Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-26
The CoIusa Murder Trial.

CALIFORNIA.
The COlusa Murder Trial.
CoLusA. June 25th.-In the Miller MUIR
der trial to-day the prosecution closed, and
Jackson Hatch, counsel for the defense,
made the opening statement. tracing the
line and policy of the defense, in which he
| first presented the legal aspect of the case.
and announced that the circumstances sur
rounding the defendant at the time of the
homicide were such as to justify the killing,
and cited the law bearing upon self-delense.
The case would open up family affairs, and
expose the life Of the now dead. DR.. Glenn
and Miller had been lifelong friends. Their
| families were also bound by the closest of
friendship. This fIisr dship had its incep-
ton in Missouri Mr.. Miller at one time was
| q merchant in st. Louis. and not only pros
pegous but in stfiuent circumstances. AS to
| the brass knuckles mentioned in the testi-
mony. they had been purchased by Miller IN
st. Louis, he having custom of going
home from business late, and would place the
brass knuckles on his hands. MIR. Miller
| met with reverses, came to California, and in
| 1875 he went into business in Jacinto, being
aided by DR.. Glenn. Here again he failed.
Later on he went into business in Coluss, his
note being indorsed by DIR. Glenn. Here he
also failed, but first called on DIR. Glenn, his
lifelong friend, to take possession of what
little property he had left. During all this
| time the brass kruckles, which have become
almost fatal heirloom, had been thrown and
kicked about among the effects of the family
Mr.. Miller was much depressed after his last
failure. He hadn't a cent left, and did not
know what to do. Finally he con-
cluded to go to his son.in-law's
his vaise, and in doing 80 asked "Shall
put in the brass knuckles ?" The father re-
piled that he did not care whether he did or
not, and the knuckles were dropped into the
satcbel. He then went to Willows, and af-
| terward found occupation with Mr. Garnett,
| herding geese. He became quite an expert
shot 1t was MileT's custom, which is quite
common ore, to pace cloth sround the
wads of his gun, to give the charge an addi-
tional impetus. About the first of January
| last DR.. Glenn rode over to Wiliovs with
] Mrs. Pcsten and asked Miller TO go up to Ja-
| cinto and keep his books. Miller replied
that he had situation, AID did not wish to
| leave it unless assured of q permanent posi-
| ton The doctor asked if he was drinking,
and Miller replied, You know what | am.
l have not been drinking for come time"
| Finally arrangements were made by which
Miller was to keep the books st Jacinto for
| S75 a month. On arriving there he found
that be not cnly had to keep the books of the
hotel, saloon and store, but also run the dis.
count business of Mrs. 2 Posten, she having
some money ct the store, with which she was
| discountins the money orders given the
laborers on the ranch by DR.. Glenn, the rate
of the discount being such as the temper Of
the men would stand. He soon found that
| his position was a most unpleasant one. Dr.
| Glenn was much under the influence Of the
woman, Mrs. Posten. She was in the store
and everywhere. The prisoner could not talk
of business with DE-. Glenn but Mrs. Posten
would take a part il it. In short Mrs
| Posten ran the ranch. The woman became
much dissatisfied with the manner in which
Miller ran the discount business, and what
with her complaints and having a
quarrel with each man with whom he settled,
owing to the Posten discount, his position
became very unpleasant. One day Dr.
Glenn came to him and said that Mrs.
Posten was dissatisfied with him, and wanted
Mr.. Dargen, the old bookkeeper, bacE. Miller
said that was not fair to him. He had been
taken from place where he was making
living, and it did not look just the thing to
discharge him SO soon. VERY well, said
Glenn. 81 will see them about it." Soon
after this Mrs. Posteu came to Miller and
asked what the people in the neighborhood
thought of her. Miller declined TO answer,
saying he did not know what the people
| thought. Being pressed for an answer, he
asked, "Does DR.. Glenn think you are o
LADY," YES he Goes," said the Rosebud
of Jacinto." "Well, DON'T" said Miller.
To which Mrs. Posten retorted, "Wel, if I
am not lady, then Mrs. Glenn is not o
lady" and proceeded to relate some scandals
about the doctors family. Miller said he
highly esteemed Mrs. Glenn, aud he would
not listen to any scandal. She offered
to prove what she said by producing
letters, but Miller declined to look at them.
The woman renewed her proposition to pro-
duce the letters on the next day. Miller de-
clined to read the letters, which Mrs. Posten
claimed was request from Mrs. Glenn that
she be not exposed. At this time Mrs. Posten
had complete control of DR.. Glenn. She sat
at his right hand at the table. His sons and
other members of his family would sit at the
same table. The night following the day of
the sec1nd refusal to read the letters was the
one on which DR.. Glenn said, "Huram, /
wish to speak to you" Miller followed the
doctor iuto Mrs. Posten's bedroom. The
Rosebud was also there, and the doctor
accused Miller of having fnsulted the wom-
an. Miller said that he had merely sought
to protect the honor of Glenn's family,
whereupon the doctor struck him between
the eyes, breaking the bridge Of his nose.
The doctors rage increased, and the "R Rose
bud" pointeda pistol at Miller, dariog him TO
the doctor again struck him, blacking his eye
and knocking him down. After which he
kicked him on the leg and other places. The
blood poured from the injuries, Miller being
drenched with his own blood. During all
this Miller never once thought of striking
Glenn, their previous relations had been
such. The now frenzisd man would have
undoubtedly killed Miller, had not the "Rose-
bud said, "You have done enough, boy ="
I IL L L -
him any more" Glenn then discharged Mil
ler from his employ. Counsel thea recited
the efforts OF Miller to get his gun repaired,
in order that he might rsffle it. He also
stated that Miller had used the bras knuckles
as paper weight on bis desk in the store,
and DR.. Glenn had once remarked that it was
queer paper weight. After his discharge
he had one day placed them in his pocket,
where they remained to the time
of his capture. One day in the middle
Of the week after Millers discharge,
he was going past the gate of Mrs Posten's
house, when the Rosebud" asked him,
Where are you going?' He replied,
lover to the store" Upon which she said,
you had better not. Glenn is over there,
and will break your neck. We were talking
about that matter this morning" Miller
| took the advice and did not go to the store.
| Counsel made detailed statement of the
| movements OF Miller, and. coming down to
the time Of the homicide. said Miller was
walking along with his gun in hand. intend
| ing to take it to Maupin to rsffis He
had his hat drawn down over his eyes,
and as he stepped upon the porch of the
hotel he almost jostled against Dr.. Glenn
The doctor turned quickly. and said, I" You
damned scoundrel. haven't you left here yet,
and wheeled around and attempted to grab
the gun. Miller drew back, firmly deter
mined not TO give up the possession of the
gun. He placed his left hand on the barrel,
and with his right cooked it. You cock
your guu on me, do you ?' said Glenn, in
a great rage, and wheeled around and
plunged his hand in his overcoat pocket. At
this moment the gun was discharged, prem.
aturely, as alleged by defendant, he thinking
he had his finger on the eusrd instead of the
trigger. A spirit of mob law existed, and de.
fendant naturally fed. The possession of
the dirk counsel accounted for By etating