The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-09-01


Florida Woodenware company of this
city and whose home is in the Fran
els precinct near Wigg's Lake, was
shot and killed while on his way home
from work Wednesday evening about
$50.
AS near as can be estimated, Mrs.
Muller was killed at her home between
two ard three o'clock the same after
noon. At present no eye witnesses
can testify to the killing of Mrs. Mul-
ler by the son, but circumstancial ev-
idence, together with the admissions
of her demented son, point conclu-
sively to the same weapon in the
hands of this maniac.
J. M. Sanders of Francis saw John
Muller shoot his father. Mr.. San
ders was on his way home from work
and passed the old man in the Heights
near to where the road branches off
to go to the Grill residence. Mr.
Sanders says the old man acted as if
he was looking for some one; that he
walked slowly and frequently turned
to look back. When Mr.. Sanders had
gone some 300 yards he heard the
sound Of a gun, but said he didn't
think much about it-that someone
might be hunting-but he turned and
looked back down the road to see AL
bert Muller on the ground with his
son standing over him shooting into
the PROSTATE form. He waited a mo-
ment in alarm, then was Joined by a
negro named Gold Vance, and they
both saw the murderer take hold of
the prostrate mans hand and drag
him some so or 60 yards to the north
of the road and dump him into a
hole; then the man took spade and
shoveled the earth over him. When
the murderer had shoveled the earth
into the grave he left, going in a
northwest direction away from the
road.
Mr.. Sanders and Gold Vance then
went to the home of R. C. Woolwine
and telephoned the sheriff's office. In
o short time Deputy Sheriff Minton
arrived and all went to the grave.
The hole was not filled up, only about
a foot of earth being over the dead
man. They lifted him out and car
ried the corpse to this city where it
was turned over to Undertakers
Mooney & Davis.
That John Muller had deliberately
planned this murder there can be no
doubt. He dug the grave the day be-
fore the tragedy, and on Wednesday
night Law in wait for his father while
on his way home. The place in the
road where this tragedy occurred was
some 400 or 500 yards beyond the
Grill residence and on the clay road.
Later in the evening Deputy Sher-
iff Minton went to the Muller home.
All was peaceful there. The place
was in order and the supper table
was laid. But Mrs. Muller or the son
were OF about They searched the
grounds and about 300 feet from the
house Chief of Police Livingston
came upon what looked like a re
Gently made grave. They dug into it
and found the body of Mrs. Muller.
She also had been shot several times,
and had evidently been dead several
hours. Tracks showed where a wheel
barrow had been used to carry her
lifeless body from the house to the
grave.
Both graves were opened and the
bodies taken out in the presence of
iuries empaneled by Justice John E.
and these iuries of inquest
then adjourned to the following day.
On Thursday morning the inquest
into the death of Albert Muller was
concluded and the jury held the son
for first degree murder. In the after
noon the inquest into the death of
Mrs. Muller was held and the same
verdict reached.
About ten o'clock that night while
down Lemon street Clarence
Nerwin saw young Muller and pointed
him out to Deputy Minton. He was
oarrying a gun. Minton got out of
HE car and rushed him, catching him
~ the arms. The gun was cooked
,cady for action The murderer was
fastened to the Jail. The rife was a
y calibre Winchester repeater, and
lad some eight cartridges in it at the
.ime of capture.
Albert Muller and wife and their
;on came to this country some eight
NJ nine years ago from Germany.
They first settled in Detroit, Michigan.
bout four or five years ago he came
o Florida attracted by the offers of
he old New South Farms & Homes
20. Later he purchased a small
)lace at Wigg's Lake.
He was a quiet, unassuming and
lard working man, and his wife was
peaceful, home-loving wife and
mother. Their son, John, has been
,rratic for some time. The mother
him for the ministry of the
Baptist faith. but after an effort at
study it was determined
hat the boy was not adapted to it.
He failed to comprehend his studies.
But he was religious and studious.
He has been seen walking down the
middle of the streets of this city
reading a book.
Yesterday morning during the in
quest he was brought from the Jail
10 the court house. He wore a heavy
,hinchilla overcoat with velvet collar,
light trousers and heavy shoes. He
was hatless. He was given a seat
facing the jury and soon after he be-
gan to humble. He wanted to talk,