The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-11-05
DAKOTA.
"A Dakota Hanging.

Geo. Miller was hung at Grand Forks,
d. T., on the 30th, for the murder of the
Smell family. Mr.. Smell was absent from
home and Mrs. Smell and her ten year old
son, with Geo. Miller as the ''hired man,
had charge of the farm which was located
at 1nkster, thirty-tive miles from Grand
Forks. On the 23d of Jan. 1885, Miller
brutally murdered Mrs. Smell and her son
and nearly a week elapsed before the
murder was discovered. When it was found
out, suspicion at once3attached to Miller
and he was found ateAnoka, Mimi, and
arrested and confessed his crime. Latterly
he has endeavored to implicate farmer
living in the neighborhood named Ruther-
ford.
On the gallows he made the following
statement
Gentlemen: am accused Of the crime of
murder, which l did not commit. l was
with party and gave my consent, but did
not commit the murder. On Jan. 20 Ruth
erford and were al Inkster and sold ten
bushels of Smells wheat and divided the
money. That mig int we got home between
S and O'Clock. Rutherford asked me how
much wheat Smell had. told him 200
bushels. He wanted to know how much
money there was in the house and told
him as near as | could. On Jan. 2, %, and
the matter these days. On the night of the
24th l was in my room at Snells house
when Rutherford came to the door and
knocked. opened the door. He asked me
IT was ready to doit. I said no. have
had long talk with Mrs. Smell and she is
so good and kind to me that cannot do it.
He said, you said you would do it aud now
you have got to do it. He said dead folks
tell no tales. He said he would do it, and
handed me false mustache and told me to
put it on so folks would not know me and
took an axe and went in. went to the
putting the collar on the second horse
when he came out and said hurry up,
George, have done it. I went III and
found them dead l then got the money
and gave him 500, keeping $l15 myself. He
brought the team up and got what things
go to South America and said he wonld
write me there. Gentlemen, every word
have told is true, and now, as dear as that
family was to me, never could have con-
sented to murder them, as was used there
as as their son. was always treated well;
of them, but by the hands Of
another mans deeds am to be hung and I
am going to my grave. am thankful that
can trust in God ard feel that my sins
nave Deen par0Oned, and now l feel that
the other party shall receive the same pun
ishment that l have. It is not because
am down on him. 1t is not for malice, but
it is just what should be done. As dear
and as good family as that was to me-, I
could not 60 in and murder them; but
thank heaven am willing to die. This
world would be no pleasure after this. |
do not want to 60 to the penitentiary. I
am better satisfied to go to my grave. I
am fully satisfied and feel that what has
been done is just, as that family always
used me like son, always good, always
dear in every shape, mover refused me
money, never refused me anything. No.,
gentlemen, want you to remember that is
the whole truth and nothing else. won't
meet you any more in this world face to
face, but hope we can all meet in the
world to Gomez
Rutherford was present at the time. of
the execution and asked an opportunity to
be heard to deny it but was refused. Mil
Ter dropped six feet, his neck being broken,
and was allowed to hang @ minutes when
life was pronounced extinct. The execu-
ton was in the Jail enclosure and was
witnessed by about 70 persons.