**TITLE:** Milt Miller: Black Hawk Postmaster and Stage Robber
**LEAD:** Milt Miller, appointed postmaster at Black Hawk in 1890, was later convicted of robbing the United States mail and sentenced to prison, but escaped while in transit. [1][3][7]
**BODY:** On July 18, 1890, Milt Miller was appointed postmaster at Black Hawk, though the government had yet to arrange mail delivery. [1][3] In 1891, Miller and a Professor Waring left from the Flagler works by team and buggy to reach the railroad depot, crossing a gulch with flowing water. [2] Miller was later tried for robbing the United States mail, convicted, and sentenced to ten years in San Quentin. [7] While being transported by a deputy sheriff, the deputy fell asleep and Miller escaped. [5][6][7] A blacksmith provided him a file to remove his shackles, and Miller crossed the desert, suffering severely from thirst. [6][7] In desperation, he bit into his own flesh and drank his blood to continue until he reached a water hole. [6][7] After drinking heavily, he became ill and crawled to a settlement for help, where he was recognized and detained. [6][7] Miller claimed this was his first robbery, driven by need to support his wife, and that Sheriff Paul accused him of robbing a stage near Reading, Arizona. [6][7] He was rearrested in late February, tried in Florence, and sentenced to ten years. [7] Separately, a Mr. Miller of the Gila maintained an orchard of 2,500 fruit trees and 2,000 grapevines, reporting few losses and expecting an abundant harvest. [4]
Sources
- Milt Miller has been appointed postmaster… (1890)Milt Miller has been appointed postmaster at Black Hawk, but so far the government has failed to make arrangements for carrying of the mail.
- At four o’clock yesterday afternoon Prof… (1891)At four o’clock yesterday afternoon Prof. Waring and Milt Miller started with a team and buggy from the Flagler works at the lower end of town, to go to the railroad depot. A short distance above the works it…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1890-07-18 (1890)Milt Miller has been appointed postmaster at Black Hawk, but so far the government has failed to make arrangements for carrying of the mail. The site for the new saw mill on Silver Creek has been graded …
- Mr… (1891)Mr. Miller, of the Gila, has an orchard of 2500 fruit trees and 2000 grape vines, all of which are doing nicely. He has lost but very few trees, and finds them but little trouble. He will have an abundance…
- Henry B… (1891)r stood in the road and ordered the driver to stop. The latter did so, and without waiting to be told threw out the mail pouch and express box and started on his way. Miller released his unwilling assistant…
- In company with a deputy sheriff he started… (1891)In company with a deputy sheriff he started for prison, but while waiting for a train the deputy sheriff fell asleep and Miller escaped. An accommodating blacksmith furnished him a file with which to take his s…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1891 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1891-06-19 (1891)by the governor of the territory. went to Los Angeles and secured work but in the latter part of February was rearrested and taken to Florence and tried on a charge of rob- bing the United States mail, …