The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-02-20
The Walker-Miller Tragedy.
Acou1TTAL OF VIM. MILLER.

Teresa. Ii. l.. D.
The Walker Miller Tragedy.
ACQUITTAL OF VIM. MILLER
We continue the connected report OF
the trial of the Millers charged with the
murder of DR.. q. j. Walker and his wife
at Brownsburg, last November, as tele-
graphed from Lexington:
LEXINGTON, VA, Feb. 12-The sixth day of the
trial of William Miller for the murder OF DR.. z.
J. Walker developed important and interestins,
evidence for the defense. The evidence will
close tomorrow.
The evidence of Colonel Sillington, DR.. Wal
ker's brother-inlaw was the sensation of the
case, and was follows:
Il live six miles from Goshen, and twenty-five
miles from BroWnsburg. / am. DR.. Walker S
brother Flaw: was at Brownsburg the Satur
day before the trial. went there on that occa-
sion on other business | called at DR.. Walkers.
While there, Sunday morning about2 O'Clock,
had a conference with Dr. Walker on the Wal
ker-Miler affair then pending. When reached
DR.. Walkers he was not at home. went to bed
at the usual hour About or o'clock Sunday
morning Mrs. Walker came to my room, Knocked
and got up and responded to the call. Mrs.
Walker said to me to come down, and | went to
walker s TOOTH IOtlllu walker Ill Deu. lie COlu
me he wanted me to go to Belleview, Miller's
house; that there was a mob at Mr.. Miller'S
that they were going to execute Miller; that he
fWalker) had changed his mind. and wanted me
to go down there and countermand his order;
that Bette, his wife, could give me the counter
sign and passwords / was to receive my in
structions from Mrs. Walker, written out. Ihad
these Instructions in writing. That paper was
destroyed by my wife. Walker directed that
use his horse. My Instructions were: was to
go to Miller's. When was challenged was to
give three words Tne pass words were "Billy
Walker, Billy Patterson and Jim Brown" and
then give my own name. and then deliver the
message cOuntermanding the order that Walker
had given to execute Henry Miller. The latter
was to be brought to I5rOwnsburg, and the Mil
ler boys were to have their limbs broken and
left on the wayside until found by other parties.
In the event that this party was not there was
to call at Miller's house, and after daylight to
go to Billy Buchanans and take breakfast feed
my horse, and go to Miller's and deliver mes
sage. l followed out the instructions, took
breakfast at Buchanan and told him my mis-
sion. was out on the big road all night after =
o'clock, in a hard rain. ! left Buchanan's and
went to Millers. Called Miller out He came
down to the gate and l introduced myself. |
then told him the nature of the charges pre-
ferred against him. Miller seemed astonished
at tie statement. He was surprised and very
penitent. The charge brought against Miller by
Walker was that Miller had offered indignities
to Walkers wife. Miller denied the charges.
At this point the ladies in court went out to ena
BILE witness to recite verbatim the charges.
miller denied continued the witness, '.having
laid his hands on Mrs Walkers person, and told
me to say to Dr.. Walker that he was truly sorry
yya mi dprct hot
the families; that they had long been friends
and had done each other many favors that he
would meet Walker at Millers soli-in laws or at
nrownsburg, and if he choose to bring his fami-
ly to Miller's house, he would treat them kindly
and socially, and make all the PREPARATION he
could; and, further, that he would go with me
then to see Walker. / told him that | would
much rather for him to remain home that day,
and would report again; that did not want
him to go with me; that | would first confer
with Walker and return that evening, which |
did. had an appointment to meet Walker on
the by-road leading from Moffatts, where was
to meet Walker and take off picket. Walker
was not there; then | went on to Brownsburg,
where l delivered Millers message. Walker
said with an oath, Colonel, can't receive an
apology from man like Miller, &C. In connec
ton with refusing to accept an apology from
Miller, heard Walker say to his wife, Bette,
cannot and you cannot afford to accept an
apology. Then fiourshing bowie knife he
said: If you do accept an apology, | viii com
init suicide An horr or two afterwards the
letter took to Miller was written The letter
was produced, and witness said walker wrote
the original, but the letter shown was i'll the
hand of Mrs. Walker or Miss Hope Ervine. Be
tween and O'Clock l delivered the note to
Miller. AT Miller's request read Walkers let
fart o srI.,, cti1 hot ba NJ
reply that night. remained with Miller until
II O'Clock, ana he t1rmly declared his innocence.
