A double funeral will be held tomorrow for a father and son who died dramatically yesterday by their own hands.
Otis Miller, 51, and his son, Alfred, 23, are to be buried in adjoining graves in Hawk Cemetery following services at the Richman-Prillaman mortuary in Yorktown, beginning at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon (CST). The Rev. Ora Shaw will officiate at the funeral services.
Three hours after his father shot himself with a shotgun at the Miller home northwest of the city, the son committed suicide by climbing a lofty tower and throwing himself across high tension wires. A few minutes before he met death, the anguished son attempted to hang himself in a woods near the farm home, but the attempt was blocked by neighbors and relatives. Eluding these, he climbed the high tower and a few seconds later toppled to the ground, his clothes aflame and his body burned by 130,000 volts of electricity.
Despondency caused by the suicide of Mrs. Bergie Mae Miller, wife and mother of Otis and Alfred Miller, caused the elder Miller to take his life, relatives believed. The father arose at about 5 o'clock yesterday morning and went to the rear of a corncrib at the Miller home, located one mile west of state road 35, just off the Moore road. Here he pressed the muzzle of a shotgun beneath his chin and pulled the trigger, dying instantly. It was the same gun used by Mrs. Miller in her suicide two years ago. When his father's body was found the son, who was a close companion to the father, became hysterical and Coroner Earl K. Parson, called to the Miller home to investigate the death of the elder Miller, told neighbors and relatives to "Watch that boy." A few minutes after the coroner left the home neighbors telephoned Sheriff O.P. Snodgrass but while the sheriff was en route to the Miller farm the youth procured a rope, slipped away and was fashioning a noose about his neck when anxious neighbors found him. He ran when he noticed the approach of friends and hid in a thicket nearby. The group began searching the thicket but almost immediately young Miller was seen climbing the 70-foot tower. As friends and relative watched, horror-stricken, the youth reached the top and flung himself across the wires. There was a burst of flame and the body tumbled to the earth. It is likely that young Miller died instantly, Coroner Parson said. The body struck the concrete base of the steel tower and the skull was fractured. Those at the scene when young Miller died were Frank Miller, his uncle, and Luther Chitty, Ray Schwart and Robie Moore, neighbors.
The high-tension cables carry electric power from the northern section of the state to Marion, Muncie, and other cities. Linemen estimated they carried 130,000 volts.
The Millers had resided in Hamilton Township for the past 15 years. Alfred Miller was graduated from the Royerton School in 1935.
Surviving Otis Miller are two daughters, Mrs. Esther Stebbins of Royerton, and Mrs. Marie Berry of Muncie; four brothers, Albert, Roy and Paul Miller, of Muncie, and Frank Miller of Hamilton Township; four sisters, Mrs. Angie Cotton, Mrs. Maggie McClellan and Mrs. Ocie Bruer, all of Muncie, and Mrs. May Stewart of Yorktown, and two grandchildren. Albert Miller is survived by the widow, Ruth, to whom he was married only five weeks ago, and the two sisters, Mrs. Stebbens and Mrs. Berry.
Otis Miller, 51, and his son, Alfred, 23, are to be buried in adjoining graves in Hawk Cemetery following services at the Richman-Prillaman mortuary in Yorktown, beginning at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon (CST). The Rev. Ora Shaw will officiate at the funeral services.
Three hours after his father shot himself with a shotgun at the Miller home northwest of the city, the son committed suicide by climbing a lofty tower and throwing himself across high tension wires. A few minutes before he met death, the anguished son attempted to hang himself in a woods near the farm home, but the attempt was blocked by neighbors and relatives. Eluding these, he climbed the high tower and a few seconds later toppled to the ground, his clothes aflame and his body burned by 130,000 volts of electricity.
