LOOKS LIKE MURDER

 

Virgil, N. Y., 1885.

1863 Virgil, N. Y. map segment.

1863 Virgil, N. Y. map segment showing schoolhouse #10 and family names Miller, Lowe and Homer.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, March 17, 1899.

LOOKS LIKE MURDER.

The Body of Frank W. Miller of Virgil Burned With His Dwelling Tuesday Night.

SUSPECT ARRESTED NORTH OF TULLY BY THE SHERIFF.

After An Exciting Chase—Man Arrested. Drove Miller's Horse and Wagon Rapidly—Went Through Cortland and Homer—Miller Was Peaceable and Industrious, and No Cause Can Be Assigned.

   It seems very probable that Cortland county will be the scene of another murder trial, the circumstances differing in many respects from those connected with the famous Patrick Galvin case, but in one particular very similar: both tragedies, if this last proves to be one, occurring at farm houses remote from neighbors, and occupied by a lone individual.

   The scene of the latest sensation occurred in the town of Virgil, about midway between the villages of Virgil and Messengerville. About a mile north from the State road leading east from Virgil, up a gully, in a small house has lived for several years a man named Frank W. Miller, who was at the time of his death 39 years old. He owned a farm of one hundred acres, and was a steady, industrious farmer, respected by all his friends and neighbors. About a quarter of a mile distant lives his mother, Mrs. E. A. Miller. It was Frank Miller's custom to visit his mother frequently, and on Tuesday afternoon he made one of these calls on his way home from mill, remaining to supper and leaving there for his home at about 6 o'clock. This was the last time he was seen alive by any of his friends.

   Soon after 10 o'clock that night as Mr. and Mrs. John S. Patten, who live on the same gully road above Mr. Miller's house, were returning home from East Virgil they discovered that the rear of Mr. Miller's house was on fire. Driving quickly to the scene, Mr. Patten ran to the house and, not seeing the owner, he shouted through a window which he had broken, but received no answer. By this lime the fire had gained such headway that entrance to the building was impossible. Feeling sure that there was no one in the burning house, Mr. Patten summoned Darius Allen, another neighbor, and they with S. B. Lowe and James I. Homer returned to Miller's premises. Upon reaching the barn they found that a gray horse and an open buggy belonging to Miller were gone, and this led to the supposition that the owner was away.

   While watching the fire Mr. Homer noticed an object lying on the floor at the foot of the bed, from which proceeded a peculiar blue flame. They soon decided it to be a human body, and when soon after the floor gave way, precipitating the object into the cellar, all doubts were removed and they were positive that it was the body of Mr. Miller. Water was hastily procured and the body was kept wet to preserve it from further destruction. Some three hours later they were enabled to secure the remains and convey them to the barn.

   The next morning Coroner M. R. Smith of McGrawvllle was summoned, and soon after his arrival summoned the following as a Coroner's jury: William Seamans, foreman, William Overton, John Smith, John Downs, Darius Allen and James I. Homer. After viewing the remains they were taken to the barn of Harmon Sheerer some distance west of the scene. The charred body presented a horrible appearance. The arms and legs were nearly all burned off, and but little was left of the head. A small portion of a woolen shirt, identified by some of his friends, was burned to the chest of the body, the latter having been face downward in the burning building and thus somewhat protecting the chest. A piece of his coat was also found. Dr. Smith performed an autopsy, and the remains were taken in charge of undertakers Beard & Peck of Cortland. The funeral will be held from the home of his mother at 11 o'clock this morning. The inquest was adjourned until next Tuesday at 2 o'clock at Winslow's hall, Virgil.

   The circumstances which lead to the suspicion of murder are these: the absence of the horse and buggy and his recognition on the road by Mr. Seamans; the fact that Mr. Miller must have been home soon after 6 o'clock, but none of his chores were done when the neighbors arrived at 11 o'clock; the horses had not been bedded or fed and several calves which had been tied were loose, their tie ropes having been cut with a knife so that they could get to feed in the barn and would thus not get hungry and alarm neighbors by their cries; the fact that the coat found was saturated with blood and the appearance on several recent occasions of a man on and about the premises of Mr. Miller and his entire absence since the death of that gentleman. A still more convincing proof is the statement of Coroner Smith to the DEMOCRAT reporter at the autopsy that the blood had all left Mr. Miller's body before it was burned.

