The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-08-09
YOKOHAMA CRIME
The Suspect Miller Held
For Trial.
Results of Investigation by ia
Against the American.

Robert Miller, the American accused
of having perpetrated the horrible
triple murder in Yokohama recently
in Japanese court and has been COM
mitted for trial on the charge of will
full murder. From the statement of
the judge who conducted the prelimi-
nary examination, the following facts
are taken by the Japan Mail. Robert
Miller, an American citizen 40 years
of age, served as an able-bodied sea-
man on the American ship Tam-o'-
Shanter, where he gained a very bad
character for violence and brutality.
On April q he deserted from the ship
in Yokohama harbor and thencefOrth
became loafer in that place. He had
a sum of A yen when he deserted, and
he spent part of the money at drink
ing saloon and lodging house kept by
a japanese woman, TonOoka Suye. He
ingratiated himself with Suye, by col
lecting debts from her foreign custom
ers, seamen and such folk, some of
whom would have eluded payment had
they had a woman only to deal with.
Suye's establishment was registered
in the name of George Henry, a sea-
man of the United States ship Olympia.
When, however, the time for the OPP
Grafton of the revised treaties was at
hand, Suye saw that inconve lience
might be caused by carrying on bust
ness in the name of a man who did
not reside in Yokohama. She thought
of registering in her own name, but
the nature of her business suggested
the adviSability of continuing the for
gn-prOtectiOn" stem as far as pos
Isible Miller seemed just the kind OF
person to suit her purpose, and she
made the prOpOS itiOn to him. He ac-
copied it with delight, and it was ar
ranged that an application in due form
should be sent to the United States
Consulate on July 10. But, in the
meanwhile, Suye began to entertain
doubts as to the wisdom of her choice.
She saw Miller in something of his
true light, and on July Is she informed
him of her resolve to make no change
in the registration.
peared another loafer upon the scene
in the person of Nelson Ward, young
seaman of the American ship Robert
Sax (?). He had deserted in Hakoda-
tie in April and made his way to Yo-
kohama Ward was good-looking and
aped the gentleman with some sue
cess. He succeeded in dipping two or
three foreigners into lending him
money. and in due course he found his
way to the Rising Sun Inn.
At o'clock on the morning of the
18th Miller rose, and possessed him.
self of a claw-hammer which was ly-
ing on the counter. He went to Ward S
side and, finding a razor, attempted 10
use it on the sleeping man. But the
edge turned Ward raised himself par
TALLY, and, before he could make any
effectual resistance, Miller battered
out his brains with the hammer, IN
flicting nine terrible wounds on his
head and face. Going upstairs, the
murderer found the girl Aki lying
asleep On her right side. He dealt her
a fatal blow just above the left ear and
followed it by four other crushing
strokes on the skull. All this had not
disturbed Suye. She was still sleeping
soundly when Miller came to her bed
Upon her he wreaked his full fury,
planting no less than eleven furious
blows on her skull and face, so that
her head presented the appearance OF
being honey-combed The place was
like a shambles, strewn with Jumps OF
flesh and brains and stained with
blood
Such is the gist of the judges find
ing. A large number of witnesses, in
Guiding several foreigners OF various
nationalities, were examined, and the
proofs of Miller's guilt are declared to
be conclusive. The case is an impor-
tant one, as being the first criminal
case against a foreigner to be tried by
the Japanese courts under the new
treaties.