The Miller Tragedy, Jersey Shore 1881

George Smith and Catherine Miller were hanged for the "Murder Of The Century", in Lycoming County Pa, February 3rd 1881. The two, involved in an affair, conspired to kill her husband.  Papers throughout Pennsylvania published in depth accounts and testimonies, for nearly a year, including multiple diagrams of the scene, and even the gallows that would be used for the hanging.

 "Andrew MILLER, a laborer, who lived about half a mile outside the town of Jersey Shore on the road to Pine Creek, was found hanging in his barn Friday morning. Miller was about 60 years of age, and his wife about 25 years. For sometime past there had been notice by the neighbors very suspicious conduct upon the part of Mrs. Miller and a man named George SMITH, who is a rather worthless kind of fellow, residing about Jersey Shore for many years. At the inquest it was brought out that Smith had bought a package of poison and given it to Mrs. Miller for the purpose of killing her husband. Soon after the body was discovered -–an examination of the house and yard leading to the barn, went plainly to show that Miller had been murdered in the house and afterward hauled to the barn where his body was hung up to a beam to create the impression that he had committed suicide. Mrs. Miller finally made a confession and Smith also owned up to having committed the desperate deed. Both stand a good chance to hang if justice is done them." - The Sullivan Review, March 1880

The funeral of the unfortunate Andrew Miller took place Saturday afternoon from his late residence under the direction of the overseers of the poor of Porter township. The attendance was very small among the relatives being the bother of Mrs. Miller. Rev. W A Stevens pastor of the Methodist Church officiated. No sermon was preached, a portion of the Scripture was read, hymn was sung and a prayer offered. The remains of the murdered man were born away and buried in a paupers grave. Gazette & Bulletin Mar 22 1880

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"The story of the crime is as follows:

 About one-half mile from Jersey Shore, Porter township, at the time of  which we write, there lived in a small two-story frame house a family named Miller, consisting Andrew Miller, the husband. Mrs. Catharine [Rush] Miller, wife, and three children, all girls, the eldest past ten years of age.

 Mr. Miller was a laborer by occupation, working for a livelihood at such work as he could get in a farming community. He was plain, unassuming man, poor, industrious and about 58 years of age, Mrs., Miller was a rather pre-possessing looking woman, about twenty- eight years of age, against whom the busy tongue of rumor had much to say affecting her virtue. 

On Friday morning, March 19th, 1880, "was noised about" [In other words, word was spread] at an early hour in the morning that Andrew Miller had committed suicide by hanging himself in the barn near the house in which be lived. The news spread rapidly and soon the entire population of Jersey Shore were greatly excited over what looked like a mysterious affair, Many of those who assembled to look upon the supposed suicide were convinced that Andrew Miller had not taken his own life, but that he had been foully murdered and . then hung up to a beam in the barn to leave the impression that he had taken his own life.

Certain suspicious conduct on the part of one George Smith and Mrs. Miller led their arrest. In the absence of the County Coroner, and at the request of many of the leading citizen, Justice of the Peace Gowan held a preliminary bearing. Mrs. Catharine Miller, her daughter, Mary E Miller, Mrs., William Homier, B. F. De Long, A. D Young and others were sworn, and evidence was elicited which warranted in sending Williamsport for the District Attorney and County Coroner, On the arrival at Jersey Shore, late in the afternoon, of District Attorney W. W. Hart and Coroner, another jury was impaneled, composed of the following persons: John Piatt, foreman, G. P. Smith, C.B. Seely, Jacob Gamble, C. W. Scott and A. W, Brown. The jury at once proceeded to the Miller residence.

 A post mortem examination of the body of Andrew Miller discovered four contused wounds on the back of the head, evidently made with some blunt instrument. The jaw was fractured a hole cut in the chin: the body was bruised t the lower right ribs.

 A large number of witnesses were examined, among whom the two young daughters of the murdered man, whose evidence, with that of their mother, tended to corroborate the theory of suicide. 

The jury rendered a verdict on Saturday  in which they implicated Smith and Mrs. Miller. The prisoners were sent to Jail and on the following Monday the two little Miller's made confession acknowledging that the evidence which they gave before the Coroner's Inquest was false and stating that their mother bad told them what to say. Soon after both the accused made statements acknowledging their guilt and they were tried and convicted."

