The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-14
STORY TOLD BY MILLER TO
FEDERAL COURT JURY
WITNESSIN OWN BEHALF
Relates Alleged Experience With
Men, He Says Daubed Him
With Yellow
From Tuesdays Daily.
N. P. S. Miller occupied the witness

stand the entire day yesterday in thu
United States court in the s18o,00t
| lamage suit he has brought in tina
court against S. B. Duea, Henry NC
Keen, Barney Mooney and John Gray
Of Pipestone, for alleged maltreat'
ment and indignities suffered at the
hands Of the defendants on the nigh
Of May 10, 1918.
Mr.. Miller testified yesterday thai
he had been called from his home al
Ruthton, about twenty miles from
Pipestone on May 10, 1918, to show
cause why he would not subscribe
for more than $50 worth Of Libert,
bonds: When he was taken by the
he was taken to the court house
where eight men besides himself ant
the sheriff had assembled. He stated
that Mr.. Duee acted as chairman o.
the gathering of Liberty loan com
mittee, and Mr.. Gray acted as sec.
rotary. The first question he re
members being asked Of him there
was by Mr.. McKeon, who asked him
to sign up for his full quota of $40(
worth of Liberty bonds. Miller sale
that he told them that he had bu
OuO GU duu uC wdi
ready at any time to sign up for thai
amount. This did not satisfy the II.
berty loan committee, and one of the
members said that he would give Mil
Ter ten minutes to sign up for his
quota, and for every ten minutes hi
delayed signing the amount would b.
increased 500. Miller then tesu
fed that when sufficient tine hat
elapsed to pay the penalty of s10t
for every ten minutes delay reached
$500. One Of the men said that the!
were all good loyal citizens and they
were ashamed to come in contac
fused to take out his quota of bonds
Miller says, that one OF the commit
tee got so angry that he shook hi
fist in his face.
Statement Of Miller.
Mr.. Miller said that when the LII
berty loan committee had become
convinced that nothing could be done
with him in the way of taking ou
his full quota of Liberty bonds, Mr.
McKeon said that Miller could take
his choice Of going to the fedora
prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, or t
Fort Dodge. Mr.. McKeon also salt
that he might be sent down south t.
a detention camp until after the wal
and then deported. Miller says tina
he answered IL that twas his fate 4
would have to be So" Here the wit.
ness again stated that the men shool
their firsts In his face. One Of thu
men said, do not strike him while
his glasses are on. One Of the com
mittee took Mr.. Miller's glasses OF
but Mr.. McKeon protested and said
DO not strike him, for he is an OLE
man."
cross examination Of Attorney Pierce
moments before Miller left the Jcourt
house, that one of the defendants
said, "If you do not sign up for $40,
900 bonds, we will not be responsible
for what happens to you on the out
side"
Miller said that he explained to thu
liberty loan committee that he diS
not feel loke borrowing money to nee
the liberty bonds at eight per CEN
interest at the banks. when he woult
| only receive four per cent from the
government. The witness stated thai
he then said that if they would pur.
would turn the same into liberty
bonds. 1t was then, Mr.. Miller stat.
ed, that Mr.. Duea offered Mr.. Miller
5000 for his residence in Ruthton, but
Mr.. Miller refused this offer, statilt
that his wife owned a half Interest
in the property. Considerable laugh.
ter was caused in court yesterda,
afternoon, and the witness smiled too
when Mr.. Miller said that he did moi
wish to sell his share of the house
to Duea, and thus make his wife 6
CO. partner with Duea in the prop
erty.
Part of Stomach Cut Away.
When asked by Attorney Butler tt
state just why he would not take Out
his quota of Liberty bonds, Mr.. Mil
Ter said that his income from his
farm is very small, and is scarcely
| enough to support he and his wife
Another thing or reason why / die
not want to take out the bonds II
that ! was afraid I could not meet
the payments when they came due
You might call me an invalid, any
way, for I have only part of my
cut away in an operation. Anyway
after they had painted my house and
fence yellow felt mean and ugly to.
ward them" Miller failed to make
himself definite as to what or who he
meant by them"
After leaving the court house, Mil
Ter says that he was accompanied to
the Calumet hotel In Pipestone BY
the sheriff. Later he left in the no.
tel buss for the depot intending to
take train back to Ruthton, but Just
as he was about to board the trian
the defendants Mooney and McKeor
took hold Of him and forced him tc
get into an automobile and drove him
back to the central part of town
where the crowds began to jeer al
him as a Stacker" "Hun" etc. Some
one came out of the crowd and daub-
ed him with yellow paint, part Of
which was poured on his head, and
down inside his clothing. Following
this he was paraded up<and down the
streets and jeered and hooted at and
called vile names, much to his humili
alton. Some one in the crowd said
according to the testimony, of Miller
Lets auction of his watch to get q
rope to hang him."
Was Taken Into Jail.
Following this Miller told of how he
was later met by a policeman who
took him into the jail where he re-
manned for time, and then on the
advice of the officer went out through
q back alley to the country road, and
after walking all night finally reach
ed his home next morning.
Later Mr.. Miller said that he dis
posed Of his residence in Ruthton and
his farm Just outside and moved tc
Sioux City, because his wife had re.
ceived such a shock when she saw
him come home in the condition he
was the morning after being painted
at PiDeStOne that she refused tn live