Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-02
RIVAL BANDIT GANGS.
Friends of Miller Tell of Hochstet-
ler'S Relentless Pursuit
WHICH ENDED IN HIS OWN DEATH
Palsy Has Left Physical Wreck Of the
Stalwart Old General.
NEWsY NOTES FROM NEARBY TOWNS
rspEcIAL TELEGRAM TO THE prsp ArcH1

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DrsPArcH.1
SOMERSET, June IA more pitiable OBJ
iect was never seen in a court of Justice
than General Sieger' Miller, the deposed
king of the moonshiners, when he was
placed upon the stand to testify in his own
defense. He has fallen away in flesh very
much since his imprisonment, and his face
is bleached and careworn. The old General
has been afflicted with palsy ever since he
suffered a sunstroke while lying before
Richmond in the army of his country, and
that disease seems to have grown upon him
since his Imprisonment. The mans whole
body quivers with every breath he draws,
while his head and hands keep up con-
slant twitching motion.
He related the killing of old Hochstetler
in very near the same language he used in
describing the affair when he voluntarily
gave himself up. He withheld that por-
tion Of his story, however, which would
tend to criminate himself of premeditated
murder, and stoutly maintained he did not
strike the fatal blow until he believed his
own life was in Danger Miller claimed that
on the afternoon of the murder, Bill Pritts,
his son Bob and himself went to u point on
the mountains where the tragedy took place
to watch party ofgentlemen, whom they
took to be revenue officers. Hochstetler
came up the road and assaulted him before
he had time to utter word. Miller said he
believed Hochstetler to have been armed
with a revolver and knife at the time, and
he (Miller) was afraid TO run away lest he
be shot in the back. He admitted that he
had Spencer repeating rifle in his own
hands at the time, and only nsed the stock
of It over the victims head to protect him
self.
The attorneys for the Commonwealth
worried the old fellow for at least two hours,
and in that time made him admit that he
had been engaged in the moonshine business
for long time, and that he and Hochstetler
had quarreled about their illicit business.
He claimed that Hochstetler had pursued
against his life. and once had shot at him
from ambush. The witness was greatly re-
lieved when he was finally permitted to re-
tire from the stand.
At this afternoons session the real cause
of the animosity existing between Hoch-
stetler and Miller was brought out, when 20
or more witnesses were called upon to tes-
tify as to the threats they had heard Hoch-
sretler make against MiIier's life. Nearly
all the witnesses called are alleged members
of the moonshiner's gang. The gang was
called the "Freundschaft." and Miller
presided over it, while Hochstetler was
chief of rival gang known as the "New
Constitution" Nearly all of them had car
ried challenges to their chief from Hoch-
stetier, VINO oHered to allow Miller have the
choice of weapons, and number of wit
nesses declared that the leader of the "New
Constitution fairly itched for an opportu-
nifty to perforate Milers body with bullets
"to make a sieve out of it through which 1
can sift cOrnmeal" !" as Hochstetler is quoted
So far nearly all witnesses called are either
relatives of Miller OF of his accomplice. Bill
Pritts. just before court adjourned this
evening it was stated that some crooked
work had been done among witnesses, and
some had been threatened. A witness
named Sleeseman was called, and when
asked what he knew concerning threats
had made to take Miller's life
cerning the case. Sleeseman was carefully
examined before the court, when he ac-
that Hochstetler had told him
if he ever met Miller There will be new
face in-for breakfast the next m orning."