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History of the Crime

The Harrisburg Telegraph, in 1881

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 The crime for which Catharine Miller and Geo.. W. Smith were hanged today, was one of the most atrocious on record, namely, the clubbing to death of the husband of the former. Smith was Mrs. Miller's lover previous to her marriage thirteen years ago, and their continued intimacy since was the common talk. 

On. the morning of March 18, 1879, Miller was found hanging by the neck to a beam in his bam. It was at first thought that he had committed suicide, but on examining the body it was seen that his jaw was broken and that there was a cut in the back of his head. Blood stains were found in the snow outside of the barn. and under a plank in the barn floor was found a child s apron covered with blood. It was plain that Miller could not have thus injured himself and then committed suicide by hanging. 

Smith and Mrs. Miller were arrested on suspicion and lodged in jail in Williamsport. The crime was committed near Jersey Shore. Both loudly protested their innocence, but after Miller's eldest girl told her story of the murder, and Mrs. Miller was informed of the fact, she broke down and confessed that her husband was first killed by Smith with her knowledge and afterwards hanged by him. 

After Mrs. Miller s confession Smith also confessed. He said that the woman urged him to put Miller out of the way. According to agreement with Mrs. Miller he went into the barn at about 10 o'clock at night and made a noise by kicking on the door next to the house. - When Miller came out to see what was the matter he struck him on the back of the head with a club, and after he had fallen struck him across the body until he was still. Then he ran into the house, and Mrs. Miller handed him a rope, but would not go and help him hang the body up. "I went back to do so alone," he said. "As I was hanging him up he showed signs of life, and struggled but did not speak. He fell out of my arms once, and , struck his head on the partition, it took me nearly an hour to get him hanged. 

Kate gave me an apron to wipe the blood up, and 1 put it under the floor. Then I went back to the house and talked to Kate about it. Mrs. Miller asked me if I would go away and marry her, and 1 said I would. She kissed me good night, and I went away. The children said they would not say anything about it."

 Mrs. Smith is very illiterate and cannot understand why she must be hanged when she was not present at the hanging, al though she was a party to the conspiracy to kill the old man. Smith was resigned to his fate and devoted all his time to reading the Bible and making his preparations lor death.

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George Smith

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GEORGE SMITH. 

George Smith was rattier a fine appearing man, fair complexion, curly hair and about six feet high. He says he was born in Chillisquaque township, Montour [Northumberland] county, in 1851, and that his father's name was Joseph Smith. We give this sketch of his life nearly in his own language: Lived on a farm with my father where I was born, for three or four years when we moved back of Mohrsburg [Mooresburg], near the Montour county ridge; from there we moved along the Montour county line back of Pottsgrove. When I was about fourteen years of ago we moved on a farm in Porter township, Lycoming county, about two miles and a half from Jersey Shore, and 1 have worked on a farm in that neighborhood ever since. My father has been dead about four years; have a mother, two sisters and a brother; mother lives in Porter township. I never was in no fuss until led away by other people; was married to a girl by the name of Gaylor, living back of Larry's creek, about six years ago; have two children, both boys, one living at my mother's, the other with my youngest sister; lived about four years with my wife when she died. I first got acquainted with Mrs. Miller when I worked for David Clark worked for Clark eleven summers; never saw Mrs. Miller until she moved to the house of Abner Maggs; never was at her house but a few times before this thing occurred.

“I did the deed myself. She laid the plan,” Smith said as he also stood on the gallows. “She often asked me to do it. When I had him killed, she gave me the rope to hang him up.”

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THE CONFESSION

Of George Smith

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 I was born in Montour county, Pennsylvania, on the 6th day of April, 1851.  lived there until I was 12 years of ago, then removed with my parents to Porter township, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, on the farm of Francis T. Carpenter; lived in that vicinity the balance my life. Worked for my father until I was 15 years of age.  After that time 1 worked for different  persons at whatever I could find to do. 

I became acquainted with Mrs. Miller while I worked at David Clark's above town, about ten years ago; have only been intimate with her during the past two ears; first becoming intimate with her when they moved into Magg's house below town.  She ran after me whenever I would be at work, she made the first proposition to put Miller out of the road ; this was when they lived at Brown's place at Safe Har bor.  She either wanted me to take a gun and go up along the narrows and shoot him,  or take a club and knock him over the narrows; I did not see her after that time until she moved to Capt. Brown's place; then she asked me if I would not not him out of the road ; I told her I would not do it. 

