Crime & punishment > Whinny Park murder

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The following is the inscription now engraven on the
stone; another will be inscribed by his friends for Mr
Millie himself:
ERECTED
JAMES MIEX.IE, FEUAR, WHINNY PARK,
In Memory of his Parents,
ALEXANDER MILLIE, AGED 80,
JANE ELACK,
Who died the 9th May, 1923, aged 77.
After the death of his parents Mr Millie continued to
live with his sister Catherine: and carried on his busi¬
ness chiefly with the assistance of servants; his ingenuity
and the returns of capital laid out on his looms, &c. plac¬
ing him beyond the necessity of actual labour except
from choice. His business was pretty extensive: as a
damask weaver he had no rival in the neighbourhood;
and was employed accordingly both by the farmers and
gentry for a considerable distance round. There are
very few respectable families in the surrounding parishes
who do not possess specimens of his workmanship; for
though articles of equal quality could perhaps have been
easily purchased, still many were partial to the idea of
home-manufactured damask; either wishing to have it
made of their own yarn, or choosing to have-some pat¬
tern drawn by themselves or selected by a friend—in
Copying which Mr Millie displayed great ingenuity.
In this way he had amassed considerable property: and
the 'plunder (in goods particularly) seized by the murder¬
er and his accomplices, must have amounted to a very
considerable sum. In this easy manner, he spent seve¬
ral years: and though frequently advised by his friends
to marry, the same retired disposition which led him to
secluded habits in other respects, seemed to influence
him in this matter also. A certain jealous independence
was besides impressed on his character, which influenced
his conduct on many occasions. Whatever might be his
views; he continued to live single ; and made his solitary
life the theme of many good humoured jokes to his
friends of both sexes who visited him at Whinny Park.
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