Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-12
TALE OF ONE REQ HAIR.
The Part II Played in a Mysterious
Murder.
The Murder ola Rich Old Miser in Florida
BY Young EngIishman-A Scene in
COurt-AW Woman Brought from
England COnfrOnts and
Conyicts Him.


Archibald w. Newton, a young man
who belongs to q wealthy family which
stands high in England, has just. been
convicted in Orange county for the
murder of Samuel Mcmillan. The case
was sensational, and when the jury
brought in the verdict, I'VE find the
prisoner guilty As charged in the in
dictment," there was much excitement
in the court room. In the spring Of
1881 Newton appeared at Sanford,
bearing a letter from Mr.. Gray, one of
the London stockholders, to J. +. Ora
ham, the manager Of the Sandford
Company. Newton was mentioned in
the letter as a nephew Of Mr.. Gray, and
Manager Graham was authorized to
pay him $50 per month. Newton, a
youth of fine appearance and pleasing
manners, was popular at first, but his
good reputation was soon blasted.
There were reasons to suspect him Of
fcrGeries, and then came news that he
had left England because of an outrage
against Miss Polly BOwrOn. .SubSe-
Oupntly he sent money to England for
Rate BOwrOn, Il sister Of his alleged vic
tim, and meeting her in New York,
married her, aud the couple returned to
Crystal Lake, Orange county.
The Mystery of Crystal Lake.
While this was gong on another
topic of suspicion presented itself. There
lived in Orange county, near Crystal
Lake, y man named Samuel Mcmillan,
who bore the reputation of being a
miser, and wa supposed to carry a
large sum ofmOney ON his person. He
owned a valuable grove, the sale of
which he was negotiating with New
ton, Who with his wife lived near by.
| Newton knew the habit Of Mcmillan of
carving money. On Saturday ven
iug, September 80, Mcmillan vas last
seen alive just after sunset in company
with Newton, walking toward New
tons house. He never returned to his
home aud after some days his neigh
bOrs became anxious and Instituted a
search for him. On the 18th day of
October his headlesS body was fOuud
in Crystal Lake, partly consumed by
fishes. Around the walt was a rOp1,
to which wa suspended u sack, III
which was found an iron pot full OF
nails. A few days later the head of
the murdered maj was found near the
same spot and u bullet hole was dis
covered in the back of hisskull. On the
brains being removed y bullet dropped
out, which appeared 10 tit exactly a
pistol Newton had borrowed from a
ntighbOr named True. This was the
mystery of Crystal Lake.
A Woman From England.
About that time Newton became
flush of funds. He said that his wife's
brother, James BOwrOn, had sent him
! SIS, 900 with which to buy an orange
grove on the lake. He was suspected
/ of the murder of Mcmillan, however,
and was brought before Judge Cooke, q
man noted as u member of the Florida
Returning Board of 1876. The sensa-
ton of the trial occurred when the
counsel for the prosecution walked
| down the aisle, followed by a medium
| sized, dark-haired woman, evidently a
| foreigner. As the stranger got abreast
To Mrs. Newton she turned and peered
into her face, saying: why, kate.."
The prisoner, as he looked up and rec
ognized the woman, flushed until II
seemed the blood woald burst from his
meek and cheeks, while Mrs. Newton
turned de8thly pale and remained sew:
! eral seconds with upturned face and
| half-Open lips, as il petritied by amaze
ment. The presence of this woman In
America was q complete surprise TO the
defence, as the counsel subsequently
admitted in open court. Her testimony
was listened to with breathless interest.
II was TO the effect that the Bowron
family had not cps in the world, much
less 500, 900, to invest in orange groves.
| That had been the main point OF the
defence - to account for NewtOn's
money, alleged to have been sent by
the wealthy brother-in-law. The Eng
lish woman confirmed the story OF
Newton's outrage upon Polly Bowron'
A single Red Hair.
Mcmillan, the murdered man, had
coarse red hair. At the trial DR.. King
Willy testified that he had found in
blood.spots on a handkerchief in New
toms pocket the morning after the
murder a single red hair. The hand
kerchief was examined last October by
DIR. Willy. He testified that at the
first examination he found q single
blood crystal. Surprising that he might
have. scratched his finger and caused
the crystal to get on the handkerchief,
Ne NOulu nOl 1CCSPl ~ a.
there was blood there. His last exam
ination revealed the blood corpuseles
very distinctly, and under the micro
scope he discovered q single red hair
THE defense fought the case point by
point, but the DRIFT was against them'
and when Newton said he had Dor
rowed True's pistol to shoot an alliga'
tor, the audience laughed.
Sentenced 20 Death.
When the jury came in and gave the
verdict one could have heard spin drop.
All the while Newton had been ner-
vously engaged twitohing his NOUS.
taehe. When the verdict was read out
he dropped his head and turned desthly
pale, while q slight tremor passed
through his frame. He then suddenly
jumped up and seized his hat, forgetting
that the court had not adjourned, but
presently controlled himself and re.
sumed his seat. His wife remained
quiet for q moment, then 8 few tears
fripE lII dawn har cheeks and she