The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-19
HOW DID MILLER DIE ?
THE INDICTMENTS RETURNED
SATURDAY
BAIL FOR THE MEN FURNISHED

suited in MilIer's Arrest and His
Subsequent Death in a CeII-NO
Talk ut the Time of Any Foul
PIay-PersOns Under Indictment
Believed Innocent.
EDEN VALLEY, Mimi, Dec. 18-The
A. c. Miller tragedy, in connection with
which five indictments were returned
at Litchfield on Saturday, is the talk
Of this community, as 1t was here Miller
met his death, either by committing sui
eide or at the hands of an organized
mob. A. c. Miller, a man without
home, friends or relatives, worked on
the farm of Casper Schmidt for two
years. He was an eccentric character
and about run the farm, at least he
thought he did, for he gave orders and
did as he pleased. Withal, he was good
workman, and Schmidt humored his fan
cy. He became quite intimate with Mrs.
Schmidt in the early spring, and the
Fourth Of July they celebrated and had
their picture taken together. On the
9TH or 8th of October Miller and Mrs.
Schmidt took a trip together to Itch
field, Glencoe and Hutchinson, and on
their return Miller filled up with whisky
and made threats, in the presence of
several witnesses, against the life Of his
employer, Schmidt. Friends of Schmidt,
thereupon, drove out to the farm and ap-
prised him Of his danger, with a result
that Miller was arrested by William
Kickbrush, the village marshal, and
locked up.
Ac he limo RCAI CIV
day, a large crowd gathered at the Jail
to see Miller and to discuss the scandal
in which he and Mrs. Schmidt were in
volved. They endeavored to scare Miller
into confession of his escapade with
Mrs. Schmidt. On Monday morning Miller
confessed everything, stating that their
Illicit relations were begun in May.
Tuesday evening he was found dead in his
cell, having made a rope of his shirt
sleeves and suspended himself by the
neck. Naturally there was a revival
Of talk after the death Of Miller, and the
theory was advanced so persistently
by number that he had been choked
to death and hanged by the injured hus-
band and certain friends that the case
finally reached the grand jury and indict-
ments We're returned as previously re-
ported. Advocates Of the lXnching theory
appeared before the jury and were in
strumental in getting the indictments
for murder in the first degree. Among
those who testified were Finlay Snell W.
D. Johnson, D. Mcmillan; J. L. Chip
man and Jake Hess
A large per cent of Eden Valley peo-
pie believe that the persons under indict-
ment are the victims of a peculiar COM
bination of circumstances. They have re-
sided in this section for years and have
| always been respected and known as
good citizens. They are now out on bail,
which was furnished on Saturday after
noon by the eight principal moneyed
men Of this village, who went to Itch
field and signed the bond of $4,000. The
accused will be tried at the February
term Of the district court at Litchf1eld,
| Judge Powers presiding.
At the time Coroner Hilderbrandt held
the inquest there was not the slightest
| suspicion of foul play and the coroner's
| verdict was suicide by hanging" On
| the day that Miller met his death a re-
| vulsion of feeling in his favor took place
| in certain quarters, and 1t is alleged that
| two or three citizens purposed to break
| open the Jail and assist him in getting
: away in the west bound 500 train that