JOHN TRUCK ARRESTED AND TELLS HIS STORY

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Friday, March 17, 1899.

FOLLOWING UP THE CLUES.

JOHN TRUCK ARRESTED AND TELLS HIS STORY.

Claims He Bought the Entire Rig of Frank Miller for $75—Tells of His Goings and Comings Near Miller's House—Was One of Miller's Best Friends—Dr. Higgins Examines the Remains.

   Just before The STANDARD went to press yesterday the word came by telephone that John Truck of Homer, the man suspected of knowing too much concerning the death of Frank W. Miller, had been captured at 11:45 A. M. by Sheriff Brainard in Christian Hollow at the home of Lewis Riehlman, two miles south of Cardiff. They had then returned as far as Preble and had stopped at the nearest telephone to send on the news before them. The sheriff had been accompanied by Constable C. C. Dennis of Preble, and they reached the jail with the prisoner at 5:30 o'clock.

   As soon as the sheriff returned on Wednesday afternoon at about 8 o'clock from the scene of the murder, he telephoned to Deputy Sheriff Shirley of Homer to see if he knew a man in that town by the name of John Truck, this being the man suspected by all the people in the neighborhood of the Miller home. Officer Shirley was able to make a reply with a promptness that almost took the wind out of the sheriff.

   An explanation of this is in order.

   On Wednesday, March 8, J. P. Chrisman of Homer, who until two years ago had been a resident of Virgil, was going back to his native town on foot. He is the executor of the estate of his father who died last winter. He had received word from the homestead that they had one more horse than they needed and he set out on foot to walk over there to get the horse and drive it back with the idea of disposing of it. He took the electric car from Homer to the L. V. R. R. station in Cortland and proceeded thence up the South Main-st. hill. Going up the first pitch alongside of the Randall farm he overtook John Truck, also bound for Virgil on foot. They walked in company for three or four miles. Truck told who he was and said he was going to a certain farm in Virgil to drive home two or three cows which he had sold two years ago. The man had never been able to pay a cent upon them, and he was now going to reclaim them. Truck told of having in previous years bought a pair of horses of a man in Homer by the name of Miller. Chrisman asked if this Miller was a relative of the Millers of Virgil. Truck thought not. This led to a discussion of the Millers and Truck said "It's a wonder that that Frank Miller hasn't been killed before this time by some fellow, living all alone by himself as he does and having money by him as he usually does."

   When Mr. Chrisman on Wednesday morning at about 9 o'clock heard of the awful calamity that had befallen Mr. Miller he remembered the remark of Truck and wondered if that would furnish a clue. He went at once and told Officer Shirley about it. That astute detective lost no time in paying a call at Truck's home in Prestonville, the western district of Homer, and found that Truck had been away for two days and had returned during the previous night with a gray horse, a buckboard, a quantity of blankets, a jar of butter and a keg of salt pork. He kept an eye on Truck, and saw that man with his wife leave for the north some after noon. Truck had told him that he was going to Tully to rent a house.

   Officer Shirley was loaded with all these facts and poured them into the appreciative ear of Sheriff Brainard over the telephone. Quicker than it takes to tell it the sheriff had started for Homer and there joined by Officer Shirley had started in pursuit.

   They traced him to Preble. At that town Herbert C. Haynes told of meeting a man answering the description of Truck with a rig that tallied about two miles above Preble a short time before. Haynes was quickly pressed into the service and he started with Constable Dennis to assist in the chase. The four kept track of both the east and west roads and the cross roads. Every few houses they would get on track of the fugitive and they kept following on till they lost the clue about two miles this side of Cardiff.

   They stayed that night at the Cardiff hotel. Next morning they separated, Shirley and Haynes taking the sheriff's horse and going on to Syracuse, thinking perhaps he had got by them, and the sheriff and Constable Dennis with the latter's horse turned back to try and pick up the trail where they had lost it.

   At about 11 o'clock they came to the house of Lewis Riehlman and this gentleman told them that he had seen Truck within twenty minutes. Truck has tried to rent a house of him and he had said that he would give him an answer on Saturday. Truck and his wife had then gone over to Leonard Barrett's, a quarter of a mile away on a cross road to wait till Saturday. They had spent the night at the Barrett's. A messenger was sent over there to ask him to come over to Mr. Riehlman's as he was ready to close the bargain up at once. Truck accepted the bait and soon walked into the room where Sheriff Brainard and Constable Dennis sat awaiting him. The sheriff was behind the door and the constable on the other side of the room. As he entered the sheriff greeted him warmly, shaking him cordially by the hand and retaining the hand so he could not use it for objective purposes. Dennis stepped in between Truck and the door. The sheriff at once commanded "Take off your coat." Off it went like a flash. "Take off your undercoat." This was complied with in a sort of hesitating way. "Now take off your vest." Here there was a halt.