At II O'Clock | returned to town, saying would
be back III the morning to get his answer III
black and White. Walker was as crazy as
loon. fact ! had noticed at my house.
Some Is or 20 days before Walker, my wife and
myself We're in room together talking on cur
rent topics, when suddenly he changed the topic
to his dead mother, saying that she was the
meanest woman that ever drew breath, and he
could see heI hung. He said to my wife that he
had the greatest thirst for blood for long time
and could not be satisfied until he killed some
body. After delivered the letter to Miller
saw Walker several times. Monday morning |
saw him at McClung's min. was on the way to
Miller's to get the answer to Walkers note when
met Walker. lie was in the road, and said to
me: You go back to the forks of the road and
waitfOr me- When Walker came up to me he
was armed. He said TO me to go to Miller and
say to him will give him just three hours. |
am going home to breakfast Get my horse fed
and if lie don't report to me in that time | will
leave with my arms and no one knows my
whereabouts, ana that Miller would have to
hunt him"
LRXINGToN. VA, Feb. l3-I'he trial of William
Miller, charged with the mprder Of DT 4. j,
Walker, is drawing to a close. Six days of evil
dencc have occupied the attention of the court
The morning hour ta-,iay closed with all the tes-
timony in but nothing new has been developed
since yesterdays report. AT the session this
evening the argument began. The attorney for
the Commonwealth, d. E. Moore, opened i'll
brief review and discussion of the law points
in the case, showing to the jury their powers to
determine the degree of the OlfenSe murder,
homicide or manslaughter. He said the evil
dence in his opinion, convicted the prisoner at
the bar Of Walkers murder
Col. Edmund Pendleton, for the defense, an
swered Mr.. Moore in his usuable able STYLE and
at some length reviewed and discussed the evil
dence and all the subject matter leading up to
and the circumstances attendant upon the
homicide. His discussion was an effort worthy
his great prominence as d lawyer, The emo
tiona1 part of his speech was touching in it's ref
efence to the butchery of old man Miller. W A.
Glasgow, jr.. Of Fincastle, for the Common
wealth. answered Col. Pendleton and generally
discussed the evidence and the law His speech
was most brilliant, logical effort. A little be-
fore dark court adjourned: Argument will be re
snmed i'll the morning at $50 O'Clock, with II. 7.
Glasgow for the defense. He will m Ike a strong
fight for his cliant,and then comes the ''hg gun,
MIR. Thos N. Williams of Lynchburg, the leader
of the defense, who will occupy several hours in
a wide and general discussion of the case in all
it's bearings as it relates to the defense After
Mr.. Williams the Commemorative attorney will
make the final argument.
LEXINGTON, VA, Feb. 1.-THE Miller case is
now with the jury, who will come into court in
the morning at $50 O'Clock with verdict.
The day taken up first with an eloquent
appeal to the jury by F. T. Glasgow for the de-
Tense. He was followed by Hon. Fhos N Will
lams, the widely known criminal lawyer of
I.ynehbuFg, who surpassed his prillianE record
as peader before jury. Eminent lawyers,
lucators and judges heard his mastery speech,
AID the consensus of opinion is that nothing
is said it must be remembered that Sheffey
Letcher and such able iuristS as those practiced
at this bar years ago.
If the jury reports other than a yer lict of ac
quittal public opinion will be generally disap-
pointed. The Commonwealth closed with an
argument on the law as it bore on this case
LEXINGTON VA. Feb. 15.-The VIM. Miller trial
ended to-day with verdict Of aaquiltal When
the verdict was announced There was enacred in