The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-10-17
MRS. CHANCE
Makes a Statement to the Public
i'm Connection With
THE r. A. MILLER CASE.

She Recites Her Version of the Affair
From the Administering of the Es-
tate mp Through the Failure of the c.
Aultman & Co, and the Sun Vapor
Plant to the Present Time.
The Indictment by the grand jury Of r.
A. Miller has caused great deal Uf COM
ment and has been the subject of many
expressions Of opinion. A reporter Of the
News Democrat saw Mrs. Norman Chance
and sought to interview her on the much
talked OF case.
81 dislike to place before the public my
personal grievance, but as many false
statements have been set afloat, perhaps
may be well to state q few facts.
"No one regrets more than / the cir
Gums that led to the step have
taken, but 1t seemed to be the only right
course for me to pursue in justice TO my
self and friends, who have stood so nobly
( by me during my trouble.
! Had Robert A. Miller come to me &C.
knowledging the wrong hshad done, and
| tried as far as It was possible to make res
titution, the result might have been diff.
| ferent; but instead, his conduct has been
| Cowardly and hypocritiCal. He has even
tried to make 1t appear that my extrava-
! ganCe had much to do with my present
circumstances, claiming that l said I
could not live on less than S25, 900 year,
while l have in my possession letter in
which he states he would not be afraid
| to take my business interests and guaran-
tee me an income of $25, 900 year for ten
years. never received any such income,
and out of my income paid for my home
in Washington.
II also turned over with the exception
of what had given to Mr., Jacob Miller's
relatives) to the creditors, more than the
estate left me- Robert Miller also repre-
sented to some of the creditors that had
overdrawn my account in the Sun Vapor
Light Co.. while the truth was, had
never received one cent in dividends or in
any other way; while he had received as
president salary of SO, 900 a year, with,
together with over-drafts, etc amounted
to $4l, 200 he had had within the few
years Of his management.
Mrs. Chance, would you care to expla
how Mr. Miller became president Of the
sun NapOr company
when these various interests were left
to me was in no condition on account
of lack of experience and illness, to look
after them. In fact | was obliged to go
away and seek entire rest and change.
chose Washington for my home, while
away, not that l might put on style"
and spend my money extravagantly, as
hav, been accused of, but that might, |
If possible, regain my health.
During my absence it was necessary
to have some one attend to my business
interests here, and it was represented to |
me that 1t was for the interest of myself |
n 4. l..
tcrCstcd in the same business, so l ap-
pointed Mr.. Lewis Miller and Robert Mil
Ter administrators of the estate left me by .
my late husband, Mr.. Jacob Miller"
Shortly after the stock in the 5. V. l..
Co. came into my possession l decided
to give my interest to party who also
had stock in the company. Robert Miller
acted as my agent. When he returned he
said the party would not accept 1t, and 70
wonder rs there was about $50, 600 indcbt
cdncss of the company and If something
was not done at once would have to pay |
out of the estate this amount, as Mr..
Jacob Miller had endorsed for the COM
pany.
He thought if some competent person
would take charge, it might prove one Of
my best investments. told him to do
as he thought best as l was too i'll to
think about it. He took charge himself
but in about two years the Indebtedness
increased from about $50, 900 to between
$4OO, 900 and $500, QUO.
IL was kept in ignorance however be-
ing made to believe that it was in fine
shape; in fact in one of his letters to me
he alludes to it as "our star of great |
hope" Through friend outside of the |
business first heard of this Indebtedness. |
"Under his management in four years
the Indebtedness of @. A. & Co. increased |
about $500, 900 and the 5. V. l.. Co. |
about 5000, 900. His friends say we are |
LersecutinR him and he is in no way re,
sponsible for my fortune being swept |
away Il am only soured over the loss of |
my property. Allow me to say the loss of |
my property has not affected me as the
ingratitude and treachcry of supposed |
friends has think the mantle of char
ity, thrown around such persons as he is
is in dangerr of being worn thread bare.
"There is much public gossip concern
ing the exact amount Of the estate left |
you Mrs Chance, Do you care to speak
on this maetterg'
VALUE OF THE ESTATE.
"Thc estate was appraised at one mil
lion and half. | was given at that time |
to understand by Robert Miller that with |
this large estate l would be able to do |
about as / chose So not realizing the |
liability connected with the estate | de-
cided to distribute among Mr.. Jacob Mil |
lers family in memory Of him portion
of the estate to be given the following
Christmas Not wishing to act without
Robert Miller's advice / asked him how |
much he thought | would be justified in |
giving them at that time. He told me to |
give to Mr.. Lewis Miller's family 800
shares of Aultman Miller & Co stock, |
valued at that time at $120, 600, and to |
the rest of the relatives $50, 900 In cash |
acted upon his advice. To Robert Miller |
gave my home as | did not feel at that
time that could see strangers occupying
1t. In June before the failure Of G. A. g.
Co. and the Sun VapOr Light Co, at their
suggestion bought 1t back, paying them
good price. After the failure 1t was
swept away with the rest Of my property
regardless of the fact that they said l
would not lose much and only moved
into small house to gain the sympathy
Of the public"
"The public impression has always
been Mrs Chance that the homestead was
given in lieu Of administrators allow
anCe.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ESTATE.
1T was gift. At the time gave him
the home he asked II 1t was to be for set
tling the estate as he could hardly afford
20 take II that way. / replied No | will
give you the home and you may have
what the law allows for settling the estate
which he said would be per cent of the