Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-05
MANASSAS FARMER
HELD IN 3 DEATHS
Walter Wolfenden Is Charged
With Murder in Miller
Fire Tragedy.
BY stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY stan correspondent OF The Star
MANASSAS, Va, November S.
After examination of nearly a dozen
prosecution witnesses, Walter Wolfen-
den, 46-year-old farmer, was ordered
held for the action of a grand jury by
a magistrate here today on a charge
OF numbering three persons.
The chief witness was the defend
ants nephew. Joseph Wolfenden. He
testified his uncle was away from home
at about the time Goodman Miller, his
wife and infant child were alleged to
have been murdered at their home
near Kopp, Va. Other witnesses told
of finding their charred bodies in the
ruins.
Thomas H. Cobb. justice of the
peace, ordered Wolfenden held under
$4,000 bond until the Prince William
County grand jury meets in December.
He was sent to thu. Manassas Jail in
default Of bond.
Neighbor Testiaes. -
One of the last prosecution witnesses
was Ben F. Hoover, q neighbor Of the
defendant. He said Wolfenden once
asked him If human bones would burn,
and whether they could be identified
as the remains of men or women and
white or colored persons. He said he
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Hoover declared Wolfenden once
told him Mrs, Annie Downs, a sister
OF j. j. Murphy, president of the Ma
naSsas Law and Order League, would be
found burned to death some day I'M
less she quit reporting whisky stills to
the authorities. She still Is living, the
witness added.
Hoover denied he was induced to
testify by the prospects of obtaining all
a~t Nf Ra.-
conviction Of the person who killed the
Millers, If they actually were murdered.
J. M. Alridge of Fredericksburg, Va,
an agent for the Life a. Casualty In
surance Co. of Nashville, declared
Wolfenden paid for a 1910 policy on
Miller's life. He added the defendant
collected $740 soon after Miller's death.
He explained the policy contained a
double indemnity clause in case Of ac-
cidental death.
Paid for Insurance Policy.
The insurance agent said the policy
originally was taken out by Miller in
March, 1928, but later was transferred
to Wolfenden by assignment and that
Wolfenden had paid the premiums over
an extended period.
MY aunt" the nephew related, told
my uncle she woke up about O'Clock
that morning and saw a man running
down the road. She said she went
into my uncle's room to tell him about
it bat he wasn't in bed. He said the
horses were loose and he had gone out
to put them up
DR.. e. H. Marsteller, county coroner.
declared he inspected the ruins Of
the Miller home and viewed the three
charred bodies. Dr. Marsteller said
the skeletons of a man and q wom-
an he believed to have been Miller and
his wife were found side by side on
what remained Of bed. Under cross
examination, he insisted they would
have jumped from the bed when the
flames reached them unless they had
been either murdered or dangerously
wounded before the fire began.
Rayomnd Miller, brother OF Good
man Miller, said he heard shot which
came from the direction Of his brothers
home the night of the fire.
Raymond Miller declared z. L. Her
ring, a merchant of Triangle, Va, with
whom his brother formerly did bust
ness, told him Goodman Miller settled
a bill the day of his death and received
$50 in change.
He added this was portion OF his
brothers bonus money collected shortly
before his death for his wartime Serv-
ices. He said it was generally known
in that neighborhood that his brother
had obtained his bonus.