The San Francisco call., 1895-08-02
Cut Four Horrible GaSheS in
His Head With a
HatChet.
TO THE CRIME.
Attacked Him Because He Had Re-
fused to Purchase Medicine
She Needed.

Miller. Redding's pioneer merchant, was
found lying in pool of blood on the floor
behind counter in the rear end of the
hardware depar tment of his store on Cali
fornia street. A new hatchet, the blade of
which was entirely covered with blood and
hair, was found standing against box
under the counter, about two feet away
from the dead mans head.
This and four ugly gashes in his head
from which the blood and brains were ooz-
ing was evidence enough to show how he
died-that he was murdered and that the
bloody hatchet near by was the instrument
of death.
This morning about 9 o'clock Ed John
son, colored man who conducts chop
house adjoining Miller's store, enters N.
Breslauer's store adjoining Miller's on the
south to purchase some goods. While
there he remarked to Breslauer that some
thing was wrong at Miller's, as all the iron
doors in front were closed.
Mr. Miller had always been in the habit
of opening his store early in the morning,
swinging back the iron doors and placing
goods for display on the sidewalk. This
morning none of these were noticeable.
Johnson, Breslauer and Charley John
son, brother of Ed, concluded to enter
the store and ascertain what was the mat
ter. The three men entered and discovered
rear door open. The safe is located along
side of this rear door and at glance it oc-
CURED to the searchers that robbery and
foul play had been committed.
The safe was unlocked, however, and the
men continued the search. They entered
the hardware department, which was dark,
and on striking a match just inside the
door opening into the department Charley
Johnson discovered something lying be-
hind the counter to bis left. He held the
match close down and there lay the body
of Miller. The men Immediately came out
and notified the officers.
Shortly after the discovery of the body
il became known that Mrs. Miller, the vic
tim S wife, had been in the store early in
the morning, and it was at once suspected
that she welded the hatchet that killed
her husband. A further investigation de-
veloped the following facts:
About o'clock this morning Mr.. Miller
entered his store for the purpose of open
ing it as usual. About five minutes after
ward his wife entered and remained in
and hurriedly walked up California street,
keeping her face toward the street. One
of her hands was wrapped in her shawl
and she appeared considerably excited.
When this story was made known the
officers Immediately went to the house
where Mrs. Miller was staying and aues-
toned her. She was greatly excited and
admitted that she hit her husband with a
hatchet, but said she did not think it was
hard enough to kill him.
She said she didn't mean to kill him, but
hit him because he would not buy her
some medicine which she needed, for she
was sick. There were spots of blood on
her mitts, cape and shoes. She was taken
to the County Jail, where she now occu-
pies cell.
This afternoon Coroner's jury returned
verdict of death by wounds inflicted by a
hatchet in the hands of his wife.
Mrs. Miller has been considered of un-
sound mind for several years. About four
months ago she hit her husband over the
head with frying-pan and nearly killed
him, and on several occasions they have
had trouble.
She always claimed that he mistreated
her, and on several occasions she stole
articles out of the store, saying he would
not furnish her with the necessities of
life; consequently she had to steal them.
After the trouble of four months ago she
was examined on charge of insanity, but
was discharged, being declared sane.
Mr.. Miller was a man about 60 years OF
age, and was the pioneer merchant of Red
ding, having started the first store here
and erected the first brick building in this
city.
In that building since 1870 he conducted
business until this morning. He was
Mason in good standing and the funeral
will take place tomorrow under the aus
pices Of the local Masonic lodge.
Sentiment is almost evenly divided here
about the affair. A great number sympa-
thize with Mrs. Miller, while many are of
the opinion that she was feigning insanity
and that she made preparations for the
murder and committed it in cold blood.
She was seen early this morning, about 5
o'clock, standing on the corner of Califor-
MIA and Tehama streets apparently wait
ing for somebody.
1t is now thought she was watching for
her husband with view of following him
into the store and killing him.
1t is believed from the position in which
the body was found that she had asked her
husband to get some plaster of paris for
her, and that when he was STOPPING down
getting the plaster she struck him with the
hatchet, and after telling him inflicted
three more gashes in his lifeless body. A
broken paper bag lay at his feet and plas-
ter of paris was scattered around.
When she left the store and went home
she took off the bloody clothes and put
them in a trunk and loo ked it. She then
went to bed, and was apparently asleep
when the officers arrested her. She put on
other clothing for her trip to the court
house, and it was not until this afternoon
that her trunk was opened and the bloody
garments were found.