The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-05-02
JOAQUIN MILLER IN HAWAII.
He Took a Young Girl 70 Honolulu and
Deserted Her.

New York Recorder.
Honolulu April lS.-When Joaquin Mil
Ter. the Poet Of the Sierras.' left the
islands. there remained girl who had
passed as his daughter. That girl Is now
about 10 become a mother. and she
charges the long and whfte-haired poet
with baing the cause OF her trouble.
Miller came here just before the last
outbreak and brought this girl with him.
Her home is said TO be in Oakland. Cal.
She is a pretty creature and only Il years
old.
The name she bears Is Aroba Miller
Olivier.
Shortly after Miller arrived here he
hired rooms in a private house and &C
cupied them with this girl. announcing
that she was his daughter. When he left
a few weeks ago these rooms were given
up and quarters were secured for the girl
with family on Nuuanu street.
No explanation was given by Joaquin
why he should return TO his coast home
without his supposed daughter and the
girl kept her secret until Concealment
was no longer possible.
The girl is simple minded and guileless.
and. with very little urging, told a story
OF her rela tions with the poet
Her confession was put in the form of
an affidavit. as were also the statements
of others who had knowledge of the cir
chmstances.
The girls story puts Miller in a particu-
larly bad light.
He not only wronged her. she says. but
made no adequate provision for her when
he left the islands.
Her board was paid for a few weeks.
but that was all. The people supposed he
had left money with the girl. but accord
ing 10 her statements she is now abso-
lutely without means.
The girl is being cared for by charitably
inclined people.
An effort will be made to communicate
with her friends in Oakland. If any one
there will care for her, money for her
passage will he raised. and she will he
sent back to California. Unless help is
extended 1t Is probable she will be added
10 the long list of outcasts.
San Francisco. April 30.-The story from
Honolulu does not greatly surprise those
here who know the old poet. and his mode
OF life on THE Heights as he calls his
home back of Berkeley.
The neighbors have long talked of the
dongs at Miller's house. 1t was openly
said that the place ought 10 be abolished.
One man went so far as to say: THAT
free-love community up there ought 10 be
burned down. 1t is a disgrace TO the COM
munity."
Miller has many female visitors at The
Heights" 1t is his habit 10 write In bed
every day until nearly noon.
When visitors come. Joaquin opens the
door in his night clothes and receives
them in his bedroom.
As showing Miller's true nature in con-
nection with the Honolulu story, the case
of the poets son is recalled
The boy is now in the penitentiary at
San Quentin, serving a long term for
stage robbery. He was committed two
years ago. and was then only IS years old
At his trial he told how his father had
refused. from his infancy to allow him to
attend school; had made him feel that he
was In his home only on sufferance, and
had finally driven him from the place for
apparently no reason except that he
didn't want him around
The boy worked as ranch hand for
several months, but having a delicate
constitution. could not stand the hard
labor He looked for lighter work. but
tramped around the country in vain, and
becoming desperate, robbed a stage in
Colusa county.
After his arrest friends appealed 70 mis-
father TO help him. but the old poet re-
fused any aid whatever. and the boy was
sent to prison.