Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-03-15
TWO SLAIN BY CONVICT.
AFTER KILLING DIVORCED WIFE
AND STEP-MOTHER ROSCOE P.
MILLER COMMITS SUICIDE.
TRAGEDY AT BEAVER DAM.
Murderer Had Served Sixteen Years in
Prison for Killing Man at
Milwaukee.

BEAVER DAM. Wis. March IL
Especial IA brutal double murder aAd
suicide late Saturday ended the criminal
career OF Roscoe r. Miller former CON
vict, who served Il term for the murder
of 4 fellow workman at Milwaukee. His
victims Saturday were his divorced wife
and his stCpmother Mrs. +. G. Miller.
Details OF the crime, as told today by
Mrs. Max Schumacher, MilIers daugh-
ter, add to the horror Of the deed.
Murder of Wife Terrible.
Miller wci.t to The house where his
wife and daughter were and sat down
to smoke while the TWO women were
washing. His daughter went into bed
room to make the beds. when she heard
her mother scream for help. Going into
the room, she found her father beating
her mother over the head with billy.
She hurried to help her, only to be
knocked down by blow from her ia
thcr's club. She got up. took up her
baby. and fled to neighbours. Her IA
Their then killed her. mother by heating
her into insenslbility then shooting her
in the left eye and in the right jaw.
When officers found the body. Il -
ycar-oId grandchiId was standing over
it crying.
Struggle with Step-Mother.
Miller then went over to his step-moth-
er's and began QUarrCling with her. He
put his arm around her to hold her, hut
she broke away from him and he caught
her by the hair of the head. AS she
backed away from him he shot at her
and she threw up her left hand and the
bullet struck Il ring. cutting OFF the third
finger. She attempted to escape at a
door, but he threw her to the floor and
shot her i'll the right jaw.
Miss Grace Miller, stepsistor, cs
capped from the house while he was kill
ing her mother.
Miller then seated himself in rocking
chair and put d bullet i'll his head. He
lived three hours and Il half after the
shooting. dying i'll the city jail.
Quarrel Over Daughter
The triple tragedy was brought about
by the appearance of the wife of Miller
precarious Living in this city since his
release from prison by doing odd jobs.
A daughter Of Miller has been keeping
house for him.
While Mrs. Miller was attempting to
persuade her daughter to come to live
with her in Milwaukee the two were in
terrupted by the entrance of Miller
Cut Off in Fathers Will.
The triple tragedy was primarily,
caused by family troubles. Ever since
Miller has been released from prison
there have been strained relations. From
a model railroad employe Miller descend
ed into a common rOuStabout. mOrOSe
and ycngefuI. His wife had obtained IL
divorce. His daughter, Myrtle, stuck to
him through all his trials and kept house
for him.
An important element in the shooting
was the fact that one year ago, on tho
death Of Ebenezer Miller, his father, the)
son was cut off without legacy. The
entire estate of something like $4,000
went to Mrs. Egbert g. Miller, the step
mother.
First Crime Over Trifle.
Miller was - years Of age He was
born and raised on his fathers farm
near this city. On March s, 1887. while
shops, he killed Lot Compton. an engi-
neer. in Il trivial quarrel over a fancy
lunch box. For this crime he was SEN
fenced to twenty-five years, after eVad-
ing arrest for several years. in the pcni-
tertiary. He was pardoned about four
years ago.
Miller has Il daughter. Mrs August
CafaIaf who lives at 451 Park street,
Milwaukee, His wife has Il brother,
George Fields, also living in Milwaukee,
Boy Stays His Father.
SOLON. O., March 11.-Richard Ken
nedy. Jr. 20 years old, struck his father
with baseball bat, killing him instantly.
His father and mother were quarreling
and the son came to his mothers rescue,
dealing his father the fatal blow. The
boy surrendered to the police.