Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1894-08-23
Suicide OF VIM. Miller.

VIM. Miller, formerly teller OF tue IiV
ducers' Bank of Butler; brother of Sam
uel Miller of Mercer, and who for the past
few years has been national bank exam
iner, shot himself through the head, in the
Second National Bank Of Altoona, last
Friday noon. He was in charge OF the
bank at the time, it having been closed;
had nearly completed his examination OF
its affairs, and no reason is given or Is
known for his mad act.
The story of the tragedy a. told by
President J. P. Levan, the only person
who was in the bank when it occurred, is
substantially as follows:
After eating his dinner at noon Mr.. Le-
van walked down to the bank, meeting at
the door clerks Kennedy and Miller, VINO
were Just going out for dinner. TINS was
about 1890 Mr.. Levan then went INSIDE
and found Examiner Miller sitting IN the
directors Office Of the counting room.
After few moments conversation II oc-
curred TO Mr.. Levan that the examiner
was DELAYING going to dinner because OF
his presence, and he said to Mr.. Miller:
'Tf you have everything locked up you
ought to go TO dinner. Ar. Miller, OF, not,
/ will walk down to the hotel until you
| are ready to come back"
| The examiner answered pleasantly thal
| there was no reason why Nj. Levsn
| shouldn't remain while he was gone. The
| examiner then left the bank, but in tfteen
minutes he returned, Mr.. Levan remarklng
| that he had hardly given himself time to
| eat his dinner. Mr.. Miller said that De
| had not been feeling well and had no sp'
petite. He had only gone TO the dining
| room door and returned without having
eaten at all. The two men sat discussing
| the affairs of the bank. Leaving MI LIE,
van sitting in the office, Miller arose and
walked into the counting room.
| Mr.. Levan heard q momect later the re-
port of pistol. Mr.. Levan ran forward tt
the counting room. On the floor oy tne
ade of the cashiers table, and directly IL
front of the bank safe, lay the outstretched
form of Mr.. Miller. Blood was gushing
from a great bullet hole through hiR head.
| Mr.. Lever rushed out on the street and
gave the alarm. The report OF the reVoi
yer had been heard for q half square anC
some persons in stores nearby had already
| stepped TO the sidewalk to inquire th'
cause of it.
To the first person that Mr.. Levan me-
/ he told that the examiner had shot nlm
| self in the bank, but he was himself sc
weak from the shock that he might have
fallen had not friends led him to CHAIR II
WestfalPs furnishing house.
District Attorney Hammond was sum
| moned to the scene of the shooting, ana IL
the absence of Coroner Poet, who was on'
| of the city selected the following jury men
| Hon Edmund Shaw, A. W. Dively, $50,
| Patrick McCann, T. J. Trout, +. ID: Ssuppi
4 Unit
| summoned and the jury was sworn. Notn,
| ing was found on the person of the dead
man to indicate why the deed was com
| mitted.
| All the facts developed pointed to self
| destruction. but many incidents remain
| unexplained. The unfortunate fact tna'
| Mr.. Levan was the only known person IN
| the bank other than Mr.. Miller when the
| tragedy occurred has not and will not ex-
| cite even breath of suspicion against hlm.
| His honored name cannot be connected III
the remotest way with tie shooting. The
bank could in no way profit by the killing.
| The report Of Examiner Miller, whatever
| it is, has been forwarded 10 Washington.
1t could not be changed or wiped out with
| the examiners life. And the report is not
| expected to reflect upon the banks pTesi-
dent. 1t, however, ia expected to renect
upon and uncover almost unlimited crook
| edness on the part Of Henry A. Gardner,
the absconding cashier.
| Daniel McSWeeney, formerly Of the u.
| s. Secret Service, Chief Of Police Tillard
and other detectives Of reputation and
ability, who have been engaged on the
case, are not satisfied with the suicide
| theory. They are not content in the be-
| lief that the revolver could have fallen
back into the drawer after having been
used. Blood dripped from the revolver
upon papers in the drawer, yet there was
no blood stains upon the dead mans hands
A young woman, at the time reporte 10
be Miller's daughter, is reported 10 have
gone into the bank few moments before
the shooting occurred. Twomen were said
to have been sitting on the sleeps of the
bank at that time. The men were not on
the bank steps when President Levan
rushed ont to sound the alarm OF The shoot
ing. The story of the woman entering the
bank was told by young Wholesale mer-
chant of Philadelphia. He said he was
eating bis dinner at the Logan House
when the alarm of the shooting was given.
He hurried to the bank, and while IN the
crowd about the institution was told of the
mysterious woman. The detectives seem
to consider the woman story with some
concern and are at work on the clue. 1t
is evident from the interest manifest that
the case will not be allowed TO go By de-
fault. A vigorous and thorough investi-
gatiot Is certain to result.
THE sun was yesterday in state OF in
tense excitment. Large spots, one OF i'm
mense size-many times larger than our
globe and undergoing rapid changes
were conspicuous on his fiery face.
This Ia not the first time that great solar
commissions haye been noted in recent
months Since 1890 the sun has been
gradually becoming more and more agita
ted and energetic, at times throwing out
vast sheets Of fame reaching elevations of
two and three hundred thousand miles
above the chromosphere. Among the
most terrific instances Of solar commotion
were the gigantic spots of February, 1892;
August, 1893; November, 1893. aud Feb
ruary 2S. 1894, each of which measured
ten times the diameter of our planet and
presented some Of the aspects Of an in
describably vast cyclone. If tho effects
of such commotions in the sun were mere
ly local and ephcmeral they would excite
only q scientific interest. But science
has long suspected, If IL has not been
able To fully demonstrate, that n most
important connection exists between the
occurrence Of great solar activity and pc
culiar types OF terrestrial weathsr mater
tally affecting oui crop seasons, ami
often productive of long spells OF drought