The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1939-06-22
Spike Miller
Murders Two;
Kills Himself
WAS SOUGHT BY RED
WOOD AUTHORITIES
ON TWO CHARGES


ty authorities on two serious
charges, Clair Spike" Miller,
33, shot and killed Marcelline
Filter, Is and Alvin Green, 40
and wounded the girls moth
er, Mrs. E. W. Filter, near
Florence Tuesday and then
took his own life. The Filters
and Miller are former resi-
dents of the Walnut Grove
vicinity.
Miller faced charges of car
nal knowledge, in connection
with his affair with the Filter
girl and arson, for allegedly
burning his parents home for
the purpose of securing about
81, 100 in currency and gold Sc
creted. in the dwelling. Warrants
were issued June 16 in municipal
court here by Judge N. r. Ryer-
son and when Sheriff L. J. Kise
was unable to locate Miller, he
notified Sheriff Harry Croft of
Marshall. Croft visited the Flor
ence vicinity the day before the
tragedy but could not locate Mill
er.
Sent Money Home
County authorities investigated
the fire at the Dallenbach estate
house north of Walnut Grove
which burned January IA while
it was occupied by the Emil Mill
er family, parents of Spike. They
have on file affidavits indicating
Spike set the fire and obtained
the money kept there. He has
worked at Fort Wayne, Indiana,
and other places but spent last
winter at home. His parents now
live at Seaforth. Soon after the
fire he went to Fort Wayne and
sent his mother a money order for
several hundred dollars, affidavitS
show.
The Filters also have been in
volved with county officials. They
came here from Nebraska in June
1888 and were to have been NOV
ed back to avoid their claim for
relief after years residence.
They went to Florence instead.
Using % calibre rifle, Miller
ambushed Green from some
bushes in the rear of the Green
home, which is just at the edge
of Florence on highway 80, and
next door to the Filter home.
Playing together nearby were
Leona Basche, 9, and Marie
Green, 10. Running up to the
Basche girls father, F. H. Basche,
a short distance away, they cried:
"That wild man is holding up
Alvin"
Mr.. Basche rushed to the Green
home and found Green dead.
Meanwhile, other shots sounded,
as Miller shot Mrs. Filter inside
the home, and then followed
Marcelline outside to kill her.
Mother at Tyler
A few minutes later, Mr.. BaSche
discovered Miller a short distance
from the house with a bullet hole
in his throat and head. Miller
died at 3:15 while an ambulance
was taking him to Marshall.
Mr.. Basche Immediately called
Sheriff Croft who, with two de-
putieS rushed to the scene.
Mrs. Filter told her husband
before being taken to the Tyler
hospital that Miller came into the
house and shot her without saying
word. Marcelline then ran from
the house screaming, and was
shot down in the yard. A few
feet away Miller then shot him
self, the bullet entering his throat
and passing up through his head.
Mr.. Green was killed as he went
to investigate Miller's hiding place
in the rear of the Filter home. The
two girls, Leona Basche and
Marie Green, had seen a mans
hand and rifle protruding from
the bushes as they approached to
play therein. The Basche girl,
alarmed, said Lets go play hide
and SEEK" whereupon they ran
to tell Mr.. Green. AS he approach
ed the bushes, he was shot dead.
According to a diary found in
Miller's pocket, the shooting was
fore-planned. An entry made
Sunday told of his endeavoring
to borrow a rifle and then added:
"My girl friend said if 1 killed
myself she wouldn't stand the
pressure-she couldn't give me up
so l just as well take her along
too"
Rites for Miller were held We'd
nesday afternoon at private
service. Miss Filter and Green
will be buried Friday following
rites at Florence.
Mrs. Filter is seriously hurt but
will recover. Why he shot her is
not known, but it may be that
this was an act of revenge for
trying to keep him and the girl
apart. Had the father been home,
he would probably have been shot
also.
In the Filter home, the eight
small children are under the care
of the married, oldest sister.