Arizona republican., 1895-09-13
HE WAS SHOT, The Coroner's Jury A. rives at That Verdict In the Mysterious Death
 of Jay HI. Miller. But Could Not Ascertain Who
 Fired the Shot. A Jury that Establishes a Record for Inquisitiveness A
 Curious Verdict.

The inquisition into the manner of the death of J. H. Miller was concluded yesterday after two days hard work and the examining of fortv-eignt witnesses. There was only one witness to examine yesterday, and that was Harry Walton, train messenger on the north and south road. Walton was preparing to leave on the 230 train yesterday morn ing on his usual run, when Deputy Sheriff Boyd stepped up and served Q subpoena on hlm.
 He was placed on the stand and testi- fed that he was standing on Gold mans corner when he heard the two pistol shots. He ran in the direction of the shots, and on reaching the body heard some one say: "It is Jay Mill ler." Walton recognized Ed Coffee, who visited the remains and said: Con roy did it." That was su bstantially ali that Walton knew of the case, and after his testimony there being no other wit nesses to examine, the jury retired to the jury room to prepare their verdict. They returned at Il 80, after being out about half an hour, and returned their verdict to Coroner Morris. The coroner read the verdict, which was as follows, the introductory being omitted:
 "We find the deceased was named Jay H. Miller, native of California, aged about 29 years and that he came to his death on the 7sh day of Septem Der, 1895, between the hours Of 10 and 10 80 o'clock p, m., 5i this county. by pistol wound in tde head that his body was found in an open space in the rear of the general offices of the M. & P. R. R. Co.,, just south from of the alley running east and west from Center to First avenue and between Washing ton and Adams streets in the city of Phoenix, Maricopa county. Arizona. And we further find that. chiefly that by reason of the unwarranted meddling with the body and the effects of the de- ceased and, also by the interference with the evidence and the investigation by divers persons and the district at- torney, we are unable to determine by whose hand the pistol was fired.
 "All of which we daly certify by thls inquisition in writing by us signed this
  E. M. WICKERsHAM, THos. D. MoLLoY, ! R. c. LOWELL, A. BARRY,
 CHAs. L. CooN, JAS. s. GRIFFIN"
 The verdict established the fact that Miller came to his death by a pistol wound in the head; that fact was plainly manifest, but does not conclu- sively prove whether Miller came to his death by his own hand or that the fatal shot was fired by someone unknown. The jury failed to ascertain that fact and they assert for cause.
 The jury wanted Conroy to testify on Monday night and ordered that he be brought into court. The attorneys for | Conroy, Messrs. Street, Kibbey and Williams, entered protest to Conroy being brought into court on the grounds that he was not in condition to testify. The protest was sustained by the dis trict attorney and the coroner and led to a,wrangle between the jurors and the legal lights. The jurors were obstinate and asserted that they had the right &C., cordipg to the statutes to demand the presence of any witness. The coroner and the district attorney however, stuck to their point, saying that it was only courtesy due the attorneys for Conroy. Two of the jurors, more contrary than the rest, stated that they were there to ascertain the facts and were going to do it.
 That coroner's jury has made record for itself, and it is doubtful whether any one of them will ever be called on 8 coroner's jury again. They were in- quisltive and used many adroit meas ures to draw out testimony from wit nesses that would throw any light on the matter. Their action was commen- datory; they were sworn to conduct the inquisition, and if possible to ascertain the facts to the method of Miller's de. mise. The case is most mysterious one and demanded careful consideration on the part of the jurors In the render ing of verdict, therefore they could not examine too closely into the case.
 It is not possible that more unique verdict was ever rendered by coroner's s jury in Maricopa county, and a prece dent was set whereby jury sitting on an inquest does not necessarily have to sit like automatons where the inquisi ton is conducted by the district attor- ney, but conduct the case 10 suit them. selves.
 The case will probably rest until the