The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-04
FOUL CRIME OF FIENDs.
They Had Beaten and Choked
-. an Aged Merchant to
Death.
PET1T1oNED FOR LEN1ENCY
Indignant Citizens Resent the Fav-
-: oritism Shown Murderer
MiHer's Accomplish.


=; .MARYSYILLE, CAL, July 3.-The sem
'tence of death was passed on Marshall j..
:. Miller. this: morning for the murder of
: Julius Pier.
.: .: The case is one that has excited deep in
:. terest, and the whole community has been
aroused ever since the commitment of the
crime. Pier was an aged Hebrew clothing
dealer, and Miller, in company with a
young electrician named Stewart a. Green,
planned to rob the old fellow, who was
supposed to>have considerable money con-
:eealed about the premises. On the night
: of May last they secreted themselves in
:. a room back of Piers store, and as the old
man passed through to go to bed he was
struck down, bound. gagged and beaten
into insensibility. The robbers then ran
sacked the store, and as they were prepar-
ing to leave Green. discovered that the
victim had regained consciousness and
was watching them. Fearing recognition,
he deliberately damned the gag down the
- old mans throat and left him to die of SUI
location.
In the execution of the deed Green took
the leading part, and upon his arrest con-
fessed fhe crime in ali its details, but at
tempted to shield himself by claiming that
he was ACTING under the influence of Miller,
who was MUCH the elder man. Miller also
made full confession of the bloody work
and in turn tried to throw the blame upon
Green. When brought into court Miller
pleaded guilty, while Green stood trial and
escaped with a sentence of life imprison-
meft.. =.
So, stroag: was the feeling in the COM
nluhity when the verdict of the jury in
Green 's,case was announced that the court
held&.a. secret session when sentence was
passed and Green was driven at night in a
: covered. hack. to, Wheatlaud with his at
torneys and. the Sheriff, where they
boarded the: early: morning train for SAN
Quentin. This proceeding, coupled with
the belief that Green was much the worst
man Of the two, but. served to add to the
general: i1idignation,. and. several hundred
Citizens placed their. signatures to petit
ton requesting. Judge Davis to deal as
leniently with Miller as the jury had in
fxJng the: degree, of; punishment for his
partner: in crime: MilIer's. attorney
argued that. money, friends and in
fuence had been at the command
OF Green to assist in saving MS neck
from the, .gallowst while Miller, alone,
friendless, and without means, could but
threw himself upon the mercy of the court
and: task :that<his life be spared. The Judge,
however: refused to consider that the case
OF Green: and the result of his trial had
anything to. dowith the Miller case, and
the sentenee:of death was passed upon the
prisoner:
:. Miller. took the matter very coolly to all
-appearanGes, but. seems to be, breaking
down rapidly under the terrible strain, and
tits said that he is anxiously awaiting an
opportunity to commit suicide. There has
: been in:the; -neighborhood of fifteen homi-
;. .cides committed in: Yuha- County in the
past seven years. and this is the only in
stance in. which the death penalty has
been. imposed.