The herald., 1896-02-15
A Butler Wounded and a Burg
lar Killed
THE THIEF NOT IDENTIFIED
Nor Did His Companions Leave a Clue
Behind
The Wounded Butler Is Not Seriously Hurt.
Though He Had an Exceedingly
Close Call


Miller, butler in the house of L. L..
Franklin, 293O California street, shot and
killed burglar this morning and was him
self shot and wounded by the burglar.
Three burglars were engaged in an at
tenet to loot the house. The dead burglar
was left below to keep watch and the
other two went up stairs. Miller, who
sleeps in q small room in the basement,
heard Anderson moving about the kitchen
and went after him with a pistol. The
burglar was also armed and the men COM
menced firing at each other, each one
firing four shots. The noise of the shoot
ing caused an officer to rush to the house
where he found Miller unconscious and
the burglar dead. The burglar was shot
through the temple and his dead body was
found lying on top of Miller. The latter
was shot through the neck. The other two
burglars escaped.
Miller was tossing in fever when the
reporter reached the house, bnt he was not
interrogated about the affair. The doctors
state that the wound, though painful, is not
dangerous. A bullet from the burglar s
pistol struck him in the right side of the
neck, narrowly escaping the jugular vein.
1t passed out in such a manner as to lnfllct
wound resembling the tearing OF the
flesh.
One year ago robbery was attempted in
the same house, and the thieves, as In the
present case, were discovered and driven
off by Miller, but not until the latter had
been kicked and beaten into insensibility.
1t ia believed this mornings robbery was
by the same persons, as they showed great
familiarity with the premises, having cut
the electric light wires before beginning
operations, thus leaving the house in total
darkness when Miller first heard the noise.
Later in the day Miller came to himself
sufficiently to give a more connected ac-
count of what happened. 1t does not
altogether fit the theories already given
and which were first held by members of
the family.
II got UP to get the paper" said Miller,
land as 1 stepped into the hall three men
met me. They pointed pistols at my
for a time, and two of them then went up
stairs, leaving one to guard me. After
they had been gone awhile l thought saw
a chance and grabbed for his pistol. He
jumped back aud bsgan firing, aad at the
same time l tried to get my pistol, which
clothing, though, and fell to the floor.
stopped and grabbed it, though. and tred
THEN we grappied and fell together"
| Miller's wound is not SO serious as a.
| first thought. The burglars bullet strucl
him in the side of the neck, and passing
through about two inches of the flesh
| emerged ON the other side. The carotid
artery was narrowly missed. Miller is
subject to epileptic fits. and the excitement
of his fierce encounter with tho robber is
responsible for his condition. A complete
story of his discovery and fight has not yet
been obtained from him. The police at
first thought that the dead burglar was
John Anderson, sailor with hard record
but Anderson was safely rcposing in the
CITY prison on another charge at the time
of the shooting. The dead thief has not
vet been identified, and the police have moi
obtained any trace Of the two men who
escaped from the upper part OF the house
1t was several minutes after the battle in
the dark that the police arrived and found
the robber lying across the body OF the
brave butler. The burglar was still breath
| ing, but was unable to talk. lie appar-
| emily understood what was said to him, bu
could only gasp and close his eyes before
he died. The bullet from Miller's revolver
| had passed clear through his head. Miller
who is but little over 20 years of age, ha:
at least established reputation for bra
very. A year ago when he had another en-
counter with burgla.s and was badly
beaten by them the police rather secuted
his story, and intimated that he had i'm
agined the burglars and had beaten him
self. His action in this mornings encoun
ter indicates that the suspicious OF the po
lice were unfounded.