The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-11-16
A TRAGEDY IN VIRGINIA.
An Insult to Lady Results in Des-
perate Fight.
Three Persons Killed and Three Others
Wounded.

! having more sensational elements about l
| than the Walker Miller affair, Friday, Nov
! 10, at Brownsburg. in Rockbridge county. |
was a sudden and bloody happening, whlcl
| took place in the midst of a judicial proceed
| ing instituted for the preservation of peac
and good order in an emlnently law abldln
/ community. but in the very presence of TIL
/ Justice who heard the peace ease, two person
! were butchered, another was so badly wounde'
| that he died in ten hours after the afray,
/ third was MORALLY wounded and two other
! were hurt. The distressing feature of thu
| whole is that a modest and innocent woman
was cruelty done TO death beside her husband
who had been rendered helpless in the fight
Bad rs the other features of the slaughte
we're. her murder, in cold blood, is the ont
episode of the tragedy which naturally excite
| the greatest indignation and resentment II
the community.
HOW THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
The trouble began with a gross insul
offered this unfortunate lady in her own hous(
while her husband was sick. Henry Miller
| it is stated. went on Wednesday previous to DR.
| Zachariah J. Walker house, in Brownsburg
/ for medicine. which Mrs. Walker compounded
in the surgery, and while doing so Mile
attempted to kiss her, offering other indigni
ties, which we're repulsed. She refraineC
0 4
ing last. when he was we'll.
The information naturally made DR.. Walker
very angry, and he started out with coloreC
man. servant and a shotgun to kill, letting i
be generally known that he intended to shoe
on sight. Towards noon Henry Miller hearC
of the matter aud procured warrant from
Justice Z. B. Bosworth, and it was in the
hearing of this peace case before the magls
trate that the tragedy took place.
THE HEARING BEFORE THE JUSTICE.
The hearing was held in a building known
as the Academy, a large structure on a com
handing eminence, not FIVE hundred yards
from the residence Of Dr. Walker Justice
Bosworih sat in room where the friends Of
TEMPERANCE and other societies held their
meetings. The room was fitted up with
stands for the officers of secret societies. and
on the table of the presiding officer still rests
large siit.cdeed Bible an: hymnal foI
religious meetings. The room is also pro-
vided with benches for congregations Which
assemble there from time 10 time for public
worship The size Of the hall, as it may be
called. Is about % feet square, and it was full
OF men when the hearing began. Mrs. Walker
sat on a bench in the furthest corner.
Her husband sat on q chair, and Henry
Miller. who had sworn out the warrant, was
old fashioned stove.
The magistrate, who is an experienced Off
cial and man Of high personal worth, heard
both sides OF the peace case, and Mrs Walker
had "a eorroborute the statement that her
husband had threatened the life of the com
nlainaut The justice said he would require
Dr. Walker TO give bail in $500 to keep the
peace for twelve months.
On refusal 10 do this, the Justice said there
was no alternative but to send him to Jail,
much as he disliked personally to do so. DR..
Walker replied: That's what | want you to
do. bat ! would ikAto get my dinner before
going. This vas agreed to, and DIR. Walker
said There Is one other request wish 10
make. aud that Is 10 be allowed to slap Henry
in the face OF course the justice told him
that could not he done there, but DR.. Walker
persisted thar he would do so, and. rising,
be put his hand to his hip pocket and drew a
revolver.
A pESFERATE BATriH-
This uespou be seemed TO be trying to cock
sheu David Miller, q son Of the complainant,
wrenchcd the pistol from him. Instantly
there wss a shuttle Of feet on the floor and a
rash Of parties together aud great excite
meat. aud thea pistol shot was fired 10 the
room. Mr. A, Gould who was an eye WIT
ness and the FIRST 10 advance 20 the aid Of
Dr.. Walker. SAYS David Miller fred this shot
and that she bullet struck DIR. Walker IN the
hsek There Is good reason to suppose that
DE-. Walker aas wounded with his own pistol.
