had a small axe in his hand.
swinging it by the handle. He kept using
profane and obscene arguage and kept askins
where the mistress was. Mrs. Miller then
came up stairs and he followed heraround
with the axe threatening to kill her. The next
day he came home in the same condition and
abused his wife, calling her all sorts Of names
| made her put on her things and go down to
HIS uOtutt b. w Heu we came DacK M,Ier was
sitting on the steps with an open knife in his
hand. That day we decided to leave and go to
Bangor We made our arrangement to go on
Friday and notified father at Mrs. Miller re
quest.
AT this point the Court adjourned to Fri
day.
REcEPrIoN.-A very elegant reception took
place at the Falmouth Hotel last evening
given by J. B. Brown and wife, who are tenn