The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-11

Robbed Of his wife and almost his last
dollar BY the man whom he had trusted as
q friend, Louis Miller. bowed with 6 years
Of honest tell. sat in the lobby Of the Ma
tional hotel yesterday. his face buried IN
his hands. . picture OF dumb despair.
Miller Is q German mAchfnist. whose
homo Is in bloomington. H.. and who only
six weeks ago returned 10 civilization aft
or eighteen months spent In an unsuccess-
full search fer gold In the Wild and inhos-
p;tabie Copper river country. Tnfther Ne
was accompanied by his pretty young wife,
Amelia. little more than half his years.
Upon their arrival In Seattle they met
George BrawIey. For weeks Brawiey
haunted M!ller's apartments II the hotel.
and only on Friday morning. after his wife
and Brawiey we're gone. was the indui-
gent husbands eyes opened TO their Joint
peFfidy.
With them the erring couple took 500 In
cash and . gold watch belonging to Miller.
The money represented the last OF the saw
mss Of years Of unremitting toll. His trip
to Copper river cost Miller moro than $3.50.
Yesterday SD was every cent he possessed.
He has, however, some modest holdings In
Bloomington. and there he will 60 tenor
rev to again take up the tools Of his trade
and to forget the sad end OF his unfortu-
nate journey In search Of the golden treas
ure OF the frozen Nerthland.
The Ola Man's story.
II was . sad story that Miller told the
.pslics yesterday morning when h reported
his double loss. and even the hearts OF the
officers. hardened to hear such tales. were
touched by the recital. Miller has lived In
Bloomington many years. ana has four
children. the youngest Is. by former mar
riage. His present wife he married In that
city about three years ago. At that time
\ &x,A IN fhA
United States from Germany, her native
land She had two young children. one OF
whom Is now In Germany. the other In
Bloomington. both being cared for. Miller
claims. by himself.
When, in the early part Of last year. MIL
Ter determined to join in the rush for
Copper river. he offered his wife two al
ternstives enc to remain In Bloomington
and the other to go back to her mother IL
Germany to await his return with for
tune. He promised to provide for her sup
port in either case.
But she, he says, sturdily refused to be
left alone and begged to 60 with him to
the land Of gold She was strong and g
good worker. he says. and he yielded. She
went. Together they tramped for days over
mountains. forded streams and assembled
rivers until they reached the headwasers
Of the Copper river. They prospected. but
1t was At Shushitna island. far UP the
Copper river. several months ago that Mil
ler's confidence In his wife was hrst
shaken. In company with . man whom
he had grubstaked she decamped one
night. he says, with nearly $1,000 in money
and started for Copper Center. the me-
tropo,is OF that part OF Alaska. She took
with her the keys TO her husbands cache
Of provisions, and was prepared. he says.
to make him q beggar and return to the
states. leaving him to fight his battles
alone.
Took Her Back Once.
But this time he overlook her at Copper
Center. There he says, she pleaded:
Father. forgive me just this once and
will return with you ana be your good
frau again." Then his resentment was
melted and he took her again to his bosom.
When Miller and his wife reached Seat
tie six weeks ago today BY the steamer