Then she kept running after me and begged for me to do it; she told me if I would not do it, that I should get her some poison; I told her I would do that, so I got some arsenic for her at Joseph Dingler's livery stable, where I was driving team at that time; I took the poison out and gave it to her and she said, "it would be all right now"; this was about one month before Christmas;

 1 then went to Loyalsock and did not see her till the  last of February; on my return I first met her at the Lutheran church and walked part of the way home with her; she then wanted me to put him out of the road ; I told her I would not do it; three different  times after that she asked me to put him out of the road; she said no one would find it out; then she told me Mrs.---------had a little gun that she would lend to her and she would set it in the barn and I should go there and make a noise and she would listen and send Miller out; then I should shoot him; this was two days before the thing happened.

 I asked her if she knew what would become of us if we would do it; she said it would never be found out, because her and Mrs. --------- talked about it ; 

I went out there on Thursday afternoon and she commenced talking about it again; I told her she had better stop talking about it ; she said there was a rope on the end of the clothes line that would do to hang him with. 

We met at Homlet's on Thursday evening ; she wont there first; I came an hour alter her; she stayed until half past 9 o'clock; when she went out I thought she had gone home; when I went out she was sitting alongside the fence, waiting for me ; she took hold of me and asked me to go along up; I did not want to go; she said, yes you must go; we talked on the way np about putting him out of the road; she said: "I want it done this night, and I will tell you how yon can do it take a club, and make a noise at the barn and I will listen and when I hear you I will call him."

 I made a noise in the barn and she came to the window and told me in a low voice to go on and she would go back and send him out; he came out of the front door and walked around the house by the well, and walked along to the front of the barn; when he came to the barn I struck him with the club; I did not knock him down, ho turned around and ran toward the house; I followed him and when near the house 1 struck him again; he fell and I picked him up and carried him to the barn; 

I did this alone; I struck him once after I laid him down in the barn; I then went to the house and she gave a rope out of the closet; 1 went to the barn and bung him up; I done this myself ; I then went back to the house ; she wet an apron and gave it to me and told me to go down to the barn and wipe the blood off the floor and then throw the apron under the barn; I 1 did this and went back to the house, she said "you need not run off for it will never be found out" so 1 stayed there until 3 o'clock in the morning; I was worried so

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Catherine [Rush] Miller

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CATHERINE MILLER. Mrs. Catharine Miller was a fine appearing woman, with fine, clear complexion, brown hair and eyes, rather nice features naturally reserved or timid, and above medium height. She was born at Bald Eagle, Centre county, in September, 1852. Her father's name was Daniel Rush. Both her father and mother are dead. She has three brothers and four sisters, all of whom live in this section of the country. She was married to Andrew Miller nearly twelve years ago, and when she was only seventeen years of age. She had three daughters, all of whom are living. Eliza, aged four years; Sarah Jane, six years, and Mary, ten years. In consequence of the difference in their ages Mrs. Miller never lived pleasantly with her husband. She lived all her life in Centre, Clinton and Lycoming counties. Mrs. Miller said she was acquainted with George Smith ever since she was fifteen years old. During the time she was confined in jail, from March, 1880 until February, 3rd, 1881, Mrs. Miller was sick a great portion of her time.

 Although Catherine's family denied it, she claimed she was pressured into the marriage by her parents who had made a deal with Andrew  to take care of them for the remainder of their lives.

Catherine protested her innocence, throughout.

“I never at anytime urged George to kill my husband, and always tried to prevent him from doing so,” Catherine Miller said. “Although he talked to me about it, he always introduced the subject, and had I know that George was to kill my husband that night, I should have stopped it.”

The Smith Children joined their mother for her last supper.

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The Gallows

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The gallows were erected at the jail on West Third Street, in Williamsport.  

Between 150 and 200 people witnessed the hangings on February 3rd 1881.

Diagram of the gallows Smith & Miller were hung on

As published in the Harrisburg Independent, 1881

“Before my death I want to speak a few words of warning to all who come after me,” Catherine Miller said to the crowd gathered around the gallows. “I wish none to pursue such a course of life as I have. And on the gallows I raise a warning voice. Heed the lesson.”

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The Burials

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Catherine Miller's body was taken to the Pine Creek Graveyard, where she was buried beside her murdered husband. It had been her last request, that she be buried beside him.

The body of George Smith was taken to the Ellewarner grave yard, in Watson Township, Lycoming County.  He was buried beside his deceased wife.

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