The San Francisco call., 1897-03-06
MURDERER MILLER
MUST SURELY HANG
Declared Guilty of Murder
in the First
Degree.
Judge Carroll Cook Will Pro.
nounce the Death
Penalty.
Dastardly Crime of a Jealous Man.
Shot Down a Stranger on
the Street.

John Miller, who killed jam es Childs in
was yesterday declared guilty OF murder
in the first degree, and as the jury failed
TO recommend life imprisonment the
death penalty will be impo sed.
The trial occupied the entire week in
Judge Carroll Cooks department of the
Superior Court, determined battle being
made by Attorney J. n. e. Wilson to save
his clients neck on the ground OF insanity.
Deputy District Attorney Hosmer con-
Quoted the case for the Stale, and sue
ceeded in convincing the jury that even
though Miller might be lacking IN some of
the attributes of an altogether intelligent
man, yet he was capable of judging be-
tween right and wrong and ought to be
held responsible ior his murderous act.
The story of the killing is brief and
squalid.
Miller, who is hunch back, had been
intimate with a woman named Nellie
Ryan, and becoming jealous of her he
sought to murder her. Meeting her on
Clementina street, near Fifth, he drew q
revolver and attempted to kill her. One
bullet passed through her hat and came
within an eighth of an inch Of her scalp.
QUO SuTlckcQ lOF Itlp, dHu hIs SuliuS
who happened TO be passing, stepped be-
tween them. He was a stranger TO both,
and only acted on the impulse of human
ity in seeking to protect helpless woman
from the attacks of an enraged brute, who,
though deformed in body, is possessed of
great physical strength.
When Miller saw that his murderous in
tent was baked, he turned like savage
beast on the generous intruder and de-
II. -L<~t l.. -
406 Ciementina street. Not satisfied with
inhicting what was evidently a fatal
wound, Miller stood over his victim and
EN- ptied into his body the contents OF his
piso oil.
When he knew that the cartridges in
the pistol were entirely exhausted Miller
turned the muZzle against his own throat
and snapped the hammer, but be was safe
in doing So for the weapon was harmless.
When arrested Miller denied having
shot the man, saying he did not know
him, but remarked that he pursued the
woman because she had failed to keep her
promise to him and had bestowed her
smiles or others.
The following.named citizens were I'M
paneled as jurors: Theodore l.. Hall. J..
Bremen z. H. Englebert, A. Armstrong.
f. w. Kattleman, George Lake, G. Schind-
ler, James Phillips, Henry Larsen, John
man.
After Miler's arrest the wife whom he
had deserted for two years returned to his
side and did everything in her power to
save him from the terrible obloquy and
penalty OF the scaffold. Sne sat by his
side through the long, tedious trial and
by words and smiles endeavored to be-
guile the prisoner from contemplation
of the dreadful consequences of his awful
deed. He accepted her sacrifices and low
ing ministrations much as wooden Chi
nese joss might accept the alteration Of
fered by tong of high binders.
The jurors were out five hours and when
they came in it was scarcely expected that
they had agreed. Yet when the verdict
was read by Clerk Tolle the least inter-
ested person in the court troom, so far as
could be judged by appearances, was the
condemned felon at the bar. His faithful
wife, however. manifested her emotions,
for despite all that she has suffered she
still keeps sacred the love and affection
consecrated by her to this man at the
bridal altar.
Judge Cook will pass sentence of death
on the prisoner on the 18th inst.