Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-01
He
s dis
went

went
Us engaged as
Of that restless life
, and came to his Butler
ii went to work about the
: was employed as a pumper
.elI in the Hundred-foot field near
Petersville in Butler county.
Opening Scene of the Tragedy.
At work as pumper on an adjoining
well was Peter Dugan, his victim. On
December % last Mills and Dugan together
went to Renfrew, where they got drunk
together While drinking the two quar-
relied, but they settled their trouble
without resorting to blows and some time
early on the morning of December % they
returned together to Petersville and separ-
ated, each going to his respective boiler
house
Dugan went to bed in his bunk. He slept
between two boys who were in charge of his
work during his absence and who were his
helpers Mills did not go to bed. He threw
himself on his bunk but soon arose, took
from his tools a two-pound hammer and
started for Dugan's boiler house. On his
way there he passed another boiler house
and told pumper named Blair that he was
going to kill Dugan. He passed on toward
Dugan's place. The next morning Dugan
was found dead in his bunk. His head had
been horribly crushed His bunk was
completely saturated with blood and his
brains were scattered over his greasy pillow
One of the boys sleeping with Dugan was
awakened by the murderous blows, and
when he got up he saw the figure of q man
disappearing in the early morning darkness.
Friends Go to Mills Rescue.
Mills was arrested the next day for the
crime A number of his wealthy friends
and relatives at once came to his rescue and
a strong effort was made to have him re-
leased on bail. Judge Hazen refused to
admit him to bail, however. After being
in iail short time he escaped from the
prison and was at liberty for two weeks
His escape had not been well planned and
he was unable to get money to secure his
safety. He was captured on aireight train
in Forest county.
the trial of Mills attracted widespread
attention. Able counsel had been secured
on both sides, and the legal battle lasted for
nearly a week. A verdict was returned last
Saturday. The jury had been out just five
hours, and their finding was condemned
from the bench by Judge Hazen. Mills was
called up for sentence on Tuesday.
The Judge, when imposing the SEN
tence, said the verdict should
have been first degree, but under the cir
cumstances he would give him the full e1-
tent of punishment for the grade of his
crime. "If you had been found guilty of
murder, / would not have interfered to
shield you from the full punishment,
Judge Hazen said and then he added, 81
will sentence you to - years in the peni-
tentiary for the killing of Dugan. L will
also give you two years to the penitentiary
for breaking Jail.
Impelled by Some Mysterious Power.
In his confession to Sheriff Brown, Mills
recited the story as given above. He said
alter he had thrown himself upon his bunk.
Then the quarrel of the night before
returned to him, and he said he was driven
by some power he could not explain to do
the killing. After crushing Dugan's head
with the hammer he says he returned to his
bunk and slept soundlv until after day
light.
On his way. to prison yesterday Mills
spent most OF his time congratulating him.
self on his escape from the gallows. He
said if he could have gotten money after his
escape from Jail he intended returning to
the far West Before leaving the Sheriff to
enter upon his imprisonment he had figured
out just what Communication he would re-
ceive, and laughingly said he would meet
the Sheriff at the expiration of his term.
Mills said to the Sheriff that he received
no assistance from the outside when ne es-
capped He left the Jail, he said, sometime
after midnight, and walked out of the town.
The weather was bitter cold, and for the first
day he was afraid of being recognized, and
did not stop to get anything to eat.
Nearly Perished With Cold and Hunger.
Before he felt himself safe he said he was
almost perished with cold aud hunger. He
slept in barns and begged his food. 81 was
week out before l felt in any way secure, -
he said. 'Then L looked around in the upper
oil country, where 1 was not known, until 1
got fairly rested and was able to start out.
got all wanted to eat while was waiting,
and when arrested was endeavoring to get
out of the State. "But," he concluded, 81
had gotten cold and hungry again, and the
officers who took me were not unwelccme
visitors. / killed Pete Dugan and / have
suffered considerably for it already, and L
guess l will have satisfied the law. When
get out Of the pen will go West again. /"