Early on the morning of 19 September 1910, Clarence Hiller's wife noticed that a light which they usually left on was off. When Clarence went to investigate,he came across a stranger at the top of the stairs. The stranger had broken in and was about to burgle the house. Hiller and the stranger started to fight,but the stranger had a gun. He shot Hiller twice and ran away. Hitter's wife ran to him when she heard the gunshots but found him dead. Soon after,the police arrested a man named Thomas Jennings not far from the Hillers'house.