   Officers have been searching for the man alluded to, and the only thing that will clear his name will be an alibi. He passed through Cortland and is known to have been in Homer with the horse and wagon on Wednesday, and the news of his capture north of Tully by Sheriff Brainard was received just before going to press.

   The deceased is survived by several brothers and sisters, three of whom live in Cortland, viz.: Lillis D. Miller, John Miller and Edith Miller. Neither the relatives nor friends of the dead man are able to think of a reason for the killing because he was much respected by all who knew him and was not known to have an enemy.

   If robbery was the motive there was little reward for Mr. Miller was a very careful man and, though well off, had at this time probably not over $10 or $15 about himself or the house. If the want of a horse was a motive the thief certainly showed poor judgment for of the four horses in the barn he took the poorest although it had been an excellent one till the past winter.

   The bereaved family and friends of the deceased have the sympathy of all in their sudden and awful bereavement.

 

Henry T. Dana, M. D.

HERE AND THERE.

   Wild geese are flying northward earlier than usual.

   E. R. Baldwin of Cortland has sold a house and [loft] in Ithaca for $1,200.

   Communion service will be observed at the First Baptist church at the next Sabbath.

   A little vinegar kept boiling on the stove while onions and cabbage are cooking will prevent the disagreeable odor going through the house.

   The DEMOCRAT office is now open continuously from 7 A. M. to 8 P. M., the old custom of closing during the dinner and supper hour being abandoned.

   The Cortland County Medical society met last Thursday in the supervisors' room, eleven members being present. Several papers were read, and Dr. Dana presented a sketch of the life of the late Dr. Barnes, the society's oldest member.

   An exchange tells of a dead editor at whose funeral 677 delinquent subscribers marched by and viewed the remains. Of that number 676 murmured sadly: "He was an industrious, bright and good man, but he couldn't save anything."

   George F. Mellon, one of the contractors in the building of the Erie & Central New railroad, has filed a petition in bankruptcy with liabilities of $85,577 and no available assets. An amusing feature of the affair is the fact that in his nominal assets he places two suits for slander pending in the supreme court at $75,000.

   The usual monthly meeting of the Cortland Ministerial association was held Monday. At the morning session instead of the sermon as customary, Rev. J. J. Cowles of McGrawville read a paper on Barrow, the noted English preacher. In the afternoon Rev. J. A. Hungate of Homer read a paper on "The Ordination of Woman to the Gospel Ministry."

   Several maple shade trees in Cortland are already bearing a crop of tin pails.

   The village authorities have, during the past week, caused the paved streets to be cleaned.

   Messrs. O'Leary & McEvoy were yesterday connected with the telephone exchange.

   Cortland can now let up on politics and devote a few months to the more enticing game of baseball.

   Orris Hose company expect to present the play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" on the evening of April 10.

   The Loyal Circle of Kings' Daughters will meet with Mrs. Isaac Edgcomb, 5 Venette-st., this afternoon.

   H. M. Kellogg, F. P. Saunders and Fred Conable were re-elected trustees of the First M. E. church Tuesday afternoon.

   The Cortland Political Equality club will meet with Miss Verdine E. Peck, 6 Venette-st., Monday, March 20, at 3 P. M. All are welcome.

   Next Wednesday evening the Cortland chapter of the O. U. A. M. will celebrate the sixth anniversary of its organization by giving a supper.

   The new officers of the Y. M. C. A. are as follows: President, Prof. J. E. Banta, vice president, O. A. Kinney; treasurer, A. B. Nelson, secretary, Wilfred Kelley.

   Mrs. Elva H. Caswell was last Friday elected president of the Y. W. C. T. U. in place of Mrs. Fannie E Bierce, who resigned on account of ill health.

   The only challenge at the village election in the third ward Tuesday was of a voter by the name of Dewey, but like his illustrious namesake at Manila he forced the fighting and swore in his ballet.

   The large boarding house in East Court-st. owned by Lewis Davis has been leased to a gentleman by the name of Webb, from Governeur, who will take possession April 1.

