The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-22
AN UNCOMMON DEFAULTER
THE DOWNFALL AND ADVENTURES
or A TRUSTED SERYdNT,

In finish. II strikes one rs being the residence
OF a gentleman Of unlimited means and refine
ment. Everything about II Is neat. The furni-
ture Ia rich and elegant but quiet In design aud
color; the library is ncd with well-selected
books, and the pictures are works OF art. The
only effort at display that seems to have been
made Is observable IN a carriage block which
stands on the curb in front OF the grand door
way This block is of white marble. and bears
In glsring gilt tastefuilv arranged monogram
formed Of the letters
3D. NJ"
~. NJ" stands for John Miller, late secrctTry
OF the Contract and Finance Company whose
remarkable defalc atoms. running through
berles Of years, have been the talk Of the Pa
cinc coast for IA month past
In many respects Miller Ia one Of the most re-
markable criminals on record, aud certainly one
of the most audacous sCamps ever fOstered 10y
the Pdcinc coast. Scraps Of his history have
from time to time teen published. but nothing
like a connected narrative Of hs yillainy has yet
appeared lie had lived here from eight to ten
years, hehly respected and coufted ~ the best
society. lie was genlemany in his manners
and In business perfect giant. lie was pillir
In one ~ our leading churches ana a few weeks
before the crash came which hurled him from
hs pedestal, wa ch9s"n Super'ni mem uI us
clerk Of the Contract aud Finance CgunhnN 10
the once Of secretary. at salary OF slu'W a
year. gold. and was recorded "a a hu-lhr-s nnlh'
of View rs the peer " stanford, Hopkins,
Crockor and Others who forl the Central Pa
Hesides MA $1,000 income he was known to be
rich and to have married o lady IN Sacr imeni %
who had likewise IA large fortune Hence his
luxurious home aud the evidence OF wealth
around him excited no other comment on the
part Of his neighbOfs than that Millcrs lines
were cast In pleasant places.
SUDDEN CRASH.
One dav there came a little voice into Leland
Stanfords private office which spake a ord or
day Mr. stanford knew thai John MIllers name
was not John Miller but A. Il Woodruff, that he
had a wife living in INnchburg. Va. and that
his wealth had. every dollar OF it, been stolen
from the Contract and Finance, Company;
Such revelation created iiltter IN the Cen;
guarded. stanford and Croc.,cr at once went to
work to investigate the actual extent OF the de
falcation. They hoped to do this without
aroIsing Miller's suspicion, but iiled. one day
he came to Mr.. stanford and said quietly that
he not feeling well and he believed he'd run
up TO the McClouI river and catch some trout.
Repairng TO his mansion ne packed small
valise and asked his wife TO make ready To ac-
company him as far n Sacramento. The next
morning both went to Slcr nento.
Meanwhile examination II Millcr's ac-
counts was begun. and the first thing he expert
struck vas n false entry Of $1,000. Then stan
io,u My" that tne nsullis llP " - d n' ~. q, ~
telegraph was set to work To capture the fugi-
tive. Every train on every road under Central
Pacific control was boarded but Tor long time
Miller could not be found. Accident however
brought him In contact with a haggage-inas ter
at Marysvlle who knew him and pointed him out
Go the conductor. HIS prrtst quickly followed.
lie took matters very cOolly SAYING he guessed
there must tie some mistake. lie was taken to
San Francisco and confronted with stanford
and Croker After brief interview. he asked
TO see his wife. An officer WAS detailed TO
escort him to his house. Arriving there, Aillcr
asked permission to retire fora moment. When
he returned he whispered a word TO his heart
broken wife. ana she quietly went ont of the
room. In a moment she reformed, and to Nil
lers great disinay eXhi tied and gave 10 the OH
IA "A lIf of
valuable papers belonging TO the company,
which he had taken nom hi, person aud told his
wife to secure. After this evidence that Mrs.
Miller refused to he party 10 his crime. ailleI
sunk in his chair and meekly asked to be tax n
back to the railroad Office.
