Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-25

charge Of burglary. IL when he was
extradited and sent back, you took him
before the Squire who had issued the
warrant, and the prosecutor appeared
and simply said, ST have made a mis-
take, this is not the man." he would be
| discharged on that charge and being
then within the jurisdiction OF the
United States, you could arrest him for
the charge of embezzlement.
This was almost precisely what was
done in my case. Finding they could
not extradite me as an escaped prisoner,
some of the officers returned to Pitts
burg, visited John Connor. in Clarion
county, informed him that If he would
make affidavit that, on the night on
which be was robbed, he was also shot
by the burglar, they would see that all
the money that was stolen from him was
returned. The only foundation for
this charge was that, during the rob-
berry a revolver had accidentally been
discharged in the room in which the
robbery was committed, inficting no
injury to the inmates Of the room. At
the request of the officers, Connor swore
out a warrant for felonious shooting.
Extracts from the extradition papers at
tached hereto, would show in what
lurid colors some Of the officers testified
in regard to that shooting.
TO THE HIGHEST COURT.
The result was that the case was car
ried to the high court In England and
the extradition papers were granted
conditional on the promise of President
Arthur, of the United States, to the
Governor General of the Dominion of
Canada, that If the prisoner, James w
Miller, was not found guilty of the
charge on which he was taken back to
the United States he would be returned
to Canada. Once within the jurisdic-
ton of the State of Pennsylvania, the
State authorities claimed that the Unit
ed States could not interfere with
prisoner Of the Commonwealth. / was
not taken to the jail in Clarion county.
/ was never confronted by my accuser
nor tried for the charge of felonious
shooting, which was purely an imagin-
airy crime, and which was thrown out
by the Grand Jury of the county when
presented to them some time afterward, .
but l was conveyed to the Western
Penitentiary and confined therein for
length of time, making altogether five
years, nine months and ten days.
Immediately on my return there was
a great cutlery by the friends or my
three fellow prisoners, Jackson, Harrop
and OFT, that they were guitless and
that l was one Of a notorious gang of
robbers who had all escaped except my
self, and the three prisoners, Jackson,
Harrop and OFT, we're pardoned. OF
the terrible torture, shame and disgrace
of that Imprisonment ii is needless TO
speak. One thought alone was upper
most in my mind during all those long
bitter years. and that was, that II God
spared my life, on my release l would
devote the rest Of 1t, If necessary, to
gathering facts which would enable me
TO establish my innocence.
At this distant day, some II years, my
pains, search and "vigil long" result in
decentralization that is given to the pub
ic to-day.
During Mr.. Miller's walk from Kent |
10 Cleveland his sufferings were so great
that when he arrived in the Forest City |
ais hair had turned gray on the sides
If his head, but in late years it has come |
pack to its natural color. Another in
,ident of his escape was that he spoke |
% Captain Dan Sivis, who recognized
him, but was too startled to make an
lrrest. 1t took sixteen minutes after
40 90 nS' 60, 1 336xa for the officials to get
ish the identity of the escaped pi 90 sso-
Ind it was in that length Of time that
Miller made his change OF clothing.
Miller then recounts his prison life, |
which is not essential to the main thread |
IF the story.