The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-03
BY Walter S. Fulton

~ y OlkOn
Sunday evening. II Was shown |
that Miller had a black boat
II was shown that coiman was |
killed by a bullet which might have |
been fired from a 1910 Winchester
rifle. and u was shown that Miller |
owned such a rife and that hn
had II With him ut the neighbors |
homo tho day before. when he com |
planned that ncighbors were making |
trouble for him and his son.
SUSPICION POINTS
TO MILLER
nesses who were on tho opposite |
side OF tho island from where the
murder was committed. NJ the
time Of it, commission. who tessi.
fled that they saw black boa, |
out In the middle OF tho channel |
between the Island and the main |
land with person in II whose
face they did not recognise. tho
person had a shawl wrapped about
his head and shoulders and rat
uprigat when rowing. The boat |
was going north. which WINS the |
direction person would row In |
order 90 reach MiIlers home from |
tho scene OF the murder.
II was attempted 10 give the, cir.
cumiances narrnted strength by
'proving that Miller generally sat
unusually upright In hts boat when
rowing. and II was next attempted
10 show the whereabouts OF every
other boat on Lake Washington.
save that Of Miliers on the Mon.
day morning Of the killing.
Miller was arrested four days
before the discovery Of tho bodies.
when the sheriff arrived a, Millers
house he told him that he cams
there for the purpose OF arresting
him and his boys for the murder
Of coiman.
Miller said. "what colmanr"
Tho sheriff said. 'sYou know
very well what Coiman. q. NJ. Cot
man. the man you murdered"
After thu sheriff had Miller
aboard the steamer bound for So
attic. tho sheriff asked hira where
no had first heard OF Colman's
death. and he replied. when you
Just told mo"
DEFENDANT ADMITS
HE LIED TO SHERIFF
n was shown that this va. false
because . neighbor. Conway. had
been ss Milicrs house previous 10
the sheffrs arrival and had in.
formed Miller that the sheriff was
coming 20 arncst him for the muir.
DEF OF Coimnn.
Tho sheriff said 10 Miller. miller.
don't you know you are lying,
Don't you know that Conway had
been Al your house for fully half
an hour when got thsre and had
Informed you of the esct Of Col
mans death and that was con-
Ing 20 arrest your
Miller then admitted that he had
lied ana that Conway hah told him
that tho shcrfff was coming 10
arrest him for tho murder OF Col.
man.
After being taken % Seattle.
Miller was DISCHARGED By tho mags~.
trats for insufficient evidence and
returned 10 his home. He was
arrcstcd a second time after thu
bodies were found. but before ,hs
fact had bccn disclosed to him. Tho
evidence showed that at the time
Of The second arrest Miller was
nut In boat which was run 10
the point where the bodies wern
found and that just A. the keel
was touching tho shore the defend.
ant jumped from his seat. raised
his elbow against the pilot house
and rested his head on his hani
and Was trembling violently.
II was shown that the defendant.
seeking 20 cain himself. made an
attempt 10 light his pipe. that his
hands trembled so violently that
the match would 20 out before he
could iish, his Pipe. IL was shown
that the prisoner was sahcn TO the
undertaking establishment and was
there asked to look mt the bodies.
This he declined 20 do. the dc
fondant liftinn his eyes and looking
in the direction OF the wall. Al,
this time he refused 20 make any
statement but his breathing was
heavy and lnborcd. II was shown
that tho Winchester rife which
was In the possession OF the de.
PENDANT on the day before the muir.
der and which he had on the day
OF his first arrest could not be
found ut the ume Of the second ar.
rest and It was never produced.
SUPREME COURT
MAKES STATEMENT
In holding the evidence insuffi.
Client 10 warrant conviction. the
supreme court snid.
"The system Of fixing q sus.
picion OF crime upon a man. be.
cause II cannot be conceived who
else committed II. In dangerous.
To do this. n close scrutiny OF each
person who might have done the
deed should be made. IL this is
not done. and an accusation Is
made before II IL done. then the
innocent and guilty combine against
the man accused, tho guilty. most
euger for conviction. mi-lead the
innocent. Even tho innocent are
interested In avcrting suspicion
from themselves. In this way an
innocent man may fall the victim
OF tho popular clamor OF his neigh.
bora IL this hasty clamor In ms.
sisted by thu press. the danger is
greater The presumption, hastily
INDUCED In. that defendant was
guilty. prevented investigation az TO
the guilt of others. Tho fruit OF
the robbery has not been found.
nor has the probability that some
one else has done the deed been In.
vestigated with that scrutiny with
which II ought ia have been. In
the meantime. the certainty that
the horrible crime had been com.