The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-02-11
HANGED.

George Smith and Catharine Miller we're
executed at Williamsport on Thursday, the
3rd inst, for the murder of Mrs. Millers hus-
band. The story of the crime is as 70 llows :
About one-half mile from Jersey Shore, in
Porter township, at the time of which we
write, there lived in small two-story frame
house family named Miller, consisting of
Andrew Miller, the husband. Mrs. Cath
arine Miller, wife, and three children, all
girls, the eldest past ten years of age. Mr..
Miller was laborer by occupation, work.
ing for livelihood at such work as he could
get in farming community. He was a
plain, nnassuming man, poor, industrious
and about 5S years of age, Mrs, Miller was
rather pre-possessing looking woman, about
twenty eight years of age, against whom the
busy tongue of rumor had much to say af-
fecting her virtue.
On Friday morning, March 10Th, 1880, it
was noised about at an early hour in the
morning that Andrew Miller had committed
suicide by hanging himself in the barn near
the house in which he lived. The news
spread rapidly and soon the entire popula
tion OF Jersey Shore were greatly excited
over what looked like mysterious affair.
Many of those who assembled to look upon
the supposed suicide were convinced that
Andrew Miller had not taken his own life,
but that he had been foully murdered and
then hung up to beam in the barn to leave
the impression that he had taken his own
life, Certain suspicious conduct on the part
of one George Smith and Mrs. Miller led to
their arrest. In the absence of the County
Coroner, and at the request of many of the
leading citizen, Justice of the Peace Gowan
held preliminary hearing. Mrs. Cstharine
Miller, her daughter, Mary f Miller, Mrs
William Homler, b. f. De Long, A. ID.
Young and Others we're sworn, and evidence
was ELECTED which warranted in sending to
Willsmsport for the District Attorney and
County Coroner.
On the arrival at Jersey Shore, late in the
afternoon, of District Attorney w. w. Hart
aud Coroner another jury was impaneled,
composed of the following persons: John
Piatt foreman G. p. Smith, G. b. Seely,
oaSOp oiolipiSb W W. GCObt Suu a. W.
Brown. The jury at once proceeded to the
Miller residence. A post mortem examina-
tion of the body of Andrew Miller discov-
covered four confused wounds on the back
of the head evidently made with some blunt
instrument. The jaw was fractured and a
hsle cut in the chin the body was bruised
at the lower right ribs A large number of
witnesses were examined. among whom the
two young daughters of the murdered man,
whose evidence. with that of their mother,
tended 10 corroborste the theory of suicide
The jury rendered a verdict on Saturday
morning in which they implicated Smith |
and Mrs Miller. The prisoners were sent
to jail and on the following Monday the |
two little Miller's made confession acknowl |
edging that the evidence which they gave
before the Coroner's inquest was false and |
stating that their mother had told them
what to say.
Soon after both the accused made state
nents acknowledging their guilt and they
we're tried and convicted. Every effort WAS
made in their behalf, but to no avail. aud
70 on the 3rd inst. one of the foulest crimes
,ver committed Ia the State was avenged by
he Law. Mrs. Miller was the ninth woman
,augeJ in Penusylvsnia.