Despondency caused by the suicide of Mrs. Bergie Mae Miller, wife and mother of Otis and Alfred Miller, caused the elder Miller to take his life, relatives believed. The father arose at about 5 o'clock yesterday morning and went to the rear of a corncrib at the Miller home, located one mile west of state road 35, just off the Moore road. Here he pressed the muzzle of a shotgun beneath his chin and pulled the trigger, dying instantly. It was the same gun used by Mrs. Miller in her suicide two years ago. When his father's body was found the son, who was a close companion to the father, became hysterical and Coroner Earl K. Parson, called to the Miller home to investigate the death of the elder Miller, told neighbors and relatives to "Watch that boy." A few minutes after the coroner left the home neighbors telephoned Sheriff O.P. Snodgrass but while the sheriff was en route to the Miller farm the youth procured a rope, slipped away and was fashioning a noose about his neck when anxious neighbors found him. He ran when he noticed the approach of friends and hid in a thicket nearby. The group began searching the thicket but almost immediately young Miller was seen climbing the 70-foot tower. As friends and relative watched, horror-stricken, the youth reached the top and flung himself across the wires. There was a burst of flame and the body tumbled to the earth. It is likely that young Miller died instantly, Coroner Parson said. The body struck the concrete base of the steel tower and the skull was fractured. Those at the scene when young Miller died were Frank Miller, his uncle, and Luther Chitty, Ray Schwart and Robie Moore, neighbors.
The high-tension cables carry electric power from the northern section of the state to Marion, Muncie, and other cities. Linemen estimated they carried 130,000 volts.
The Millers had resided in Hamilton Township for the past 15 years. Alfred Miller was graduated from the Royerton School in 1935.
Surviving Otis Miller are two daughters, Mrs. Esther Stebbins of Royerton, and Mrs. Marie Berry of Muncie; four brothers, Albert, Roy and Paul Miller, of Muncie, and Frank Miller of Hamilton Township; four sisters, Mrs. Angie Cotton, Mrs. Maggie McClellan and Mrs. Ocie Bruer, all of Muncie, and Mrs. May Stewart of Yorktown, and two grandchildren. Albert Miller is survived by the widow, Ruth, to whom he was married only five weeks ago, and the two sisters, Mrs. Stebbens and Mrs. Berry.
A double funeral will be held tomorrow for a father and son who died dramatically yesterday by their own hands.
Otis Miller, 51, and his son, Alfred, 23, are to be buried in adjoining graves in Hawk Cemetery following services at the Richman-Prillaman mortuary in Yorktown, beginning at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon (CST). The Rev. Ora Shaw will officiate at the funeral services.
Three hours after his father shot himself with a shotgun at the Miller home northwest of the city, the son committed suicide by climbing a lofty tower and throwing himself across high tension wires. A few minutes before he met death, the anguished son attempted to hang himself in a woods near the farm home, but the attempt was blocked by neighbors and relatives. Eluding these, he climbed the high tower and a few seconds later toppled to the ground, his clothes aflame and his body burned by 130,000 volts of electricity.
Despondency caused by the suicide of Mrs. Bergie Mae Miller, wife and mother of Otis and Alfred Miller, caused the elder Miller to take his life, relatives believed. The father arose at about 5 o'clock yesterday morning and went to the rear of a corncrib at the Miller home, located one mile west of state road 35, just off the Moore road. Here he pressed the muzzle of a shotgun beneath his chin and pulled the trigger, dying instantly. It was the same gun used by Mrs. Miller in her suicide two years ago. When his father's body was found the son, who was a close companion to the father, became hysterical and Coroner Earl K. Parson, called to the Miller home to investigate the death of the elder Miller, told neighbors and relatives to "Watch that boy." A few minutes after the coroner left the home neighbors telephoned Sheriff O.P. Snodgrass but while the sheriff was en route to the Miller farm the youth procured a rope, slipped away and was fashioning a noose about his neck when anxious neighbors found him. He ran when he noticed the approach of friends and hid in a thicket nearby. The group began searching the thicket but almost immediately young Miller was seen climbing the 70-foot tower. As friends and relative watched, horror-stricken, the youth reached the top and flung himself across the wires. There was a burst of flame and the body tumbled to the earth. It is likely that young Miller died instantly, Coroner Parson said. The body struck the concrete base of the steel tower and the skull was fractured. Those at the scene when young Miller died were Frank Miller, his uncle, and Luther Chitty, Ray Schwart and Robie Moore, neighbors.
