Los Angeles herald., 1892-03-16
HE is JOAQUIN'S son.
WHAT STAGE ROBBER MILLER
SAYS.
Indignant at His Fathers Reputation
Some Convincing Facts Concerning
the Poet and His Convict Boy.

Tears welled up in the eyes of Harry
Miller, the boy stage robber, in the San
Quentin prison yesterday, says the San
Francisco Chronicle of Tuesday, when
informed by a reporter that Joaquin
Miller, in private letter to friend in
the east, had said "All that story
about a bad son of mine holding. up a
stage coach, ETC., is bosh. He is no re-
lation at all of mine." Choking down
his feelings by a strong effort the boy
finally eaid
"Well, you know it has been truly
said that it is wise child that knowsits
own father. | may not be competent
witness against my father on this point.
l am sure, however, that l always was
made to believe that he was my father.
never knew any other father, and he
never denied that relationship to me
before. He never attempted to say my
mother was not his wife, and true and
loyal and patient one. have had many
letters from him, in all of which he ad-
dressed me as his son, and always low
ingly subscribed himself as my father.
Some of these letters were written quite
recently and are in my possession.
my mother was not married before
she became the wife of Joaquin Miller
| am the youngest of the three children
alive that were born to them, and was
nearly wears of age when she remar
ried in 1878. My sister Maud, the eld
est child, is now 2S, and lives in New
York. George is the second; he is 25
and lives in California. l am %. He
never before repudiated any of these
three as his children.
1.-The poverty OF my mother prevented
her from giving me advantages the 9th
ers received in the way of education
and l have always felt the injustice
done me in this respect. Several years
ago ! came down from Oregon on visit
to my father at his place in Oakland.
lived with him two months. He ther
recognized me as his son and received
me cordially enough. l had come down
togo to school, in the hope of making
something of myself, but be gave me nc
encouragement. He was kind enough
to me in way, gave me plenty to ea
and bed to sleep upon, but instinct
lively felt that l was in his way-that
did not receive his sympathy. | re
left Of my own accord.
why? Because it had become clear
to me that would gain nothing by
staying. Not that things were made un
pleasant for me; not that l was MOI
recognized as legitimate son ant
treated like one, but because l realized
that my earnest ambition to educate anC
better myself found no responsive
chord In my fathers heart. So l left
"Why did rob stage, or try to dc
80? First, because was a fool, an6
then because l was hungry and hard-ur
and concluded that the world owed me 6
living"
Young Miller is about the height oil
his father and somewhat his build, but
has largely inherited the features of hiE
mother. He is evidently of a kindly
but reckless disposition, but not natur
all vicious. In speaking of his father
and mother tears frequently came int
his eyes. He would not say a harsl
thing of his father, and when it wa
suggested that the poet had deserted
his wife and family the young maj
said: "Oh, we'll that is not thing tt
be talked about. 1t might be ex
planned, perhaps, and is purely family
matter, anyway" He seems to fee
his situation very keenly and declare
he will lead an honorable life on being
released. eighteen months hence. II,
is good prisoner, and popular with hi
associates and the officials, and gives
earnest OF HE desire to improve his
mind by spending every leisure mo
ment in the prison library.