   "What does this mean?" asked Truck.

   "It means that you are under arrest. Throw up your hands,'" replied the sheriff, as he pulled a gun from his side pocket and pointed it at the ceiling.

   It doubtless looked large to Truck for his hands went up very quickly. He began to tremble so he couldn't hold them up and had to rest them on the top of his head to steady them while his knees shook so that they feared he would fall down.

   "What is that for?" he asked.

   "For getting into the—scrape a man was ever concerned in over in the town of Virgil," replied the sheriff.

   No further questions were asked and no information was volunteered. Very soon they were ready to start for home. The sheriff's horse had gone to Syracuse so Constable Dennis took the prisoner in his carriage. The sheriff returned with the gray horse and the narrow seated buggy which Truck and his wife had driven up in. This is a buggy bought a few months ago from J. W. Fassett of Homer, on the installment plan and not yet fully paid for. Mrs. Truck was left to get back as best she could. The Barrett family, as it proved, took her to Tully last night and gave her money to come home with.

   When the jail was reached Truck was searched. He was wearing a full suit of black diagonal, with cutaway coat. His overcoat was a blue rough coat with quilted lining. He had about him $3.06 in a tobacco bag, a 2-cent piece in a little clasp purse, and a silver watch and chain. These are now all in the possession of the sheriff. The clothing has been partly identified as belonging to Frank Miller, and it is thought possibly the watch and chain are his. His family will have a look at them soon with a view to identification.

   District Attorney Duffey, Dr. F. W. Higgins and a STANDARD man left at 11:15 yesterday morning for Virgil. At the village they were joined by Dr. Emory, who performed the autopsy upon the body of Miller the previous day, and all proceeded to the residence of Harmon Sheerar, where the remains were resting. The body was very carefully examined by the two doctors and some additional features were learned which it is believed will prove of very material aid in getting at the truth of the matter. It is not deemed wise at present to make any statement in regard to the discoveries. The STANDARD man acted as amanuensis for the physicians and the results of the examination were all noted down for future use. Several photographs of the remains were also taken.

   Then the party went on to the scene of the tragedy and further traces were looked for and some were found, all of which will be produced at the proper time.

   The funeral of Mr. Miller was held 2 o'clock this afternoon at the home of his mother, and the remains will be placed in a vault awaiting burial.

   It was 7:15 o'clock last night when the party returned from Virgil. The STANDARD man learning that Truck had been arrested went at once to the jail to seek an interview. It was granted and for an hour questions were asked and answered, two other Cortland men being present at the time.

   Truck is a man of medium height, and will weigh about 160 pounds. He was attired in part of the clothing which he had left at his home in Homer when he started for Cardiff Wednesday noon. He says he will be 40 years old on May 9. He has a stubby little mustache and a keen eye.

   He declared that he knows nothing about Miller's death, affirming with emphasis that if he had been concerned in it the officers would never have caught him, he would have been far away before this time. He said Miller sent word to him that he had a cheap horse for sale and he went over to buy it. He had saved $96 from his fall's work pressing hay for Charles Blunden at $1 per day. He left Homer at an early hour Monday morning taking his rifle along with him for the purpose of hunting on the way. He shot two woodpeckers. He walked to Miller's house about twelve miles and reached there at 9 o'clock in the morning. Miller offered to sell him a bay horse for $45, but he was afraid of the animal because he knew of its kicking. So he concluded not to buy. He walked back to Cortland and when he reached the Wickwire Mills on Main-st., a distance of about seven miles, concluded that that horse was cheap enough and he would risk the kicking and would go back and get it.

