Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-14
Police Attempt to
Suppress Story
of Crime
Forced to Admit Shoot
ing They Call It
Suicide
Victim Found Dead on a Bed In a
Lodging House, with Three
Bullet Holes Behind
Right Ear

Albert MacMillen, 80 years of age,
was found lying dead across his bed in
room of the Hudson rooming house,
244 East Fifth street, with three bullet
wounds back of his right ear about 10
o'clock yesterday morning, and, al
though the police at first expressed ig-
norance of his death, detectives were
employed all day yesterday investigat-
ing it. confident that the man had been
murdered.
The body lies at Bresee Brothers
undertaking establishment, with three
gaping wounds in the head. The re-
volver with which the man was shot is
at the coroners office, while three
empty shells testify to the weapons s
awful work.
The death of the man is clothed in
mystery. The police refuse to give any
information in regard to it, while the
undertakerI at first refused to even
admit the body was at their place. AS
late as o'clock last night the police
refused to admit that they had even
heard of the mans death, and Lieut..
Williams, on duty during the day, in
sisted that there was no truth in the
report.
Police Admit Death
At $3.50 o'clock last night, however,
the police were forced to admit that
the.S had heard of the mans death and
that report on it had been made to
the detectives office shortly after the
body was found.
The detectives refused to give out
any information they had gained, but
insisted that In their mind it was a
case of suicide, pure and simple.
At the lodging house Mrs. A. ].
Moore, the landlady, at first refused to
give any information in regard to the
death of her roomer, but at last con-
sented to tell the affair as she knew it.
Mr.. MacMillen and another man
came to my house about week ago."
she said. 1.-THE two men resembled each
other greatly and appeared to be
brothers. Mr.. Macmillan engaged a
front room from me and paid for it in
advance. His companion then went
away and since that time l have not
seen him.
"Mr. Macmillan was very regular in
his habits. He arose about 8 o'clock
each morning and left the house soon
after that hour He was always in by
u ClOCh dI night, anu L never H6dTQ
him moving about the room.
Hear Revolver Shots
He must have arisen earlier this
morning, as neither my daughter nor
myself heard him leave the house. At
about 8 o'clock we were sitting on the
rear porch when j. T. Linnard, another
roomer, came to us and said that his
wife, an invalid, thought she had heard
shots in one of the rooms. We talked
about it for few minutes, but did not
suppose any harm had been DONE We
then went into the house and began
cleaning up the rooms.
when we came to room 8, the one
Mr.. Macmillan occupied, my daughter
opened the door. 1t was unlocked. AS
we glanced in we saw the form Of
man lying across the bed and large
blots of blood on the counterpane and
sheets.
81 told my daughter the man must
have suffered with q hemorrhage and
we ran to Mr.. Linnard's room and
asked him to come with us. He entered
Macmillan must have killed himself,
and he hold up the revolver.
II ran to the street and called po-
llcemap, who in turn notified the coro-
ner, and little later the body was
taken to Bresees undertaking estab-
lishment.
Had Plenty of Money
Mr.. Macmillan has at all times
seemed to be IN perfect health and was
plentifully supplied with money. He
appeared to be working man, as he
always dressed roughly. He was quiet
in his movements and to me his death
seems to be filled with mystery
I'VE have only had this house two
months and hope this is the last ex-
perience of the kind we will have while
running it,"
FRS. Moore would not say she had
been instructed by the police not to
talk. but 1t was apparent from her ac-
tons that she feared what might re-
suit IL 1t was found she had said any
thing about the case.
1t was impossible to get into COM
munication with Coroner Lanterman
last night, but 1t is understood one of
his deputies visited the place and re-
ported to the police.
MacMillen's body was found lying
across the bed with the revolver a
short distance from his right hand. In
quiries in the neighborhood last night
failed TO reveal any person who was
acquainted with the man and he was
evidently a stranger In the city. He
left no books or papers of any descrip-
tion which would give a clew to his
identity or from what city he came.
An inquest will be held at the parlors
Monday morning. when 1t is thought
sufficient evidence will be produced 70