, 1892-01-05
WHARF "Fhs Daily Lsader" May be Found.
CHARLEY MILLER.

mere PROBABLY never mas Detu COulueu
in the Laramie county Jail a more thor
ough criminal than Charley Miller, the
youthful double murderer upon whom
some sympathy has been heretofore
wasted. Miller is a criminal by instinct,
by training and to a great degree by In
hentauce. In his way he Is a consummate
actor. He seldom overlooks a point
which may be of advantage to himself.
He is utterly lacking in moral responsible
ity. Remorse has never visited him for the
murder OF his innocent and defenseless
companions near Hillsdale. They had
money and he wanted it. He therefore
killed them in cold blood and with as lit
tie compunction as a man would crush a
fly which was Fostering him.
Ii the whole truth we're known it is
barely possible that Miller himself. inno-
cent as he now pretends to be, was IN
reality at the bottom of the scheme to
escape. The position in which Miller
has been placed since his conviction, with
the gallows staring him in the face, has
had no improving or softening influence
upon him. He has been perfectly indif-
ferent as to the future, from a spiritual
point of view. and in the two attempts to
get away from the Jail since he has been
there he was an actor. His mind runs
only 10 the direction ofcriminal literature.
In his possession when last captured we're
found a bundle of songs, all neatly copied
in his own hand and on various scraps of
paper. They were among his most
valued possessions and consisted solely OF
metrIcal laudatioas Of criminals. robbers
and thugs. This gives a side light upon
his criminal character.
We do not believe that Kiugen had any
large SUN Of money with him when he
started-indeed his financial possessions
probably consisted only of the IS bill
which his wife recently sent him to have
his picture taken. When Miller found
that the companion Of his toilsome march
lay dead at his side he went through
him" to see what he had. He found
the S. bill and took 1t, hoping that
chance might favor him and knowing
that the money would not be burden
some. Chance didn't favor him. how
ever, and he was unable to make his es
cape. When lie was first taken to Mr..
Van Tassell's ranch he lay stiff and appar-
emily unconscious for two hours, but dur
ing that long night and until the next
day at noon those who watched him closely
discovered that he wasn't overlooking
anything that was going on. He soon
had the names of every one present. To
MIR. Van Tassell he denied that they had
stolen the horse, knowing that such trans
actions were not encouraged by ranchmen.
He confessed to Sheriff Kelley when he
knew that nothing could be gained by
further concealing the fact. 1t was in his
clothing that the bottle of hair dye was
found, and how he ever got possession Of
it nobody knows, but it is n contributorY
element in showing his criminal instincts.
Miller knew well enough that in the
condition he then was the sheriff or his
assistants would discover the S. bill on
his person. He knew they were well
aware he didn't have any money and also
that Kingen certainly had this amount of
money. While lying in his bed that
night, suffering as he must certainly have
suffered. he revolved the matter IN his
mind to discover how best to account for
1t and come out of the affair with added
credit to himself. He hit upon the
scheme of telling to the cook the story of
the $500 and explained that Kingen had
given him So.
The criminal annals do not afford a
more fearful picture than Miller robbing
his dead companion, and finally (no doubt
after prospecting about for an avenue OF
escape) finding shelter and protection
from the weather at the side and under
the clothing Of the unfortunate Kingen.
Civilization and religion have no soften
ing influence on Miller. He is irredeemably
bad. 1t would have been a thousand
times better tor the world had he, instead
OF Kingen met his death on the bleak
prairie.