Connecticut western news., 1875-11-12
A ROMANTIC CRIMINAL.
The Story of California Defaulter and
 his Singular Career. ....

The Story of n California Defaulter and
 his Singular Career. ..s.
 A San Francisco correspondent tells
 of a strange career of crime in that land
 so full of vicissitudes. The story is of
 John Miller, secretary of the Contract and
 Finance company. He had lived in San
 Francisco from eight to ten years, high
 ly respected and courted by the best so- ciety. He was gentlemanly y in his man.
 l1ers and in business perfect giant. He
 had worked his way from clerk to the
 office of secretary, at a salary of BIO, ,000 year, gold, and was highly regarded in business point of view.
 Miller had married wealthy lady,
 and his luxurious manner of living ex-
 cited no suspicion. The correspondent goes on to say: One day there came little voice into Leland Stanford's private
 office which spake word or two into
 his ear. Before the evening of the next
 day MT. Stanford knew that John Mil ler's name was not John Miller but A.
 R. Woodruff, that he had wife living in Lynchburg, Va., and that his wealth had, every dollar of it, been stolen from the Contract and Finance company.
 Such 8 revelation created futter in the Central Pacific office, but the secret was we'll guarded. Stanford and Crock CT at once went to work to investigate the actual extent of the defalcation. They hoped to do this without exciting Miller's suspicion, but failed. One day he came to MT. Sandford and said very quietly that he was not feeling we'll and believed he'd run up to the McCloud river and catch some trout. ,... I
 Repairing to his mansion he packed @ small valise and asked his wife to make ready to accompany him as far as Sacra- mento. The next morning both went to Sacramento. ,.r-. .~ .-. ..saar
 Meanwhile an examination of Miller's accounts was begun, and the first thing the expert struck was false entry of $1O,OOO. Then Stanford knew that the fishing trip was blind. The telegraph was set to work to capture the fugitive. Every train on every road under Central Pacific control was boarded, but for long time Miller, could not be found. Accident, however, brought him in con tact with baggage master at Marys- vile who knew him and pointed him out to the conductor. His arrest quickly followed. He took matters very coolly, saying he guessed there must be some mistake. He was taken to San Francisco and confronted with Stanford and Crocker. After 8 brief interview, he asked to see his wife, An officer was detailed to escort him to his house. Ar irving there, Miller asked permission to retire for moment. When he returned he whispered word to his heartbroken wife, and she quietly went out of the room. In moment she returned, and to Miller's great dismay exhibited and gave to the officer package containing $13, 1000 in greenbacks, over $75, 900 in United States bonds, and lot of valu- able papers belonging to the company, which he had taken from his person and told his wife to secure. After this evi- dence that Mrs. Miller refused to be party to his crime, Miller sunk in his chair and meekly asked to be taken back to the railroad office. '1 -.. .t a
 The clew once struck the expert at work on Miller's books rapidly unearth: ed deep mine of rascality. The origi- nal Ss10, 900 dedication grew in an hour to $1OO,OOO. The next day it swelled to $25O, 900, and the affair became the sen- sation of the hour. Finally, Miller con- fessed all, and set about making restitu- o1OA. Il0 GuEuSO ONoI uuuuIcuS O4 thousands of dollars, but still the daily reports of the expert called for more. Finally the new house went, and block | after block of city real estate, improved | and unimproved, was made over to the railway company. When the expert had finally finished his work it was found that the extent of Miller's pecu- lations exceeded $1 900, ,0O0 in the space of five years. The amount of property | offered in restitution exceeded one mil lion and 8 half, but as most of it was rf al estate in rapidly improving locali- ties the company accepted it in full re- of their loss They also, so far as was in their power, granted i'm munity to the defaulter, this being done to prevent the possibility of exposing the affairs of the Contract and Finance company in court. -.=-. ,..
 Thus far the history of this defaulter differs but little from that of other gentry of the same ilk. But in other crimes-bigamy and that of living for years under @ bogus identity-Miller's case surpasses that of any other in cool audacity and boldness of design.
 Simultaneously with the discovery of his peculations came that of the fact that bis name was not John Miller but A. R. and that he formerly lived in Lynchburg, Va, where he had wife and one or two children. His family were in ignorance that he was living in San Francisco as John Miller, but be- ieved that as A. R. Woodruff he was a wool grower in Australia, for -1. | III 4