Re: Double homicide in or near Peshtigo
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In reply to:
Double homicide in or near Peshtigo
bobbi moschkau 8/18/05
We have electronic newspaper files available to us thru Godfrey.org. This looked like an interesting story, we took a look for it.
The murder occurred on Oct 6, 1962 at the Miller Home. Claude and Francis were separated. She had filed for divorce.
Francis and Elmer Kohler were having a ice cream party for his son, the 2 Miller children, and Francis’s nephew.
Claude walked in and shouted at both adults, fired a 12 ga shotgun at each, wounding them, and then fired again at each of them, killing them.
The 2 older boys were seated at the table with Frances and Elmer. The kids ran to the neighbor’s house, screaming.
Claude was arrested at the local hospital where he went complaining of an appendices attack. When arrested, he claimed he could not remember anything about it. He said he had been drinking all day and had gone to the house about 9 PM. He hid the shotgun about 4 blocks from the house.
He was arraigned 2 days later. Said he could not afford a lawyer, so the court appointed one.The judge entered a plea of not guilty.
The attorney claimed that Miller was unfit for trail and filed a “not guilty by reason of insanity”. Clause spent about a month in Winnebago State Hospital. He was declared to be sane.
The trial took place in December. He did not take the witness stand claiming the judge was prejudiced against him. The jury returned a guilty verdict after 90 minutes of conferring. He was sentenced to 2 life terms. We did not see where he was sent, nor did we see if he was paroled.
Kohler had been divorced twice. Claude had been convicted of larceny and assault prior to the murders.
We did look at the Claude’s (d 2000, Milwaukee)obit. It is:
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) - February 9, 2000
Deceased Name: Miller, Claude
Miller, Claude Passed away on February 5, 2000 at the age of 77. Survived by relatives and friends. Funeral Service 2 PM Thursday, at the Funeral Home. Visitation from 1 PM until time of service. Private interment Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery BRETT FUNERAL HOME 2001 W. Wisconsin Ave. 342-0692
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)
Date: February 9, 2000
Edition: Final
Page: 99
The Appleton Post Crescent seemed to carry the best articles on the murders. You may want to contact them for copies of the articles.
Their web site is
http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/http://www.wisinfo.com/postcrescent/
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Re: Double homicide in or near Peshtigo
Thomas Wittau 11/09/10