Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-29

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offered for the robbers in the other case.
Where is Nelson now" asked ana &c
this the detective replied:
''0h, he is shipped off to Washington sno
will open an office there; poor devil, let him
60"
/ then became disgusted, and as my knowl
from the case entirely. Personally, never
knew Mr.. Miller and though desirous OF
placing this information before him. never
had an opportunity until last Monday, when
saw Mr.. Milleris story in TIE DIsPArcH,ano
found a way Of communicating with him.
ONE WAY TO OPEN ALL SAFES.
Further conversation with Mr.. james, en-
tirely apart from anything bearing on :the
above statements, revealed the fact that, ac-
cording to his statement, Nelson was as fine
a specimen of an intelligent scoundrel as
one would find in many day. He told
how Nelson had talked for hours with him
about method which he was busy study
ing up for opening safes Nelson claimed
that he had demonstrated, to his own salts
faction, that any safe could be opened be-
tween the time the owner left it in the
evening and his return the next morning
without the use of tools of any kind by
simply turning the knob of the combina-
tion. The combination must be worked a
great number Of times, perhaps several
thousand, before the bolts would be free,
but no matter how intricate the combina-
tion, he was sure it could be done by this
method. He gave other information re-
garding the Missouri land frauds, which it
is the intention of the people who heard it
TO verify as quickly as possible; and they
are satisfied, from information they them
selves possessed previous to talking with
Mr.. James, that there will be some start
ling light let in on the question as to why
Burns and son were the only ones who went
TO the penitentiary for land frauds in which
a number Of the most prominent men shared
the profits.
WHERE THE MONEY CAME FROM.
There is one thing quite evident, and that
IS CLEANED from a conversation with Miller,
that he is determined to fight this matter
out until his opponents produce evidence,
and such evidence as honest men will call
conclusive, regarding his past, or until he
has hushed every voice that brings charges
against him that is worthy of the attention
or the notice of the public. He has docu-
ment in his possession which has been in
existence since 18S5-this fact being well
known to several prominent men in the
city of Pittsburg, three, at least, who were
present when it came into existence
which details minutely and exactly where
he got this much-talked-of 81, 500 that were
taken from him the day of his arrest. Any
one will see at once that if this was in
existence six years ago it cannot be con-
cocted to suit the occasion, as Miller could
have had no idea that he would want
to use it six years afterward, and the cir
cumstances which gave rise to its birth
were entirely beyond his control 1t is at
the service of the pnblic, he declares,
whenever it chooses to see il.
Miller has met every attack made by his
enemies, as fast as possible, by securing new
proofs TO offset the charges made against
him. In a conversation with him last night
he said:
MILLER FLUSH BEFORE THE ROBBERY.
''The impression exists among many peo-
pie that, until the robbery of old John Con-
nors there was no money in my possession.
want to disprove that in q manner that can
not be questioned, and will do that by re-
ferring in one instance to E. P. Roberts &
Sons, the jewellers of Fifth avenue. Their
books will show that on March %, the day
previous to the robbery of old John Connors,
az 10 o'clock in the morning of that dav /
bought from them a gold hunting case
watch The watch case was numbered 43, $50;
1t had Rockford movement No Il, $40. The
watch and chain cost me $40. On April IL
also purchased at the same establishment
a diamond stud, 1 1-16 and LAG csrats in
weight, for which paid S130. You can turn
10 the books of ID. Allen, the well-known
shoemaker of Smithfeld street, and you
will find that he made me pair of cloth
top shoes and pair of Congress CATERS on
March 90. the day before the robbery, for
which paid him S14 pair. Alfred Jessop
even has the pencil with which he wrote
the order. He has been with Allen since
1873. Charles Il. Mohr, the well-known \
tailor of Smithfeld street, can show by his
books that on March %, left an order with
him for summer clothing amounting to over
500, and that afternoon left for Cleveland.
PREPARED TO PLAY THE DUDE.
''To an unbiased mind this would indicate
that / either wished TO prepare myself to
represent hei'dude' element at the Connors
robbery or else was one of the most cal
loused villains that ever existed, to deck
myself out with Jewels and new clothing to
participate in the robbery of an old man
the next day."
Further, it is curious circumstance to
a thinking man, that during all the years
l was incarcerated in the penitentiary, and
during the excitement created by
the killing of Detective Hulligan, of
and when his brother officers
we're as thick as flies on a sugar cask. around
would lead to the arrest of the murderers,
that not one of them ever picked me out as
being former resident of Cleveland. 1t is
absurd to say that they did not see me, or
know of my presence in the prison, because
it is a notorious fact that the officials of the
prison lost no opportunity to show me to
any officer visiting the prison, with the
nope that they might identify me- L !
nave lived here in the city of Pittsburg
Tor five years, being a well-bnown
igure in our population, and yet, until L
attempted to clear myself of the charge of
robbing John Connors no one, either officer
lr civilian, ever said, This man once lived
N Cleveland, or was ever guilty of crime |
N Ohio
ANOTHER ALIBI AT HAND.
1t is well-known to many people here in
he city that during the time that it is
,laimed by some interested parties that 1 |
vas serving sentence of q year-that is
rom 1879 to 1SS0-in the Columbus peni- |
entiary, 1 was living right here in
Pittsburg. This can be proven
beyond the shadow of doubt. |
Ieary, Oft the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Rail- |
'oad, who was one of the detectives of the |
police force of the city of Pittsburg in 1881, |
md who really arrested Miller, OMara |
coming in after the arrest had been made,
aid: 'T never believed Miller guilty. / |
never saw anything in the conduct of the |
nan during the time of his arrest, or during |
he trial in Clarion county, that would indi- |
ate he was crooked, as we term il. Neither |
vas there any evidence brought out during |
he trial that, in my mind, justified his con- |
'iction, and as far as my knowledge goes,
ince his discharge the man has lived and |
-ious to his arrest, he had been thief or a |
,ad character, 1 do not think that he could |