Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-29
THE MILLER MYSTERY
The First Day Of the Miles
Examination.
Young Wooley Upon the Stand
All Day.
No Evidence duplicating Miles Yet
Adduced.
Plenty of Chance for the Murderer to
Enter and Depart by the Back
Door without Detection.

Judge Owens was occupied all day
with the preliminary examination of
George H. Miles, on the charge OF hav-
ing murdered George w. Miller, his
partner in conducting the Carlton sa-
loon, on the night of the 10th inst.
wooLEY's TESTIMONY.
The first witness called by the prose-
'cution was John Wooley, who
was the first to discover the
dead body of Miller at midnight on the
night OF the murder. He testified sub
stantially as follows: 81 had been tend
ing the billiard tables in the Carlton
saloon for about one year. rented the
tables of Miller & Miles, who have been
partners for about three months. The
saloon faces on Spring street. As you
step into the door the bar is on the left.
Then comes the five billiard tables, and
then partition. In the northwest cor
ner Of the billiard room is door through
the partition into hall, opening at its
western end into the yard. To
the left OF this hall and off from it are
four rooms numbered l. 2, and 4.
No. opens into NO. 2 by folding doors.
Nos. and are the same, door leading
into room three from the hallway and
thence into room four by folding doors.
In room one,was'a poker table and in
room two desk where they kept checks
and cards. In room three was sofa,
and in room four was a long table.
From room four a door opened into a
storehouse. Another door opened. into
the hallway, and rooms three and four
were connected with folding doors,
which were held shut by a bolt and a
nail driven into the frame above the
door. The bolt and nail were both in
room four, so that person in room four
could readily gain admission to room
three by pulling the nail out. The par
titions between the rooms are about
eight feet high. About 5 O'Clock 1 went
to supper, returning about o'clock.
Miles went on watch at O'Clock. When
| came in Miller was standing at the
bar. He was pretty drunk. He had
been pretty full all day. In the after
noon Miller went out driving with
party named Ernest Mckenzie. Soon
after saw Miller at the counter he went
back into room three and laid down on
the sofa. Just before he went into the
room saw him counting some money.
He had two greenbacks, a check and
some silver. The check was
for $500. One of the greenbacks
was $40 one. There was not more
than couple of dollars of the, silver.
When | was up near the bar atone
time heard Miller make remark to
the effect that some one had beat him
out of $50, and Miles told him to look
through his pockets. Then l saw him
standing there taking the things out of
his pockets and turning them inside
out. 1t was after that he went and laid
down. Room 8 was the only one that
had lounge in it. About Z 80 Mark
Donahue came in the back way, and
said that we had better look out or some
one would be going through Miller, as
he was lying in the room asleep with
the door open. 1 told Miles, and he
said that had better go and lock the
door, but remarked that Miller had
turned the money over to him before
he went to sleep. went back, and af-
ter fixing the spring lock so that it
would catch, pulled the door shut. Mil
Ter was lying on his right side, his face
being toward the door. The other bar
tenders name is George Gerkins. He
went off from watch at o'clock. / saw
him about the place as late as 8 O'Clock.
About 8 O'Clock one of the bells rang
(eall bells, being in rooms and 2), and
upon going into the hallway found a
man named Ed. Lewis, who said he
wanted to see Miles. 1 informed Miles
and he went back, and was gone but
short time when he returned and got
some drinks. In room ! some parties
were shaking dice, among them being
John Goodwin, Ernest Mckenzie and
"Doc" Stott. The party that was shak-
ing dice in the room came out about 8
O'Clock, and another party of four went
in soou after. There was no one in room
Q during the evening. went into the
hall twice during the evening. Once to
wash my hands, the second time for
noticed that the door of room A was
closed, and thinking some one was in
there I was going in, but party calling
me to pay for game of billiards, did
not do So. The door usually stood open.
There was no lock on the door, as the
room was seldom used. About quarter
to IL Miles told me to go and wake Mil
Ter up, as it was time for him to
go home. was playing game of bill
lizards with young fellow named Van
Sickle. He went back with me. I
knocked on the door of room 3, but re-
ceived no answer. Van Sickle was try
ing to get into room l. There was a
ladder in the hall, and Van set it up
against the partition and was going to
look over at the party, but he fell over
the ladder and gave it up. After trying
to wake Miller l set the ladder up by
room 8 and climbed over the partition.
L opened the door first, then Van Sickle
stood in the door while went over to
Miller and shook him. l shook him
twice, then held my head down and
listened but could not hear him breathe.
Then / took hold of his wrist and found
1t cold. said: Van, there is some
thing the matter with Miller, Van Sickle
came in and lit the gas, then /
saw the blood on Miller's face and the
wound in the side of his head, and |
went out to the bar to tell Miles. Miles
and man named w. j. McCaldin were
behind the bar. Miles was counting up
the cash in the register. / said: sMr.
Miles, some one has killed Miller Nc
Caldin said: 'Whatl' l said it again,
and Miller said My God! What shall
/ do? He was the best friend I've GOT
AS soon as told him McCaldin started
to leave the saloon, when Miles called
him back. Then both men went out on
to the sidewalk, and started for the
police station. left them standing on
the sidewalk. was only gone a few
~ sIY.