Year: 1872

| Detection ola Mysterious Homicide.


On the night of the Oath of last No


vember, farmer named Dennison Mil
Ter was killed by an assassin. The deed


was perpetrated in Miller's own house,
at place called Greenfield, not far from


Detroit. BY the testimony of the MUIR
dered mans wife, the facts are as fol-
lows: Mrs. Miller heard cat bowling
in the dining-room a little after mid
night. She arose from her husbands
side and went to let the cat out of the
front door. When she opened the door
for that purpose man rushed past her
| from without, and on into the chamber.
She heard quick scuffle, a cry and
heavy fall, and then the intruder disap-
peared, she knew not whittier. Mrs. Mil
Ter found her husband on the floor, well
tering in his blood. He was stabbed


through the heart, and he never spoke
afterwards. The alarm was given, and
every effort was subsequently made to


trace the murderer. He was not found,
however, despite the most vigilant search
and protracted inquiry, and after time
the case was set down as one of those
destined to battle human detection. The
affair was nine days wonder, much
talked of by the press and in society,
but not the faintest clue was ever hit up
on, and finally the subject appeared to
die out and be forgotten.


Two or three weeks ago, however,
events fell out that excited the suspicion


of the Sheriff of the county as to the
identity OF the murderer. Fresh study
of the case revealed corroborative evil
dence of the truth of this suspicion, and
at last the sheriff has been able to lay
his hand upon the shoulders of the Sc
cret midnight homicide and TO say,
thou art the man." The case is one of
the most singular in the annals of crime,
and its history powerfully exempliies
the fact that the most ingenious and
cold-blooded devices of which men are
capable do not always suffice to shield


them from the consequences of wicked
ness. 1t now transpires that the assassin
of Miller has never left the scene of the
murder, that he is well known to the
neighborhood, including Miller's family,
and that he has continued on intimate
relations with that family ever since the
fatal night of the stabbing. His name
is William Smith, and, strange to say,
he is but eighteen years Of age. The
cunning and deliberation with which he
prepared to commit the bloody deed. and
with which he sought to cover his tracks
subsequently, are almost incredible. He
had for some time been working for a
neigh5or of Miller named Maple. He
slept in Naples house, sharing bed
with his employers son. Some days be.
fore the murder Smith bought in Detroit


a small quantity of chloroform. This
was to narcotise young Maple with be-
fore Smith had set out ON his baleful err
rand-a part of the scheme that was
successfully carried out. After dark


but before going up to BED, Smith placed
a ladder against an adjoining roof in
such way that he could pass from the
window of his room to the ladder and SC
make his way to the ground. The house
being locked up, and others sleeping in
it who might be disturbed by a person
going through the entries within, the
motive for this precaution becomes obvi


GUS. On the night of the assassination
Smith waited till young Maple was fas


asleep, then drugged him with the chic


reform. He then descended by the lad


der, and passed swiftly through the field.


under cover of starless sky, until BIZ


reached the house of the intended victim
Finding no ready means to get into th,
house, Smith either initiated the cry of &
cat, or happened to be at the front dool
r by chance at the instant Mrs. Miller


opened the door. He then rushed pas


her and stabbed Miller as described-th,
whole scene passing in complete darkness
and made his way home again. Her,
he went up the ladder, lowered it gently
with line, so that it lay by the side Of


the building as usual, drew up his line
returned to his room by the window, shu
it, and went comfortably to bed. Neve
was crime more adroitly planned anC
coolly carried. Nor was this all. Th,
fatal act was committed with dagger
and the youthful homicide feared to hide


it, dreading a discovery. He therefor,


bribed certain itinerant peddler to tax,
the weapon, to let it be seen by seyera


persons, and then to sell it to him, Smith


some days after. Even this bold anc
hazardous scheme was put into effect
the peddlar went his way from that par
of the country; and had Smith remain
E ed quiet at this point he might have beer