Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-06-07
Detection of Mysterious Homicide.

Detection of a Mysterious Homicide.
On the night of the Oath of last November,
farmer named Dennison Mile was killed
by an assassin. The deed was perpetrated
in Miller's own house at place called Green
field, not far from Detroit. By the testimony
of the murdered mans wife the facts were as
follows: Mrs Miller heard a cat bowling in
the dinng-room a little after midnight 4; she
rose from her husbands side and went to let
the eat out of the front door. When she
opened the door for that purpose man
rushed past her from without, and on into
the chamber. She heard a quick sculile, a
cry and heavy fall, and then the intruder
disappeared, she knew not whittier. Mrs.
Miller found her husband on the floor, welt
oring in blood. lie was stabbed through the
heart, and he never spoke afterward. The
alarm was given, and every effort was sub
sequently made to trace the murderer. He
was not found however, despite the most
vigilant search and protracted inquiry. and
after a time the case was set down as one of
those destined 10 battle human detection. The
affair was 4 nine days v nder, much talked
OF by the press and In ;iety, but not the
faintest clue was ever 1t upon. and finally
the subject appeared to dIeou and be forgot
ten.
Tive or three weeks ago, however, events
fell out that excited the suspicion Of the
Sheriff Of the county as 10 the indcntty OF
the murderer. Fresh study of the case Ie-
vealed corrob)Tatiye evidence OF the truth of
this suspicion, and at last the Sheriff has
been able to lay his hand on the shoulders OF
u. dol. b..r o.
Thou art the man. The case is one of the
most singular in the annals of crime, and its
history powerfully excmphGes the fact that
the most ingenious and cold-bloodei devices
of which men are capable do not always sui-
fees to shield them from the consequences ot
wickedness. 1t now trauspre7ithat the assas-
sin Of Miller has never LETT the scene ofthe mur-
der, that he is well known to the noigh5lr
hood including Miller s.iamily, and that he bias
continued on intimate relations with that
family ever since the fatal nigh. Of the stab
bing. Ills name is William Smith, and,
strange to ray, he is bat eighteen years oi
age. The cunning and deliberGti0u with
which lie prepared u commit his bloody deed
and with which he sought to cover mp his
tracks subsequently,, are almost incredible.
lie had for some time been working for %
ueighb1r of Miller named Maple lie slept
in Naples house, sharing a bed with bis
employers son. Some days before the muir
der Smith bought in Detroit a small quanti-
ty Of chlorlorm. This was 10 uarcltize young
Maple with before Smith should set ON hI,
bllrtui errani-a part Of the scheme that
was successfully carried out. After dark,
but before going up TO bed. Smith placed
ladder agains; All ad j1ining root IN such "a
way that be could pass from the window OF
his room 10 the ladder, and 80 make bis way
10 the ground. The house being l1ckei up,
and others sleeping ~ 10 who mi sht be dl--
turbei hy a person going through tie entries
within, the motive for this VrccutI9n Dee
comes obvious. On the night of the as-l-s-
ination Smith waited until young Maple was
fast asleep, and then dragged him with the
cal0ro.orm lie then descended by tac .ld-
der. and passed swiftly through The fields.
under cover of a starle,- -kv. unit. be reach
cd tie h0us, OF bis intended victim Finding
10 ready way To get into the house, smI-u
either initiated the cry of the eat, ur hap
pouei % be at tile front By cdluca the In-
slant Mrs Miller opened tdc d10- Tie then
rushed by.her and stabbed Miller a- described
the whole scene passing 10 complete ditA-
ncs>-anl made bis way hlme a.al. Here
he went Up the ladder. lowered It gently
with a line, so that D, lay by the side of tae
building o. usual. drew up bis lIuc, returned
q hi- room hy the window, sAut It. and
went comfortably O. bed. Never was % c1luc
most airoitly planned and c55lly carried lu-
Nor was this all. The fatal act was committed
With a dagger, and the young homicide fear
Cd 70 hide It, dreading discovery. lie
therefore hribed a certain itincrut psii.cr
70 take weapon. TO Jet it be seen bg several
persons, and then to sell it e. him, Smith.
some days after. Even this bold and hazlrI-
Gus scheme was put into e1e-t. the Ie4lier
went his way from that part of the country;
and had Smith remained qliet at tli- point
he might have been safe to this day.
But the singular temptation came upon
him-in iac., induced by previous impunity.
no dlubt-t1 = a place called Dearborn, and
throw a train of cars of the track. In this
attempt. when on the very point of success.
be was Proyiienully caught, and his capture
suggested % the Sheriff the train ot Research
that led 20 the naturalization oi Smith a-
Millers assassin. When a-kci what bis
motives were m seeking the destruction of
hundreds who had never harmed him. the
young sclundrel calmly made answer tia- he
only wanted % see the cars plunge into the
river The coo- diablh-m uf ibis reply Jed
the Shelf, by natura. association oi ideas.
70 ponder over the m0tivela-- cruelty Of the
killing of Miller, and thus led up 20 the final
result II appears that Smith has 'iuduen-
tal friends. q" and that he was released on
bail in 5000, for his attempt on the pass
enser-train, but on the very same night.
evidently to console himself for thi- unrclslu-
able interruption Of bis pleasures, be went
of to a neighborinE town called E,)rse and
playfuliy set a barn on FIRE. He was again
arrested. and this time did not escape from
custody until the whole list Of his crimes had
been brought home % him. The evidence
was purely Iresumptiyc. but still y ~ strong.
when the Sheriff felt warranted in suddenly
charging the prisoner, point-biank to bis
face. with Miller = murder The result was
that Smith broke down-thc excitement 90
the two arrests on the same day having APP
pareutly shaken his nerye-and confessed all.
The youthful murderer is said TO be extreme
ly handsome, and is pronounced byab!e med
zeal men to be entirely sane. His incentive
would auVear 10 have been simply furious.
overwhelming passion for crime;and consider
ing his total unscrupulousness, his aulGcity
and his great cunning. it Is a fortunate
thing thar his career Of guilt has been cut
short as it has, and that only a single life,
50 far as is known, has been sacrificed t. his
lust for crime.