The high-tension cables carry electric power from the northern section of the state to Marion, Muncie, and other cities. Linemen estimated they carried 130,000 volts.
The Millers had resided in Hamilton Township for the past 15 years. Alfred Miller was graduated from the Royerton School in 1935.
Surviving Otis Miller are two daughters, Mrs. Esther Stebbins of Royerton, and Mrs. Marie Berry of Muncie; four brothers, Albert, Roy and Paul Miller, of Muncie, and Frank Miller of Hamilton Township; four sisters, Mrs. Angie Cotton, Mrs. Maggie McClellan and Mrs. Ocie Bruer, all of Muncie, and Mrs. May Stewart of Yorktown, and two grandchildren. Albert Miller is survived by the widow, Ruth, to whom he was married only five weeks ago, and the two sisters, Mrs. Stebbens and Mrs. Berry.
Otis Miller, 51, and his son, Alfred, 23, are to be buried in adjoining graves in Hawk Cemetery following services at the Richman-Prillaman mortuary in Yorktown, beginning at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon (CST). The Rev. Ora Shaw will officiate at the funeral services.
Three hours after his father shot himself with a shotgun at the Miller home northwest of the city, the son committed suicide by climbing a lofty tower and throwing himself across high tension wires. A few minutes before he met death, the anguished son attempted to hang himself in a woods near the farm home, but the attempt was blocked by neighbors and relatives. Eluding these, he climbed the high tower and a few seconds later toppled to the ground, his clothes aflame and his body burned by 130,000 volts of electricity.
Despondency caused by the suicide of Mrs. Bergie Mae Miller, wife and mother of Otis and Alfred Miller, caused the elder Miller to take his life, relatives believed. The father arose at about 5 o'clock yesterday morning and went to the rear of a corncrib at the Miller home, located one mile west of state road 35, just off the Moore road. Here he pressed the muzzle of a shotgun beneath his chin and pulled the trigger, dying instantly. It was the same gun used by Mrs. Miller in her suicide two years ago. When his father's body was found the son, who was a close companion to the father, became hysterical and Coroner Earl K. Parson, called to the Miller home to investigate the death of the elder Miller, told neighbors and relatives to "Watch that boy." A few minutes after the coroner left the home neighbors telephoned Sheriff O.P. Snodgrass but while the sheriff was en route to the Miller farm the youth procured a rope, slipped away and was fashioning a noose about his neck when anxious neighbors found him. He ran when he noticed the approach of friends and hid in a thicket nearby. The group began searching the thicket but almost immediately young Miller was seen climbing the 70-foot tower. As friends and relative watched, horror-stricken, the youth reached the top and flung himself across the wires. There was a burst of flame and the body tumbled to the earth. It is likely that young Miller died instantly, Coroner Parson said. The body struck the concrete base of the steel tower and the skull was fractured. Those at the scene when young Miller died were Frank Miller, his uncle, and Luther Chitty, Ray Schwart and Robie Moore, neighbors.
The high-tension cables carry electric power from the northern section of the state to Marion, Muncie, and other cities. Linemen estimated they carried 130,000 volts.
The Millers had resided in Hamilton Township for the past 15 years. Alfred Miller was graduated from the Royerton School in 1935.
Surviving Otis Miller are two daughters, Mrs. Esther Stebbins of Royerton, and Mrs. Marie Berry of Muncie; four brothers, Albert, Roy and Paul Miller, of Muncie, and Frank Miller of Hamilton Township; four sisters, Mrs. Angie Cotton, Mrs. Maggie McClellan and Mrs. Ocie Bruer, all of Muncie, and Mrs. May Stewart of Yorktown, and two grandchildren. Albert Miller is survived by the widow, Ruth, to whom he was married only five weeks ago, and the two sisters, Mrs. Stebbens and Mrs. Berry.
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