Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-30
THE MILLER MURDER
The Prosecution So Far Show
Little Evidence.
No Direct Proof That Miles
Committed the Crime.
Some Expert Testimony Which Es-
tablished Nothing.
The Evidence Given at Yesterdays ses-
sion-No Facts of ANY Moment
Established.

uurUeT6u his pdTIHoI III OiiO OdilUoh
saloon, George Miller, on the night of
the 10th inst, in one of the wine-rooms
in the rear of that establishment, was
continued before Justice Owens in the
police court yesterday. TIE prosecu-
tion succeeded before the close of the
day in making out what appears to be
a very strong case against Miles, and
the probabilities are now that the ac
cused will have to stand trial before the
superior court.
George Gherkins, day barkeeper at
the Carlton, was the first witness called.
His testimony was to the effect that
he presides over the bar OF the
Carlton from 6 q m. to l p. m.,
and from p. m. to p. M, when Miles
relieves him and stands the night watch.
On the day of Miller's death, Gherkins
saw him in the saloon for the first time
about O'Clock in the afternoon. He was
quite drunk at the time and continued
drinking all the time he was in the
saloon with man named Nelson, whom
the witness did not know. At about
4 80 p. M, Nelson went into the back
part of the saloon to play billiards and
Miller went out to go riding with Ernest
Mckenzie. The witness did not know
what time Nelson left the saloon.
At o'clock Gherkins went off watch,
being relieved by Miles, and went to the
o X stables. While he was there Miller
returned from his drive. Gherkins
then went out to call on his brother on
Washington street, returning thence to
the saloon about O'Clock. Miles was
still at the saloon when he got back.
On cross-examination the witness
stated that his object in going to the 0.
K. stables was to find Miller. When he
{Gherkinsl returned to the saloon, after
calling on his brother, he asked Miles
what had become of Miller. Miles said
that his partner had put his money in
the safe and gone in the back room to
sober up. Gherkins had never known
Miller to put his money in the safe be-
fore.
w. B. Johnson was then called, for
the purpose of bringing before the court
the machinIsts' hammer which was
found behind the bar, and which is sup
posed to be the instrument which caused
Miller's death. Johnson testified to
finding the hammer on Sunday after
noon behind pile of cigar boxes in Q
cupboard back of the bar, and stated
that when he picked it up the handle
was damp.
The hammer was then introduced in
evidence. 1t is an ordinary machinist's
hammer, and its head fits exactly into
the holes in Miller's skull, as was proved
by trial made just before the latter's
interment. On the head of the instru
ment are dark stains which Drs. Wing,
Weldon and MacGowan have examined
and pronounce to be blood. These stains
are very minute and are only visible
with the aid of magnifying glass.
Barkeeper Gherkins was then recalled
and identified the hammer. 1t had
been about the premises ever since he
had worked there, and was usually kept
in a cupboard at the west end of the
bar, where it was found. The last time
he saw the hammer was about week
before the murder.
THE AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session was occupied in
hearing the testimony of the doctors in
regard to the upper wound on the head
and whether it could be caused by the
hammer found behind the bar.
Detective w. B. Johnson testified in
regard to finding the hammer in dry
loWSi, anu dlsO IHe SpOIS Ol Guo ndLu-
mer.
DR.. Weldon: am the county coro-
ner. | saw Miller soon after he was
killed. The upper wound was semi
The cause of death was pro-
duced by some blunt instrument.
saw the hammer the day after Miller
was buried. noticed blood stain on
the handle. There were also stains on
4 ho VT Of tho hop 7 friaH
the hammer and | found that it fitted |
the depression in Miller's head exactly. |
Cross-examined: Miller was buried |
at 10 o'clock. Did not make micro
scopic examination. DR.. Wing and DIR.
MacGowan assisted me in trying
whether the hammer fitted the wound |
on the skull. Fried four other ham,
mers besides the one shown in evidence.
The one shown in evidence fitted the |
upper wound. The test with the ham
mer was made after the coroner's in
quest. Did not know the police had the
hammer. In making the test the ham
mer was covered with rubber.
Chief Glass sworn: | am the chief OF |
police. Sergeant Morton had charge of |
the saloon after the murder until 4 |
O'Clock that morning. Apolice officer has
been in charge of the saloon ever since.
| first saw the hammer on Monday the |
18th. 1t was brought to- my office by
Detective Wallin. | noticed stains on |
the hammer. The stains looked like |
blood stains. | was present when the |
hammer was fitted into the wound. | |
watched the doctors make the examina-
ton. The hammer fitted perfectly. | |
took the hammer to DIR. Ellis. He made
an examination.
Cross-examined: DR.. Wing, DR.. Mac
Gowan, DIR. Weldon, Captain Roberts.
Detectives Auble, Johnson and Wallin
and myself were present when the ham
mer was fitted in the wound.
DR.. Wing: Did not know George Mil
Ter. I.was present when a certain ham
mer was applied to the wound in the
head. | think that is the hammer. |
could not swear that that was the ham
mer. 1t is very similar to the one. AT |
the time there were some stains and
spots. There were number of stains
of a red color. The head of the hammer
fitted very accurately into the wound.
The witness was then submitted to a
long technical cross-eXamination.
DIR. MacGowan was present when
the wound in the head of George Miller |
was examined. The examination was
made the same day that he was buried.
[ saw what | took to be blood |
stains. They were a brownish red.
see some of the stains on the
hammer now. The appearance is much
e L. I