The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-04-18
SID MILLER WILL
BE BURIED TODAY
One Of Suspects confessss That He ard
Another Negro Went 30 Rob
Negro Sexton.

Never before. perhaps, In the city Of
Pensacola has negro been given suoh
funeral as will be given Sid Miller,
sexton for Christ Episcopal church for
more than twenty years, who died at
| the Pensacola hospital yesterday after
noon at Q o'clock. Sid was mortally
wounded some time during Saturday
night by someone who attempted to rob
him In the church store room where he
made his quarters.
James Richardson. the negro that Capt.
Harper and Special Officers Bowman
and O'Connell arrested late Sunday aft
ernoon. wllted yesterday afternoon just
as Miller was dying at the hospital and
confessed that he and another negro,
Herbert Cotton, went to the church for
| the express purpose Of robbing Rev
erend." AZ Sid was known to the negro
/ population. Richardson said that he
waited on the outside OF the door while
Cotton called Miller. and that when he
opened the door Cotton struck him with
an axe. went inside and closed the door
! behind him. He was in there about
twenty minutes. Richardson declared az
he was sitting in his cell at the city jail
yesterday afternoon. Cotton. however,
denies 1t all.
The confessor told the officers that
| Cotton, after he had finished the crime.
came out, locked the door. and threw
the keys in a cIump OF bushes alongside
the church building. These were found
| just where he said. And Richardson also
/ said that Cotton gave him some Of the
money. among this being $50 gold piece
| that Miller had used as watch fob.
This gold piece is what proved the un-
doing Of Richardson. The police recov-
cred 1t from negro woman who adj
mitted that Richardson had given It to
her. When 1t was flashed in his face
he loosened up and told the story. How
ever. there are certain parts of his con-
fession that the police do not seem JIM
clined to put much credence in, as 1t Is
somewhat hazy and conflicting at times.
Up until late last night Cotton en-
| phatically denied that he had anything to
| do with the crime. But his alibis also
are somewhat conflicting. and when the
| police began to crowd him he gets very
laxative. sometimes being at a loss for
words. When Richardson accused him
to his face of being the one that killed
Miller he broke down and cried.
i Richardson In his confession said that
there was not shot fired, that Miller's
death was not caused by a bullet wound,
/ but by the axe. To prove or disprove
4
Miller's head yesterday afternoon and
the ugly wound over the left eye bears
out the statement. It looks as il 1t had
| been caused by the blade of an axe,
/ but the one on the right side OF the head
\ just In front of the ear could not have
been inflicted by an axe. DR.. Hutchinson
was of the opinion that 1t was either a
bullet wound or had been made by some
sharp pointed instrument such as an ice
pick, for instance.
Funeral services for the dead man will
be held from Christ Episcopal church
this afternoon at o'clock, Rev. G. Hen
dree Harrison, officiating. The cortege
| will leave the home OF Miller's sister,
619 West Gregory street. at 3:45 O'clock
and win proceed to the church at Wright
and Palafox streets. Burial will be made
4 In St. Johns cemetery.
! During the 20 years or more that Sid
was sexton at the church he missed
very few services, was always faithful
| In the discharge OF his duties. was trust
worthy, honest, taking almost as much
interest in the activities of the church
| as II he had been. member Of the con-
gregation. This won for him the esteem
! Of those he served, and the wardens and
vestrymen OF the parish will act as hon
orary pallbearers at his funeral. And a
special space will be reserved for his
colored friends. ss
The active pallbearers, numbering
some OF Sid's closest colored friends, will
l. be Claude Hambrlck. William Springer
i Henry Pruno, Chas. williams, Joseph
Wynn, and Floyd King.
The honorary pallbearers the wardens
and vestrymen of the parish, win be as
/ follows: I. Fl. Aiken. senior warden: w.
! A. Smith, j. C. Watson. w. K. Hyer,
J.. r. McLane. o. J. Semmes. Huxley
| Carter. w. F. Miner, c. H. Collier, W.
w. White, e. p. E1ebash and Henry
| Hilton Green.