The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-03-24
SOLVES
DEATH MYSTERY
OF ALPENA GIRL
Declared Illegal Operation Killed
Pearl McMiIlen, Long a
Prisoner
SON OF ACCUSED MAN
TELLS OF HOME LIFE
Says Young Woman Refused To
Leave Dingy Rooms When
Others We're In House

A.PENA. Mich, March 2+.-lsps-
cial. AT the inquest over the bodI
OF Miss Pearl Kellogg McMiiien last
night, DIR. ID. A. Cameron, who was
called 10 attend the young woman
few hours before her death, TESTIFIED
that death was caused by perstonitis,
|superluduced hr GA illegal operation.
The only other witness sworn was
McMillen's son, william. II years old.
He told of conditions in the McMillen
home, Of the filthy rooms in which
the girl had been secluded for more
than u year. of her ambition to shine
as z vaudeville star, and how she
danced in her bare feet for hours,
under the direction OF his father.
He stated that he had not seen the
girl for several months. as she re-
fused to come out of her rooms while
anyone was in the house The boy
has not been living with his father.
although he often went to the home.
(, The boy declared that he did not
believe the girl was kept q prisoner.
although he admitted that she never
left her rooms except at night.
The inquest WIN be continued to
day.
McMillen has retained James Iran
els as his attorney.
Mrs. Esther r. Kellogg. 1913 FIJI
teenth-st.. mother of Pearl Kellogg
McMillen, who died from the effects
OF an illegal operation after being
kept q prisoner In the home OF her
foster father, Ephraim Mcmillan, ST.,
In Alpena for more than a year, to-
day declared that she believed her
hypnotic spell and that she was pow
erless to resist the man.
Pearl was taken away from me
fifteen years ago and placed In the
Coldwater school. had obtained q
divorce from my husband and the
court awarded me the custody OF the
children. At that time l was i'll and
unable to care for them myself.
Later, when was not expected to
live, consented TO allow someone to
adopt Pearl. / did not remember
who II was when I got better but I
have since learned that 1t was Nc
Mtllen.o
"rcr ten years I was kept IN ignor-
ance Of my daughters whereabouts
because the superintendent> of the
Coldwater school wouldn't tell me
where she had gone and refused to
forward my letters.
I'm June, 1919. 1 learned that she
was In the McMillen home and went
there to get her. spent three days
In the house, but was Dowefless. -
my daughter refused to leave. a.
though she seemed to want to very
much. ! went to the prosecutor and
he referred me to the chief Of police.
Together we went to the house
and McMillen ordered 10 Oh the place.
The chief said he could do nothing
unless there was ground for q GRIM
inal charge against McMillen.
"A year later I found that McMil-
len, left Alpena with Pearl. saying
that he was going to Chicago to place
her In q school Of acting. ] had him
trailed and found that they had stay
Cd In q Grand Rapids roOming house.
II am going to Afpena Thursday TO
assist in prosecuting the fisnd who -
for my daughters death.
"As long ~ life lasts will con-
tiAue to hate that vampire and pray
that God will deliver vengeance into
my hands"
Mrs. Kellogg was located in Detroit
when Mrs.. Myra McMillen, who LETT
the man now under arrest becouse OF
his relations with the girl, telegraph
ed the Alpena authorities telling
them where Pearls mother could be
found.