The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-04-30
PECULIAR CASE
CONTINUED from Page one) J

NSbhAihhVu iiOhi Il use ChVsy
was fired. Taking advantage of Whites
eagerness to talk, he was separated
from the other two and the confession
was arranged. out White was placed
in the same cell with one "Biddy'
Click, tough Wooster character, nov
in the penitentiary. To "Biddy" White
told the story Of the shooting and sait
that Miller was the guilty one. Ht
also disclosed that he was about L
sign a written confession TO that ef
feet.
Click resolved to forwarn Miller ant
Everhardt who were in a cell severa
feet away. So he improvised mod,
of communication not down on the jai
program. He passed notes to Mile
and Everhardt by simply taking 1
tightly wound spool OF thread, aiminl
It in the direction of Miller's cell an'
/ then giving II spin along the foo
which sent Il swiftly, though silentl!
under the cage.like barriers to wher
Miller and Everhardt stood watching
NiillNl eNNhA lHb Nllt oDOOl tllu vi Niit
thread, waited for a signal from bid
dy', who attached his notes to the
free end and thus accomplished the
means of communication back anC
forth.
In this way Miller learned what
White intended to do. lie Immediately
sent for his attorney. As result
Miller formally stated TO his attorney
that White was the guilty one. Ever
hardt, 1t is supposed, backed him uI
in his assertions. The result of this
was that Miller and his attorneys were
wise to every act of White and to ali
his statements to the prosecutor.
Lyman Critchfeld was the Wooster
attorney who aided in the defense OF
White. White swore Miller did The
shooting and was freed. Then came
Miller's turn IN court. William T.
Weygandt, Of Wooster, and William
Roach, OF Alliance, defended Miller.
One of the most consummate legal
plots ever wound into murder trial
was hatched between these two men TO
free Miller long before Whites trial
was the one decided on as the hrst of
the three. The attorneys clustered
about change of venue, demanded i'm.
mediate trial. shook their heads slyly
about the gravity of their clients sit.
uation, brought him frequently into
court to show his half-famished condl.
tion TO the iudge-Wayne county jail
fare being one Of the alleged punish.
ments which ut that time Jail prisoners
were supposed 10 be enduring-and by
several intricate passes anSs counter.
passes in which they cross-tilted with
the state several times, bafIled every
one as 10 the plan they intended to
pursue to free Miller. Public sentiment
at that time, fostered somewhat by the
theory held by the state, said that Mil.
Ter was the guilty one. Miller's attor.
neys fought hard 10 have Miller tried
first, which undoubtedly clinched the
of the state TO try White
first. White innocent seemed TO mean
Miller guilty and Miller's attorneys
fostered this feeling in so far as II
the states view Of their real
plans and allowed Whites trial TO pass
on without any expert being introduc.
ed on either side TO show by a com.
parison OF bullet and bore that his
gun held the fatal ball, or which
might have shown that his gun did not
lold the fatal ball; and this would
iave7meant that Everhardt's did. Mil.
er's attorneys felt secure In their the
,ry that Miller did not do the actual
and when an expert, one-time
'mploye Of the Krupp gun works, went
N the stand and swore that the bullet
aiken from the breast OF Dye did not
ONE from the gun he carried, the bolt
which fell in the prosecutors table /
vas heavy and blasted his hopes for
iiller's conviction.
The jury which acquitted Miller was |
ed TO believe that their predecessors /
I the White trial may have made
Mistake. The jury, OF course, could
OF rectify the mistake Of the for.
ler Jury at the trial OF Miller.
The three boys were indicted for 1
murder in the first degree. They were
xtremely youthful. The defense exer.
Ised Its lG peremptory challenges,
lille the state, under the existing In.
ictment could exercise but four.
The case was admirably conducted
y the state, yet no one was convict.
d. The Dye murder may be called a
iystery still. In view OF the acquit-
Ills, no one can now be declared
uilty, Yet that young Thomas Dye
'as cruelty, wantonly and brutally
murdered all of the facts so far as as,
bear witness.