The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-01-15
''hO0RShiinG'' Murder Recalled
BY TIE APPLICATION OF WIN. C.
MILLER FOR A PARDON.
Pablic Sentiment in the Prisoners Favor
Belief That the Murder Of Jonathan
Eoehststler Has Been
Avenged.

BY reference 10 Cur advertising columns
1t viii he seen that William c. Miller.
sentenced 10 n term of ten years i'm
| prisonmcnt in The Western Peniteniiary
on the 18th day Of June. 1852, after having
been found guilty of murder in the second
degree for the killing of Jonathan Hoch-
stetler, has filed an application for par
don. which viii be heard 10y the State
Board OF Pardons at the next regular
meeting Of that body.
great deal of sympathy was express
ed in behalf of Miller at the time of his
conviction. Primarily because he came
| from an excellent family, had been r
good soldier, was well advanced in years,
and had delivered himself over to justice.
He went on the witness stand and told
n straight story in regard 20 the murder,
alleging that HOchstetier was the aggres-
sor, and that he had acted in self-,icfense
His unimpeached testimony made its
impression upon the jury, the members
of the bar and the general public At
the time OF Miiler's conviction il WAS
generally believed that his confederate,
Pritts, woald surrender himself to the
officers of the law, or that he would he
captured by them and tried and convict
ed. As time wore away and Pritts con-
tinued ct liberty interest in the case SUBJ
sided aud the ''moonshine' murder
dropped from sight until it is again re-
vived by the application for Miiler's par
do ii
ly signed, viii be presented TO the Board
Of Pardons, praying that William {.
Miller 5e SCI AZ liberty.
The murder OF HociiSte:ler, it viii be
remembered, grew out Of the moon
shine troubles that caused such a
sensation throughout western Pcnnsyl-
yania in the early part of that wear.
William {. Miller, alias General Sci
GEL" vas the rePuted leader ~ the al
legged band Of "moonshinels'' that in
tested the Laurel Hill mountain above
Trent. and when a raid was made hv
L. :. Revenue officers Grou the Illicit
distiliors, 1t was charged that Hoch-
stetler, who had been a former member,
betrayed the secrets oc the band 10 lhe
federal authorities and was the direct
cause Of the raid.
From this time forward the feud be-
tween the Miller and Hochstetler fac-
tionS increased in bitterness Uatil finally
Miller, Pritis aud Bob" Miller met
Hochstetler ono evening while the latter
was retaining from Trent to his home
IL has never been satisfactorily explained
which Tas The aitacSing party lut the con-
ilict terminated in the death OF Hoch-
statler, William c. Miller having beaten
him over the head with the stock of 9
gan. The body OF Hocilsie;ler was drag
ged from the road where the tight took
place and deposited in stream Of
water, known as Grab Ran" and the
murderers, after paying h1~:y visit 10
The Miller home, sought shelter in
deserted bgiiding on the mountain.
That evening young stranger ap-
pcagej at BruGh's store IL Tren; and
told q story that alarmed the men who
had assembled there. II said that while
he was walking over the mountain from
his home IN WcStmoTelaHd county 10 the
home OF a friend near Trent he had been
the unwilling witness of an atrocious
murder. His attention, he said, was at
tracted by 4 rifle shot when he reached
point in the mountain where a new piece
Of road had been built. and looking
through the underbrush he saw three
men leap from behind trees into the
road rod o. two below where he was
standing, aud assault man as described
above.
: searching party was Immediately or
ga.ized 20 visit the scene OF the battle
described by the young Westmorelander.
At the exact point indicated the road bore
evidences ola struggle. \ pointed stone
covered with blood and hair WAS found
close by. and = few minutes later the dead
body Of Hochstetler was found lying in
the cold water Of Crab Ron. Tracks made
10y three men lead in the direction of Mil
ler's. The men from Trent decided to
follow the tracks and if possible capture
the murierars. Guided by the llickering
light of their lanterns a fruitless
search was kept up throughout the night
The following afternoon Bob Miller
appeared at Trent and confessed TO hav-
ing witnessed the mIrler OF HOchsteiler
By his father and ''Bilr' Prit;s. "Bob'
was committed 70 Jail and SheriiTs
posse was sent - the mountain to search
for General Seigelr an1 his confederate
'-Seigcl' baitled all efforts PIT forth to
capture hin, and finally tired out by
eluding officers Of the law, he came to
Somerset, accompanied by two OF his
friends, a; midnight. aud surrendered
himself To the b1roIgh constable.
The trial occupied several days and re-
suited in Miiler's conviction If murder
in the second degree "BpJ' Miller was
was convicted on a charge Of being an
accessory - the murder ard was sen:enc-
ed 10 two years in the peai,entiary.