Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-09
ROBERTSON NAMED
IN MILLS MURDER
gses
Bethesda Contractor Prob
ably viii Go on Trial Early
in September.

Rs a Sasf Correspondent of The Star.
ROCKVILLE, Nd. August Sam
uel T. Robertson, 80. Bethesda con-
tractor, will so on trial for his life,
probably in early September, for the
killing July Z. 1927, of Edward L. Mills,
prosperous dairyman Of Hunting Hill,
Nd,
The Montgomery County grand jury.
meeting in special session, returned
two indictments against Robertson yes
terday-one holding him for first de-
gree murder in the shooting of Mills
and the other uphoiding charge OF
assault with intent To kill in connec-
tion with All alleged attack on Wilson
Trout, Potomac farmer, April Is.
Robert Peter. jr.. States attorney for
Montgomery County. indicated today
that Robertson will be tried first on
the murder charge, and that the other
will be dropped If he is convicted.
Arrangement Next Week.
Mr.. Peter said Robertson probably
will be arraigned next week so he may
plead 10 the indictments. The latter's
attorney. Stedman Prescott, indicated
his client will plead not guilty to both.
The return of an indictment yester-
day afternoon came as surprise to fol-
lowers of the case. who had not looked
for any action until late today. The
hearing, il is understood, was expedited
be : ter. who decided not to call all the
witnesses originally summoned,
The most Important witness to appear
before the grand Jury yesterday after
noon was Mai. Calvin Goddard, New
York firearms expert,
Mai. Goddard, it is understood. testi-
fed that the revolver Robertson gave
- @VN TNNNtI
is similar TO the one used in shooting
Mills.
This conclusion was reached. 1t was
learned. after the expert had compared
bullets fred from the revolver with
those taken from Mills body.
Denies Owning Pistol
Robertson. however, denied the weap-
on belonged to him. claiming he took 1t
from Trout during a tussle. This was
denied by Trout at the preliminary
hearing
Other witnesses called during the |
day included Clarence Miles. sole eye |
witness to the actual shooting. Paul |
Mills. eldest son of the dead man, who t
saw the SLAYER running away. Mrs. T
Bertha Mills. the widow. Andrew j. /
Eauchnan. who talked with Robertson I
on the day of the shooting; Trout and |
his wife. and George w. Bodkin. IN |
whose name the pistol alleged TO have /
been used was purchased. Asnury Case,
county policeman. and ALIVE A. Mox-
lev. Rockville chief Of police. also were /.
called both testifying, 1t was under
stood, that they found a typewriter IN I
Robertsons shone similar 10 the one t
used bv the slayer IN writing q note
which he pinned to Mills body. Rob-
ertson contends he got the typewriter
after the shooting
Clarence Miles and Paul Mills are
understood to have told the jury the
slayer was medium sized man. dressed
in black. and wearing small mus
tsche. Neither, however. was able to
identify Robertson as the man.
Arouses Keen Interest.
At a preliminary hearing before Judge
Samuel Riggs on May 3. Joseph Fl. Cis-
sell former States attorney, was named /
snecial prosecutor, TO be assisted by I
States Attorney Peter
Tir forthcoming murder trial Is I
srnaSing keen interest among residents /
Of Montgomery County, who expect SEN /
saticnal disclosures
Mills was killed at daybreak on his /
faxTE by man who hailed him from i
dense fhicketS which surround the pas
ttare in wi1cih the dairyrnan was stand
ing. After brief conversation the
stranger fred five shots into Mills body
frcga close range.
Stepping. he pinned crudely typed
nets Gu his victim. and then disappear
Cd into the woods
The note, which was of an imprint
able nature, charged In substance that
Mills had had improper relations with
the Siayer's wife and that was the L
motive for the killing.
The note was in the nature OF con-
fessaon. presumably for Mills TO sign.
The space provided for this purpose
vas blank, however. when the son and
Niles reached the scene.
Robertson lis a well known Bethesda
contractor and builder He is married
and has four children
He went TO TToutg home April is. I
and quarreled over bill. Later, he
gave himself up TO Rockville police.
lie was arrested for the Mills murder /
after police discovered the typewriter |
IN has home and the alleged similarity |
between revolyeTs
Malls also was the father OF q large /
family and was one Of the best known /
farmers in Montgomery County