St. Tammany farmer., 1911-08-12
KILLS HIMSELF
AND HIS I WIFE \ /
Peter Miller Kills His Girl
Wife in Jealous Rage.
Had Been Married But Few
Months Before Tragedy.
Quarrel Followed An All
Night From Home.
Bodies Buried Beside Each
Other After Inquest.

New Orleans, Aug. 8.-McDon-
oughville, in Jefferson Parish, the
little town across the river between
Gretna and Algiers, was stirred and
shocked yesterday by an awful
murder and suicide at the home of
Peter Miller, a ner'er-do-well, who
killed his girl wife in fit of jealous
passion, after which he took his own
life.
The tragedy last night came after
four months of domestic infelicity,
for On the midnight of March 2S the
couple were married at Gretna after
the stubborn groom had enticed the
16-year-o1d girl, who was then Mary
Eisenhardt, away from the bosom of
hel family. Ever since their mar
riage the two have quarreled, and
IT. is said that Miller was idle most
of the time.
Although Miller committed the
dastardly deed at about l O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, no one knew
anything about the shooting until s
o'clock at night, when one of the
neighbors bore the information to
the Eisenhardt family that some one
had exploded a revolver in the Miller
home during the afternoon and that
no one had been seen to come from
the house after that time.
With this information the girls
fanny realized instantly that Miller
had used the revolver that he flour
ished at their house earlier in the
afternoon. One OF the Eisenhardt
brothers rushed around to the Miller
home in Jefferson Avenue, near the
Texas and Pacific Railroad tracks,
and upon entering the aide yard
and approaching the steps leading
to the bedroom he found the door
half open. Pushing the door so that
the moonlight entered the room, he
rushed in and horrible sight met
his gaze. Before him. sprawled upon
his back, with huge hole in his
forehead, lay Miller, cold in death,
while in the corner of the room,
near the iron bedstead, lay Mrs. Mil
Ter. Her features were distorted,
showing that she had suffered great
ly before dying. Beside Miller's body
a 32-caliber revolver, with two
chambers empty, was found by the
Mortified young man.
Running out into the street, Eisen-
hardt spread the alarm, and in
few moments the modest little cot
tage in which the Grim Reaper had
held carnival wailing relatives,
friends of the deceased and inquisi-
tive persons who gossiped freely
about the troubles of the unfortunate
Before the bodies were pre-
pared for burial an inquest was held
by DR.. Charles Gelbke, coroner of
the parish, and Messrs. Phil Hinder
lang, N. H. Pierce, VIM. Walter, Jas.
Afford and J. Elliot, who pronounced
death as being due to murder and
suicide. The bullet that caused Mrs.
Miller's death entered her left
shoulder and plowed its way on a
downward course into the body,
while Miller destroyed himself with
a well-directed shot into the brain,
the ball entering his forehead be-
tween the eyes.
AS there was no witnesses to the
shooting, the exact cause cannot be
given, but according to the state
ments made last night by members
Of the Eisenhardt family, the trouble
followed a nights debauchery on the
part of Miller, who had left his wife
a. her parents home while he was
away. Yesterday at noon, Miller
visited his father-in-law's house and
called his wife to the door. He had
been drinking and was unsteady in
his gait. He demanded that she re-
turn home with him, and when she
refused he left the place in fit OF
passion, crying out: "I'll make her
go home with me when l come back;
see if don't"
In about an hour time Miller re-
turned to the Eisenhardt home and
again called his wife. to the door.
When she responded, instead of see-
ing her husband wrought up with
passion as he left her an hour be-
fore, she found him as quiet and
docile as lamb, and it was his
pleading that caused the poor woman
% relent. AS the couple left the
house neighbors called out to Miller
not to quarrel with his wife, and he
replied that he loved her too well to
think of mistreating her. From Mil.
leI's back trouser-pocket the nickel
plated handle of a revolver shone in
the sunlight, and as the couple left
The vicinity of the Eisenhardt home
Miller began TRADE upon his wife
hat boded no good for her. 1t was
about 1o'clock that they entered the
ONE. and shortly afterwards the
shooting occurred.
When seen last night Mr.. Eisen-
aardt was greatly affected by the
and standing out in front
1f mis- home he told the neighbore /
who had gathered about him his feel
ne in the matter.
Il have not forgiven the girl yet
or running away from home and I
that fellow Miller" he said. I
She ran away with him and has not l
,een happy since, and now there can
~ no further happiness for her."
When Miller first called upon