The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-09-05
A FORMER WHEELING POLICEMAN.
Bill Miller, Murdered in Allegheny EarlI
Yesterday Morning.


Yesterday Morning.
Special Officer William Miller was
murdered early yesterday morning in
Allegheny. Miller was a former resi-
dent OF this city and well known po-
liceman under the late Chief OF Police
James Sweeney. He left this city short
ly after Sweeney was retired from the
office and went to Newark, Ohio, where
he was employed in the Baltimore &
Ohio car shops. About seven years ago
he removed to Pittsburgh, and has been
employed as special detective at the
Baltimore 4 Ohio depot and the Union
depot. Lately he has been a special
officer Of the Allegheny police force.
While in this city Mr.. Miller always
gave satisfaction as an officer, being
brave and daring to fault, and while in
the service he gained the sobriquet of
"One ofthe poplarists." He also served
as fireman.
The Pittsburgh DispOtch says:
William Miller, private Waterman
i'll Allegheny, was murdered at about
80 o'clock this morning, being shot in
the stomach by a carriage driver named
Joseph Denny (colored), The shooting
affair occurred near Irwin and Western
avenues. Denny is now lodged in the
Allegheny Central Station.
Miller was removed to the Allegheny
General Hospital, where he died shortly
after his arrival.
Officer Paddy Fitzgeralds and Arthur
Virgins were eye-witnesses to the affair,
and gave the following account Of the
shooting:
A colored ball was held last evening
at the Union Rink, in Allegheny. Off
Ger Fitzgerald was after man who was
wanted for stealing watch, and had
taken young Virgins with him to iden-
tify him. AS they were passing through
the parks on the way to the rink they
heard the sound ola scutIle, and noticed
two men wrestling on the pavement.
They started toward the contestants,
when shot was fired.
The smaller OF the two men in the
scutlle then essayed TO escape by run
ming through the parks toward freight
train, which was just moving ont OF the
Fort Wayne Railroad yards. Officer
Fitzgerald pulled a handy-biIIy and
started in pursuit, when Denny turned
and fired shot at him from his revolt
yer. The officer dropped to the ground
in order to protect himself and drew his
own revolver, firing shot in return at
at Denny. The escaping murderer an
swered his fire with another shot. Fitz-
gerald again dropped, to the ground,
when Denny fired at young Virgins,
the bullet flying wide Of its mark, how
ever. Fitzgerald and Denny then ex-
changed shots again.
A street car was passing along West
ern avenue at the time, and, us Denny
was about to step on the rear platform,
Officer Dave Specr, OF the Allegheny
police force, stepped off and placed him
under arrest.
Fitzgerald seized hold OF the fugitive
at the same time, and wrested the re-
volver from his grasp. Denny then
recognized Lucky Fitzgerald" as he is
termed, and said that he had not known
who it was he was shooting at.
Mr.. Miller was man about 40 years
OF age. He resided at the head OF Fed
eral street, at the commencement OF the
plank road. He was employed as a pri-
vate watchnan by the wealthy residents
OF that section OF Allegheny, and has al
ways borne an excellent character. He
leaves two children, one daughter, n
young lady, and the other boy about
IA years OF age. His wife is yet living,
although her life is despaired, las she is n
victim OF that dread disease consump-
ton.
The bullet struck Miller in the region
OF the stomach. The physicians at the
hospital could say but little about the
wound, not having time to make an ex-
animation. He died shortly before ?
o'Cluuk.