Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-19
MURDER AND SUICIDE.
Terribly Tragic Work of an Ex-0fcer
of the National Guard.
KILLED HIS WIFE IN COLD BLOOD
And Then Sent q Pistol Ball Crashing
Through His Brain.
NIKE CLOoNEN is ALREADY INDICTED

mOFHluS OtcI tuc ucWS Va Su0 pAutoA niuA
der of Bridget Cloonen by her husband the
night before, came the news that double
tragedy had been enacted on the Southside.
Frederick w. Milley, an ex-officer of the
Eighteenth Regiment, shot his wife and
then killed himself Jealousy and marital
Jars were the direct cause. The woman is
dying at the Southside Hospital, with two
bullet holes in her back, and justice was
meted out to the murderer by his own hand.
He died 25 minutes after reaching the hos
pital
The murder, like that of the night before,
was cold-blooded and premeditated. Milley
was special officer a. Jones & Laughlins'
mills and was in charge of one of the gates.
Like the illustrious Fitzsimmons, he had a
mania for writing notes and every move he
made h. left note behind explaining it.
At the mill there is a regularly organized
police force of 80 men. Milley went to the
place where the arms are kept yesterday
morning and took the revolver with which
he committed the murder. The following
note was afterward found in place of the
revolver he took:
An Apology for Taking the Gun.
You will miss this revolver. Pardon me,
but took it. Goodby to you all; you will
not see me again alive. am sorry, but it is
not my fault.
Milley had gone to work as usual that
morning, and the only explanation is that
he went there in order to procure the revol-
yer. About O. clock he got Edward john
ston. the night man, to stay on duty until
he went to his home at 1920 Jane street on
an errand. A little later James Chambers,
a mill worker, and friend were passing the
house when they heard shot. Then they
heard two more, and saw a woman fall out
on the porch and then roll of into the snow.
The men rushed into the house and found
Milley crouched behind the door with
gaping wound in the side of his head, and
the floor and furniture all bespattered with
blood. The 3S-caliber revolver was found
lying by his side. The woman was found
lying outside. Both we're still living. but we're
bleeding protusely. They were both taken
to the Southside Hospital. Milley died
soon after arriving there and the wife, Rose
Miliey, cannot recover. She is bleeding
internally.
Results Of an Investigation.
The police appeared soon after and made
an investigation. 1t showed Milley had
closed the shutters on his return home in
order to prevent any interference. 1t is
believed he fred just as he entered; The
first shot took effect in his wife's abdomen.
Then she ran for the door and he fired the
second shot which took effect IN her back.
The first ball went almost through her
body. He then placed the revolver to his
head and pulled the trigger, but it did not
go off He pulled again and the shot took
effect
The couple have been married two years.
This was Milley's third matrimonial ven-
ture. He has divorced wife and family
living in Philadelphia His home was in
Lancaster, and his people were well-to-do
there. He was 46 years old and his wife AZ.
He was her second husband. James Miller,
who is married to her daughter, says jeal-
ousy was the cause of the crime, and that
Mrs. Mllley found her husband was un-
faithful. Wednesday night she caught him
keeping an appointment with another
woman. Millev is also accused of beating
his wife and also of having threatened to
kill her before.
An Indication of Jealousy.
There is also talk that the husband was
Jealous, and on his person was found the
following note:
Friends, this bad woman has caused all
her fellows, where to meet them. am also
Inicent of any wrong to my employers. My
sister I want to get my gold watch and
money.
Effects. Yours, F. W. MILLEY
p. S. Sister, don't forget to attend to what
I tolu you after my death.
In a notebook was also found scribbled:
81 am inicent of all rong accused. They
have been caused by the whole family"
There are also some letters found In the
house which are now in the possession of
Mark Donley, of Coroner McDowell's Of
fee. They are said to be quite racy, but
will not be given out.
Milley was veteran and a member of the
Union Veteran Legion. He served from 81
10 the close of the war in Company B, Sew
enty-ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and
he National Guard of the State as private
in Company H, Sixth Regiment, in 1875,
and rose to the rank of First Lieutenant
In 1876 he was elected Captain Of Company
E, Sixth Regiment, and was with his regi-
ment at the Pittsburg riots in 1877. In 1877
ne came to Pittsburg as conductor for the
and Birmingham street car line.
He soon after enlisted in Company D, Eigh- |
,eenth Regiment, and was soon -afterward
made Second Lieutenant in that company.
His brother-in-law, Charles A. Kane, of |
will take charge of the funeral |
services, which will be held at Semmel- |
rocks undertaking rooms, Southside, Sun
Law afternoon. He was member of the Jr. |
J. q. A. NJ. X. of 6. E. and l. o. o. F.,
md it is supposed number of members of |
,hese organizations will attend the funeral. |
Quick Time Made on Cloonen.
Short work was made of the case of |
Michael Cloonen. Coroner Mcdowell held |
IN inquest yesterday morning, the man was
leld for murder, the papers hurried over to
md true bill found against him. He was |
hen placed in Jail to await trial Cloonen |
vas brought before the Coroner at 10:45 He |
s a short, thick-set man with face that |
made DR.. j. Guy McCandless remark when |
lie first saw him:
"Well, never heard of such a brutal |
murder, and when look at that face am
lot surprised. It is just the kind of face
or such crime"
Mrs Cloonen's children and others testi-
led to the crime and when DR.. McCandless
vas called he said death had resulted from
/ blow struck on the right side of the head.
He believed six blows had been struck. He
lid not believe all the wounds had been
made by the chair. He thought the one on
he left side had been made by some short
instrument. Detective Demmel testified
Jloonen had confessed to killing his
wife. When Cloonen was asked for state
nent, he said: 81 was too drunk last night
o know what was doing. 1 had been
thinking all day and went home drunk and
,uess must have killed her when I was
Trunk. Yes, we had some fuss last night,
,ut do not remember muchthat happened"
1t was shown, however, that Cloonen was
working all day in the Panhandle yards as