The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-26
FIREMAN MlLLER'S TRIAL.
A Test to Find Whether He Really
Could Read.

John W. Miller, a city fireman, was on
trial again yesterday before the Board of
Public Safety a new charge having been
added to those preferred against him by
William Richie, the father OF his divorced
wife. The Millers were divorced last
March, the wife procuring the decree. In
May her father fled charges against Miller
and he was brought before the board These
charges were 10 the effect that Miller could
neither read nor write and would not pay
his debts. In the trial IL was sought to
show that Miller had been guilty Of unusual
brutality toward his former wife. The
prosecution desired TO prove this by people
who were familiar with the evidence
brought out in the divorce trial. but the
board declined to accept this kind OF testi-
mony. AS to the charges of illiteracy and
Millers failure TO pay his debts, the board
did not think they were sustained and Mil
Ter was acquitted.
A few weeks later, 1t appears, mys-
terious thing happened. One day Edward
H. Davis, clerk of the Safety Board, left
his desk to go into an adjoining room to at
tend a short meeting of the board. When
he returned to his desk he found a docu-
ment that contained a record Of the evil
dence In the Miller divorce trial so far as 1t
related to the husbands alleged brutal
treatment OF his wife. The document was
signed by Mrs. Miller. DR.. STICKY and Judge
Carter. who heard the evidence in the case.
1t was turned over TO the board and was
prosecution had sought TO introduce at the
trial OF Miller before the board. The docu-
ment bearing the seal of the court, the
things set out and Miller was suspended
pending hearing. The matter was called
up yesterday and after hearing the evil
Of unity 10
the case under advisement.
James NJ. Winters. who represents Mrs.
NIL Miller IN he her SUIT Tor dvorEe
Henry Span was also present for the
prosecution. Joseph Is. Healing appeared
for Miller. There was no explanation Of
case proceedings happened to get before the
Board of Safety. Mr.. Healing charged that
Miller's former father-in-law had hand in
placing ii before the board, but this was
denied by Ritchie's lawyers.
Attorney Winters says that Mrs. Miller
for her own use in the event that she
should desire TO marry again. and she had
the record made. She is a member of the
laws OF her church regarding the remar-
riage Of people who have been divorced.
eea ws to nrs said
the Board of Public Safety, but he was
e fdrm Rchs trial aid not o The eedence In
fore the board was gone over in
addition to the new evidence. Mil
lers divorced wife was present with her
father. Miller was married TO Miss Richie
in 1898. Prior TO her marriage she was a
stenographer in the office Of Attorney Win
ters. She testified that while she was en-
ployed in the law office she took vacation
and left the city. Miller was paying her
attention at the time, and while. she was
away she received several letters from him.
After her marriage she learned that he did
not write the letters, but had some, one else
write for him. Mrs Miller testified|that she
did not think her husband could read. She
said that while they were living together
she saw him one night shifting a newspa-
per about in his hands. Apparently he was
reading, but when she looked over his
shoulder she saw that he had the paper up
side down. While on the witness stand yes
terday Miller was handed copy of the
rules regulating the fire department and
was asked 10 read Section "23." He did SO
and Attorney Spaan then took the book and
pointed out different words of Section '23''
and asked Miller TO pronounce them. He
was able TO do so. and Mr.. Span intimated
that he had been "practicing'' since the
first trial of the case.