Justice Bosworih. who took the Weapon from
David Miller after the alfray, says that every
chamber Of che revolver was empty
Justice RosWorth says the scene IN the
room vas INDISPENSABLE. Every one seemed
10 BE- mofe or less involved ia it, either as
peaeemaker or antagonist. Pistol shots were
rapilly fired. men were striking or menacing
each other wi;h Gplifted chairs, and when the
friue ros h1t not a few ran out Of the room.
Mr.. tiould saws when Dr. Walker was FIRST
Fred apon be ran forward with chair to
strike duwa David Miller, but was quickly
surrounded and defeated in the purpose.
Justice Boss ,sTth says the first thing he saw
VA. DE-. Walker stabbiag Henry Miller with
. large a.rkkn,ie, dealing deadly blows with
ansiinted tisog.
pr. Waker held his enemy in bis arms
mart O. The lssne while he stabbed and stab ed.
They xpFc both powerful men and remark
sblv strong. ihe Doctor being about IS years
oil are aud Miller about 90 or 20. The blows
whieh the Doctor gave caused Miller 10 turn
pale. 10 reel and iail backwards. DE-. Wal
ser lhen crossed the room 10 a bench resting
aruinst the side 90 the WALL on which be laid
doea.
MRS. wALKER KILLED
Mrs Walker, Who had been in the extreme
corner opposite, weGt 10 her husbands side.
ana i4kiE. 4 bottle Of sal volatile from a
hsnd bag She carried, bent over her husband
aud administered the restorative. While she
was doing this witely and Wombnly act she
received "a fatal pistol shot, and slipping down
beside the bench where her husband lay,
died in "a sitting position. DIR, Walker IA his
sohc;tade for hts wife, managed 10 get down
from the bench 10 the floor, and was lying
Their. beside her when he received the pistol
shots which caused his death. Justice Bos
ue3 saws be saw VIVA. Miller, 3 years Of age
son OF Heury Miller, 90 20 Dr. Walker, as he
hv beside his dead wife, and shoot him.
some witnesses say Wm. Miller stood over
the prosirste pair and poured three or four
shots right into Dr. Walker as be lay on the
floor heiBless beside his wife. Mr.. Gould
cnrrub5rates the statement and says be inter.
poSed and tried To shame Wm. Miller, beg
eing him nos 20 shoot dying man, and that
N. walked away after diseharging the weapon
three ulaes. Henry Mccormick and John
B. l.ayeile both say that James Miller, one
Of the brothers present with their father, kilt
ed Mrs. Walker These witnesses state that
James Miller sd. "You caused the death Of
NV father sud you shall all die together"
WHAT DIX. GEORGE SAYS.
DIR. Jos. George, Augusta county, near
the Rockbrijge line, who is attending all the
Surviving victims OF the dreadful butchery and
made the posi- mottem for the coroner, says
the knife which Or. Walker used on II. Mil
Ter was an old fashioned dirk, with pointed
blade Is inches leug aud about one inch wide,
With this weapon Henry Miller was stabbed
ten times. first in the heart. then IN the liver
and ALI over the breast. There were three or
E,ur-in the liver two or three in the lungs,
and the blade Of the weapon was found broken
of in the lower part of the victim back Zone.
Tho broken blade had to be pulled out with q
rair of horseshoe p;uchers. DIR. George thinks
that the heart thrust was the first ofthe knife
wounds Miller received, and that DR.. Walker
mrst have held him = bile the others were
dealt. The autopsy showed that DIR. Walker
had received IN all seven bullet wounds, and
his arm had been broken below the elbow by
a chair,
Though he lost consciousness for a few
minutes in the court room, Dr. Walker
quickly recovered aud was carried down to
his home He knew that his wife, whom he
called Bette, was wounded. He asked if she
was dead. then asked i Henry Miller was
dead. and said: Il too have mortal wound
in the bowels He added that he had no
regret for having to die.
The shot that killed Mrs. Walker passed
through the base Of the brain from one side
Of The head to the other. Death was instan-
taneous. DR.. Walker died in his own home
at one o'clock Saturday morning, about ten
hours after the aifray.
rtsfef. uTpn M