   At a meeting of the Carriage Builders' club of Central New York held in Syracuse last week, Hugh Duffey of Cortland was chosen president of the organization and W. D. Tisdale of Cortland was elected secretary.

   Cortland is to have another firm of undertakers. Messrs. Linas S. Paddock of Utica and Manley H. Daniels of Homer having formed a partnership, and they will occupy rooms in the Mahan block, No. 9 Court-st.

   The following directors of the Y, M. C. A. were elected last Friday evening: F. J. Cheney, T. H. Wickwire, J. E. Banta, E. D. Blodgett, J. W. Keese, F. W.  Higgins, A. B. Nelson. B. L. Webb, W. A. Cornish, O. A. Kinney, F. D. Reese, W. Kelley and M. B. Filzinger. Two more are to be elected later.

   A young woman familiarly known about town as "Bud" Fairchild, was arrested last Friday by Chief Parker on the charge of vagrancy. She was arraigned before Police Justice Mellon, and on condition that she leave town the case was held open. Woe be unto "Bud" if she appears in Cortland again. It is said she has taken up her abode in Binghamton.

   Dryden seems to have fallen into the commendable habit this year of going Democratic, that village electing officials of that faith last week with the exception of one trustee. The officers chosen are as follows: President, George Cole; trustees, Charles Lormor, William Shelton and Adelbert M. Clark; assessor, Henry A. Lormor; treasurer, Edwin C. French; clerk, C. T. Davis.

   Messrs. Beard & Peek have a branch undertaking office at Virgil with Harmon Sheerer as manager.

   The Women's Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. elected the following officers Tuesday: President, Mrs. F. J. Cheney; first vice-president, Mrs. Charles F.  Brown; second vice-president, Mrs. J. E. Banta; secretary and treasurer, Mrs. C. C. Darby.

 

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

   An Ithaca Democrat went crazy after their city election—he was so happy. We haven't heard of any such misfortune to any of the party in Cortland since Tuesday.

   We are deeply grateful for all the words of kindness and encouragement from our exchanges, subscribers and other friends in regard to the Democrat and its new publisher and will endeavor in every way to merit the same.

   Franklin Jones and Eugene Davis are our only canvassers or agents. They are authorized to make collections and close contracts.

   The DeRuyter Gleaner makes the fallowing timely remark: "It is generally understood that the Cortland County Board of Supervisors will have the awarding of the session laws hereafter as heretofore, instead of the Cortland Standard Printing Co."

   Had the rank and file of Democracy stood by their ticket Tuesday it would have been elected as a whole, but the deflection of some votes allowed the Republicans to win by very small figures except for trustee in the First ward, and there we only elect Mr. Thompson by one vote. Too bad.

   The latest and newest trust is the bicycle trust. It is not fully organized but soon will be. Any business not already arranged as a trust needs to hurry for McKinley has less than two more years to serve and after the Democrats take possession of the reins of the government on March 4, 1901, there will be no more trusts organized.

   The senatorial contest in Delaware should be a lesson to the people of this country in the matter of a popular vote for United States senators—that is if Pennsylvania is not enough. The Delaware General Assembly adjourned Monday without electing a successor to Hon. George E. Gray. The day when senators will be elected directly by the people is surely coming.

  Let the Filipinos continue their warfare. Perhaps it will teach McKinley and his brother expansionists that it would be better to let our little twenty million dollar job lot go at that price than sacrifice many times that amount and many lives in trying to rule an unwilling people. By their method of warfare a few of the savages can keep many of our regiments busy and it can be continued indefinitely. If the real situation is not much worse than reported why is all news censored?

   The why and wherefore of the low rate of the state tax last year is just coming to the surface. The state, which when turned over to the Republicans was free of debt, was really very much in debt last winter and no effort was made to pay any portion of the indebtedness, but extraordinary efforts were made to hide the facts from the people. There was hardly a state department that was allotted a sum large enough to conduct its business. Their work was not reduced, however, and had to be kept up by running in debt. And for what? Merely to fool the people with a low tax rate. The Comptroller says there is a deficiency of seven millions. Some who are nearly as well posted as he, think the sum named should be increased at least fifty per cent and that even at that figure it would be hard work to squeeze through and "square the yards."—Valatie Rough Notes.