We will celebrate by remembering an incident that occurred when Elmer was 26 years old.
The following article appeared on the front page of the Harrisburg Telegraph on Wednesday, September 14, 1887.
A Thief Captured
He Plies His Vocation at Williams Grove and Lands in Jail
During the Grangers' picnic at Williams' Grove, a restaurant on the grounds was managed by Elmer E. Miller, of Shepherdstown. This morning Mr. Miller was in Harrisburg and told a TELEGRAPH reporter of the capture of a thief who was plying his vocation during the great show. On Sunday morning after the picnic Mr. Miller was sleeping in one of the board cottages, when a long stick was thrust through a hole in the boards. He paid no attention to the matter at first, but when the stick was again inserted through the aperture (evidently with the intention of wrapping about it, he gave chase to the fellow at the other end and captured him. He was turned over to the police on suspicion of larceny. When Mr. Miller returned to his restaurant a man named Benjamin Walker said that he had noticed the thief's actions and offered to tell Miller where the thief had concealed his booty for $1. Finally he pointed out a place along the creek, where Miller found several empty pocket-books and a number of articles of clothing. Before Miller could return to the police headquarters, the thief, whose name is John Lawson, had been released. It was then decided to watch for him that night, and Millerand one or two others concealed themselves in the bushes near where the booty was discovered. Shortly after Lawson appearedand was taken into custody. He is now in the jail at Carlisle awaiting trial.
(Please note that the above article is transcribed exactly as it appeared with editing errors and misspellings.)
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