Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-10-12
MILLS HAD WORK IN SIGHT
Al Idaho Newspaper Tries to DispfUe the
Turning Down" Theory.
Letters from o'ucivcney's slayer cited
In Proof Of the Claim what
they Contain.

Tho friends N Fred J. Mills. who
shot and killed J. e. O'Mclvcncy. chief
engineer Of tho oregon Short Line.
stoutly deny that Mr. Nils action was
In any way Influenced by reason u the
fact that be- was turned down" on
his application Tor work ON the Short
Limo. II. W. Ross, state engineer OF
Idaho, and warm friend " Mr. Mills.
has In his possession letters and facts
which make II plain that Mr.. Mills war
not uneasy on account of lack Of cm-
ploymcnt and that he harborcd no anil
mostly towards anyone because he had
not secured the position ON tho Short
Line.
Mr.. Ross has q letter from Mr.. Mills
written la salt Lake city ON AUG 2. iu
which the writer said. u am feeling
like myself again, and able 60 work.
but ~ yet am doing nothing. Was ole
fcrcd a position on the short Line and
have been expecting 20 80 to work
every day for ulo past two weeks, but
have finally been turned down by tho
medical department on account Of ply
slghl disability. go l am out again.
All new employees on the Short Line
have 10 tallo physical examinations
now. I think the physician D. some
what mistaken IN my case. but he has
the say and that settles II. I wouldn't
have cared % much about tho mater
had 1 not been led 10 feel certain 81
going 10 work on tho road. ana thus
have made no EFFORT for employment
elsewhere"
The letter throughout WINS written In
cheerful tone, there not being % trace
~ rrHontfulnCsa or nnimOIty IN a. In
tho course of the letter the writer ask
20 Mr.. Ross u he knew of any posi-
D. d HaaN.H d. H.H
Nh. Mr.. Ross wrote 60 Eiwuod Meade.
cX-Htatc engineer % Wyumlnr. who Ia
at present the expert M charge OF ir-
rlration Inquiry for the department uf
agriculture, asking u he had any POSI-
ton AIR Aills could M. Sir. Meade.
who an not know AZ that time that
Mr. Mills was out o. employment. re-
piled saying he would be only too glad
to secure his services, although the
position might not be permanent Mr.
Meade sent Tor Mr.. Mills and the lat
ter went TO Cheyenne aud entered the
employment Of the government, being
enEnrvd IN getting out some very inter-
cHtiig Statistics regarding practical r.
rlgation. when he went 10 Salt Lake
u was Tor the purpose ~ securing nddi-
tionnl data for the reports on which
he was working.
Meantime the irrigation congress
was held at Mlsaouln. Among those
NN|"NNNN NAN hNNAN NANMNNNN WIZ ANNH
Stubhr, president OF the Nevada ugrl-
cultural college and also president Of
the National Association ~ AgrIcul-
turll colleges. lie and SIR, Meade aud
Mr Ross were talking about Nlr, Mills
one day when Dr. Stuhhs said There
was o. vacancy ln the agricultural COLI
lrgo From what be- had learned of
Mr. Mills be would be Just the man to-
600 the chair. ana through Mr.. Meade
be- offered Mr.. Mills the position. Mr.
Mills was 20 advised. and the under
HtundlnF was that he was 60 cntrr
upon his new duties nH soon as h. COM
plOted the reports ln hand. Mr. Meade
told Mr. Hoas'at MlHHuula that he could
Eiyo SIR Mills employment for some
time 10 come, but the position offered
hy Or. Stubs was NO much better that
be was very glad Il had been rendered
o. Mr. Mills.
Or. Stubs stopped on al Sal, Lake
aud saw sir. Mills making an the arr
raugements for the latter's instnlln-
ton IN the ng; cultural college. These
facts show that Nit Mills was not
worried about employment, and that
the question u his being turned down"
the first " August. two months before
tho tragedy. by the medical depart
ment 81 the road had nothing 10 do
with the killing.