HEAVY DEFAICATIOSs.
The clue once struck the expert at work OF
Miller's hooks rapidly uueafthed deep mine Oi
In an hour 10 SlO0.COl. The next dav IL sWclled
to s2JO0tO, and the anair became the sensation
of the hour. FINALLY, Miller confessed AL. and
set about making restitution. lie turned over
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars. bat sim the
daily reports Of the expert called for more.
block Of city real estate, improved ana uuim
proved. W, made over to the railway company
When the expert had finally finished ms work II
was found that the extent Of Miller'- REGULATION.
exceeded Sl.'plOOO In the space II five years
The amount Of property offered IN restitution eX-
ceeded one million and MALT. bat as most OF IL
was real estate In improving localities
the company accented 10 In fun Reimbursement nj
OF their loss. Ihey also, 10 Tar as was In theiI
power, granted immunity 10 the detaulter this
being done TO prevent the possibility OF eXpos-
ing the affairs OF the Contract and Finance
Company Ia court-an event likely 10 prove dis
estrous TO more than ono reputation on this
coast.
THE ROMANCE or NGLLER's CAREER.
Thus far the history Of thi. dcfaulter dlncr'
but little from that of other gentry of the sam,
ilk. Hut in other crime = hiGalny ana that oI
living for years under bogus identity Miller
case surpa-scs that Of any other ia cool audacit.
and boldncss Of design.
letons came that Of the fact thtt his name wa.
not John Miller but A. Il. Woodruff. and that he
formerly lived In Lynchburg. Va. where he had
wife and one or two children. H. family were
in ignorance that he was living in san Francisco
as John Miller, but believed that a. \. K. Wood
run he was a prosperous wOol-gr1wcr In Aus
them a letter full Of love ana affection ana
nifty pound uOto. by means of a friend In Aus.
tral.a Miller kept up this deception without DIFF
Eculty.
One dny no and wife Noe wore returning from
Lake rnhor. They had a cnupartment IN The
palace car from summit. The station there Il
IN the snow sheds, aud therefore the inter,J
Of the car was somewhat dark. The train RI
down the mountain for an hour or 50 anc
presently left tao snow sheds behind am
emerged into the light Milicrlett the compart
ment 70 yet his wife glass Of water. As BE-
passed through the car lac saw Ia section VIII,
No. with her father and sister, on their way 4
San Francisco on "A pleasure trp. The recogni
with delight. Quick as a flash, Miller formed
stances favored him. vito 30 2 was in hcl
sight. Nobody IN the car knew him
ana this fortified him. lie kissed vii,
No. with great ardor aud shook hands
with the old gentleman. Then he asked
10 be excused for just an instant. There wcr,
some gentlemen In another part OF the car viii
whom ho had II enne unfinished business
Then he went 10 wife No. and soon made ~
excuse for another brsof ahsenre. Then he wen
back and sat down by wife No. l, aud a happl
reunion was enacted. lie said that he had Hr
rived from Australia only a few DAYS before
That he had some business with some California
wool men which had detained him for few
day.; that he was then going home 20 eufpris
and delight his wife and make her comfortable
and happy for the remainder Of her DAYS. H.
had not written her because he wanted 10 sur
prise her. lie had got uch IA Australia, hu
still he had TO return ms soon as possible. lie
coming to California was q most fortunate cir
cumstance, for now he could see her withou
going East. They could be happy Tor q week o
ten days, aud then he could sail on the Sam
steamer he G. me on instead Of waiting for th
next, which left month Ter. Wife No. | de
INJURED at this, but miller, knowing that b.
could not keep NJ the deception for month
Insisted that he should sail IN ten days.
EvADING WIFE 40. ..
AS the train sped along Miller, white chat
ting with the GOODNESS Of Mephl-tophrles
was Matching plan to get wife No.
out Of the car without wife No. Is seem
her. wife No. z wanted 10 stop at Sacra
mento and 90 to san Francisco by Il later train
He mentally resolved TINT wife No. | and he