The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-13
PORTRAIT OF MILLER.

PORTRAIT OF ILLER
GRAND FORKS, Oak, Special Telegram, Oct
3O-George Miller, the murderer of Mrs. C
Y. Smell and son, was hanged at 1875 n. IN
to-day. Yesterday afternoon he received
the sacrament and refused to receive Wis
ltors He went to bed at II o'clock anc
slept till 3, when he was awakened by tn,
wind, but went to sleep again. Friday
dawned cherries and cloudy. The wind
howled m%ournfully about the Jail as the con.
demned awoke from his last sleep on earth
which was at 7:3O. His last breakfast, con.
slsting OF beefsteak, potatoes. toast an6
coffee, he ate of heartily. After breakfas,
ne had q conversation with a reporter.
and said that he had passed a good
night. with pleasant dreams. Rutherford
visited him, and Miller accused him of taking
part in the crime, which Rutherford denied
He smoked almost necessarily during tn,
forenoon, and ate a light inner. He did moi
wish 70 see spiritual advisers until on the
scaffold. He said to the reporter that he hac
received the kindest treatment at the hand.
OF the sheriff and attendants, and that he
deserved the fate awaiting him. AT l O'Clock
quite a number of those invited were assem-,
bled in the cage room of the Jail where the
scaffold was built At 1923 Miller, attended
by Sheriff jerks, Reverends Doran, Davis.
Smell and Gu RE, entered the room. HI
walked firmly Il alone up the steps and
took his place on the scaffold, Sheriff jerks
standing behind hin. The sheriff told him
II he had anything to say now was the time.
HIS DYING
Miller began in mournful almost whining
voice to tell of the murder Rutherford
stood within a few feet looking him directly
In the eyes. Miller's statement was the same
as he has previously made-that Rutherford
did The deed while he was Harvesting the
horses for escape. He went into the house
and saw the woman and child were dead:
got the money, took $115 and gave Ruther.
ford 500, and was told by Rutherford to PC
to South America He said he was to be ex.
ecuted for a murder which he did not COM
NIT, and continued:
Now, gentlemen, everything I have told yor
10 true; and as dear as that family was to me I
never could have consented to murder them. ]
treated well. They thought the world of me
and l OF them, but by another mans deeds I an
70 De hanged. am going to my grave, and an
have been pardoned. I feel that the other party
shall receive the same punishment that 1 have.
1t is not because l am down on him, and not for
dear as That family was to me. l could not go in
and murder them: but thank heaven 1 am will.
ing to die. This world would be no pleasure te
me after this, and I don't want to go to the peni.
Tertiary: am better satisfied to 20 to my grave.
l am fully satisfied and feel that what has been
done ID Just. AS that family always used me like .
oSAAs u Spo1s AWAY dcdl III every SUuDH,
never refused me money, never refused me any.
thing. Now, gentlemen, I want you all to remem.
Der that this is the whole truth and nothing else.
l will not meet you any more in this world face te
face, but hope we can all meet in the world te
come.
During the recital, which lasted about ten
minutes. Miller swayed to and fro, the rope
dangling at his right side. Twice he took a
handkerchief and wiped his eyes, but shed
no tears. He seemed choked will emotion
at times, and toward the close his voice
almost failed. Rutherford mover took his
eyes of Miller's face, but the color came and
went, and his facial muscles twitched nery.
ously. He asked to make a statement, but
refused by the district attorney.
THE EXECUTION.
Sheriff jerks then pipioned Milier's hands,
knees and ankles, ana drew a black cap over
bis head, during which time Miller thanked
the sheriff for his kind treatment. The
sheriff placed the moose around his neck.
and as he adjusted the knot under the lefi
ear Miller said this is awful" in a low voice.
Sheriff jerks quickly stepped from the plat.
form at exactly 1:45 o'clock. threw the
lever; the trap dropped, and George Miller
was hanged: He dropped about six feet,
and for a few seconds renamed MOTION
less, then drew up his feet, stretched his
legs quickly, shrugged his shoulders a few
times, and drew up his feet ut intervals for
the first eight minutes The part of his face
that was seen under the black cap grew
- bANy oAoVAs ohu iO III W duu
fro for twenty-three and one-half minutes,
when he was pronounced dead by the phys
1clan and delivered into the hands of Cor
oner Ronnsevell Nothing occurred to mar
the work OF the execution, and it was pro-
by many to be the neatest OF the
kind ever seen. Sheriff jerks is given much
credit for the manner In which he performed
his part The punishment of Miller will go
q long way to counterfeit the effect of mob
law in the future. Miller's statement is be-
hauaH nv fUyn hitIn ~ fla 1Nr.N~l@ A~-a. --1
nearly all who heard it from the scaffold.
AS circumstances develop in the case there
Is reason to believe that Rutherford knew
more than he has told; but unless he chooses
to tell, it will forever remain u secret
The Crime and the Criminal.
The readers Of this paper are
familiar with the particulars of the
CRIME for which Miller was hanged. 1t was
committed on Jan. %, 1885, and was one
of the most horrible known outside of the
brutal indian massacres in the Northwest
family Of Rev. G. Y. Smell lived near
inkster, Grand Forks county, about th1ty-
five miles northwest of Grand Forks. Mr..
Smell was away from home. holding revival
meetings. Three children were attending
school at Grand Forks. and the farm was left
in charge of George Miller. Mrs. Smell and
a son ten years old remained at home. On
the night of the 24th Miller entered the bed
chamber of Mrs Smell and with the back of
AA NhS aStAAo bA.sAA l oio"o III
life was extinct, leaving the bodies upon the
bed in a horribly mangled condition. The
crime was discovered on Friday, the Both,
by neighbors, who believed something was
wrong and broke into the house, finding
os Miller had left them. The
criminal had f1ed-had not been seen since
the night of the oath, and his fight was
traced from the scene of the murder to
Grand Forks. where he arrived Sunday
and ri1rnhncaI gnp,n clDthirx IL.
next heard of at Anoka. Mimi, where
HE WAS CAPTURED
by I. j. Hartley of Brainerd on Feb. l.
While being brought to Grand Forks he
made a confession to Sheriff jerks, saying
he alone did the murder in a drunken
and when becoming sober the horror
of the crime drove him frantic. He took the
money in the house and made his escape.
several times told the same story. On
Sept. 4 court convened in Grand Forks. and
made another confession implic ting Henry
and alleged that rutherford did
the killing, and tha: the object was the 5000
which was supposed to be in Mrs. Smells
possession. When Miller was arraigned he
guilty, and his attorney objected to
further proceedings, as the law under which
the court acted was ex post fncto as regarded
Miller. The objections, several in number,
were 0verru!ed and evidence taken which
proved that the murder was one of the most
In the annals of crime. Judge Nc
Connell, on Sept IA sentenced Miller TO DO
hanged on Friday, Oct 30. The case was
appealed and the judgment affirmed by the
court of Dakota. Aspecial term of
court was held on Oct "a and Miller in
of the action of the supreme court.
For the first time in court he Implicated
rutherford. but was informed that as there
was no corroboTating evidence his statement
would not affect his alleged accomplice, and
hat the sentence of the court would be exc
,uted