   So he walked back to Miller's and reached there at about 6 o'clock P. M. He spent Monday night with Miller and they visited till 2 o'clock in the morning. He didn't buy the horse then, but went up to Mr. Leach's in the morning of Tuesday, helped a boy get a cow up that was down. He had dinner Tuesday at Irving Homer's and went back with Mr. Homer and Mr. Lowe to the woods; stayed with them a short time and then went to Charles Blose's to look at a horse. He got back to Miller's at about 6 o'clock. Miller had just got home from mill having driven a gray horse. The horse was not unhitched at all. Truck helped Miller empty some feed from bags in the wagon to a bin, and helped him do the chores, feeding and watering the horses and cows. He asked Miller what he would take for that rig as it stood and he said $75. He paid him the money. This included the gray horse which Truck says Miller had driven to mill, the wagon, a whip, harness and four blankets. He paid him 50 cents extra for some feed. Miller then got him "a bite to eat." He couldn't say what time it was when he left for home, but it was after dark. He couldn't fix the time at all, but it was probably, he thinks, before 10 o'clock. As he left Miller who had a lantern in his hand told him that he was going into the house to fill a lamp. Miller bade him a cordial good night and expressed the wish that he might get home safely.

   As he drove down the hill toward the schoolhouse he met a man on foot going up towards Miller's house—a big man he was too. Truck didn't know him. Truck took the direct road home. He had no idea at what time he reached Cortland or Homer, couldn't tell anything about it whatever.

   Truck then told of several difficulties which Miller had had with his neighbors. He told of Miller telling him that Matt Woodward had choked him once and had threatened to kill him if he ever caught him alone. He told of hearing a row between Matt Woodward and Miller in the schoolhouse at the foot of the hill, the building being used as a storehouse by the two men. He told of Miller's story to him of Mr. Dickinson's son choking him in a sleigh one day. He would carry the impression that Miller was at odds with the most of his neighbors, but he always esteemed him highly and considered him one of his best friends and would have done anything in the world for him. He was overwhelmed at the news of his death coming so soon after his pleasant visit there.

   Truck then told of his start next morning to Tully. He bought a pair of shoes for his wife and paid $1 for them and that was everything he did buy. He did  not buy a dress or any other article in Homer or anywhere else.

   The black clothes he wore he said he bought in Syracuse at a Jew store last spring. The watch he bought of Fred Chapman, and "The Lord only knows where Fred got it," he said. The butter he bought of a man whose name be had forgotten up Cold Brook last October. It was a man where he had thrashed. The pork he salted down himself in December.

   He was utterly surprised when arrested and had no idea what it was for.

   This morning District Attorney Duffey, Deputy Sheriff John Miller and The STANDARD man were in Homer looking for further evidences. They found that he did buy a dress and two pairs of  stockings for Mrs. Truck at the store of P. C. Kingsbury, handing out the exact cash for them. He bought a pair of shoes for his wife at Bennett & Starr's, paying for them $1.25 and not $1.00 as he said and he tendered a $5 bill for them, receiving in change $3.75 in silver. They got track of some other bits of evidence that may be important at some time.

   One thing that it is very much desired to know is at what time he got back to Homer on Tuesday night on Wednesday morning. Some people have remembered seeing a gray horse with buckboard and one man in wagon pass. If any one else between Virgil and Homer remembers it, will he kindly make it known.

 

New Undertaking Establishment.

   I find it necessary to delay opening my place of business for a few days on account of the extra time it is taking to get the place in readiness.

   I have purchased a very fine funeral car with rubber tires, also a very nice ambulance wagon of the latest design. This wagon can be transformed into a beautiful floral wagon. It is built with glass sides and so arranged that flowers can be placed inside and not hidden from view. This is something every funeral director has long felt the need of in transporting flowers to the cemetery. I expect these carriages to arrive next week.

   I shall be prepared to furnish some very nice hacks for funerals,, weddings and parties.

   My terms will be very reasonable and within the reach of every one. Further announcement next week.

   E. R. WRIGHT. [paid ad.]

 

Died at Binghamton.

   Mrs. Patty A. Cole, wife of Delos Cole of South Cortland, died last night at the Binghamton State hospital for the insane, at the age of 58 years. The remains were brought to Cortland this afternoon, and the funeral will occur Sunday afternoon at the family home, the hour not having been fixed. Burial will take place in the Cortland Rural cemetery.

 

BREVITIES.

   —George Chatterton of Cortland has just been awarded a patent on a chafe iron for vehicles. This was obtained through Risley & Love of Utica.

   —New display advertisements to-day are-A. S. Burgess, Top coats, etc., page 8; M. A. Case, Muslin underwear sale, page 6; F. E. Brogden, Gold watch contest, page 4.

   —Mrs. Rachel Van Hoesen, wife of Daniel Van Hoesen of 126 Homer-ave., died last night at 11 o'clock. The arrangements for the funeral have not been made.

   —The board of village trustees met Wednesday afternoon and canvassed the vote cast at the charter election Tuesday. The returns as canvassed agree exactly with the figures given on the result in The STANDARD of Wednesday.