The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-17
COFFEE'S CRIME.
History of the Murder of James McMullen and
Wife, and Their Murderer.

Wife, and Their Murderer.
On the morning of Jan. s, 1856, about 10
o'clock, the discovery was made by a small
neighbo boy that the house of james McMullen,
near Elmdale, about nine miles northwest of
Charlottesville, had burned to the ground during
the night. The alarm was Immediately given,
and a crowd was soon on the scene. Water was
thrown upon the smoldering ruins, and it was
soon discovered that Mr.. McMullen and wife had
been burned. Coroner S. L. Ensminger held an
inquest, and it was determined that murder
had been committed, as the body of Mr.. McMullen
was found among the ashes of one room and the
remains of his wife were among those of another
room. Supicion was directed toward John
w. C. Coffee, who was taken in charge by Ben
Swank, TO be kept until the morning of Jan. 8.
when he was to have been examined ca that
morning, about o'clock, Swank arose and went
down stairs, and left Coffee in bed. On his re-
turn he found that Coffee had stepped out on a
shed ROOT and jumped to the ground thus max
ing his escape. The detective companies were
soon in pursuit, and Coffee was arrested on Sat
urday evening, Jan. 10, by three OF their mem
bers. Ben Rhoadhamel, Ben Gray and Tom
Smith, at the house of Till j. Sloan, near String
town, in Fountain county. He was taken back
to Eimdale, at which time he made his first con-
fession to the detective company, as follows: "On
the evening of Jan. Z about 2 o'clock went to
the home of the McMullens, and admitted
by James McMu|len. The home of McMullen
was a log house of two rooms. McMullen and
/ sat and talked until Mrs. McMulen went int o
the other room Then l picked up stick of
wood and struck McMullen, which caused him
to fall to the floor. Then 1 struck him again.
N1rC hc MIr1t hn hatx
rooms to see what was the trouble. and forced
the door open between the two rooms Coffee
stated that in the scuffle to get the door open,
she caught his arm in the Goor, and he showed
the marks on his arm. which had been made
then. Then / demanded of Mrs. McMulien to
tell me where the money was. She said: You
should have come few days sooner, as we have
just paid $50 on ditch We then searched the
house, and 1 found twenty-five cents;
boots These he had on when he was
among the number who arrived at the scene of
the murder on Jan. s, and still had on when ar
rested, and was the principal cause of his being
suspected then got pair of her stockings
and spool of thread, and put them in my pocket
Mrs McMullen proposed then that we 60 over to
James Morrows and get $50 which he was owing
them. and offered to marry me. / refused and
struck her on the head with a stick. l then
poured coal oil on her and the feather bed, set
them on fire and went to Rankin's, where [ slept
that night. could see the house burning while
in he'd" He stated. also, that one helped him.
He was brought to Charlottesville and put in
Jail. In about a week he made ~kis second
statement He said that James Dennis
proposed to him that they would 90 and steal
some chickens He agreed to this but had no
idea that Dennis was intending to murder them
When they arrived at McMullen's gate he told
Coffee to stay there until ne returned. Dennis
went to the house. and was admitted. In short
time Coffee heard a noise in the house, and, as
he was approaching the door, Dennis came out
dragging Mrs MeMullen by the hair, and said
as he handed ma club, John, you kill her. "
He said that he could not and Dennis then took
the club and struck her on the head. They then
carried her in the house, searched around for
money and other articles. Dennis got about
$500 and Coffee twenty-five cents. Dennis told
Coffee to put on McMullens pants and boots,
which he did. Dennis then put spool-box in
his pocket containing various small articles,
after which they set fire to the house and de-
parted. On the way back Dennis said to Coffee
If you are arrested, say you did it. and | will
see You out"
James Dennis was arrested and placed in jail
COtfees case came up in court on March 30 The
jury retired about o'clock P. NJ, on April l. and
in fifteen minutes returned with verdict of
murder in the first degree. Cofee's lawyers
were Paul e. HUMPHREYS, and the State was rep
resented by Prosecuting Attorney A. B. Ander-
son and Nj. A. White.
The case of Dennis was called on April Is, and
the jury retired on April 81 In four hours they
brought in verdict of murder in the first de-
gree The lawyers for the State were the same
as in Cofee's trial, and Dennis was defended by
Thornton & Doty. A motion for new trial
filed and taken under advisement by Judge
Britton.
On June Is Coffee made his third statement to
two ministers, Rev. G. T. Phillips, of Grays-
vile, and Rev. j. II. Jackson, of Charlottesville
In this he said that James R. Rankin did the
killing with a revolver, and Monday Rankin. his
son, John Curtis, James Dennis and himself
were along. The house was searched, several
articles carried away, and $500 in money secured
When the crowd separated. ''old man Rankin"
held his pistol at Coffee's head, and said, ''If
you ever tell will kill you" This statement
was sworn to by Rev. Jackson in the court on
July j, and was placed On file as a supplement-
airy motion for new trial. which was also
overrued.
On May 10 Judge Britton had Coffee and Den
mis- brought to the court house and, after an
nouncing that the motion for a new trial was
overruled in both cases. be sentenced them to be
hanged on Thursday Sept. g. Dehnis's attor-
neys appealed to the Supreme Court AS the
court did not convene until after the day set for
the hanging, Governor Gray reprieved them
both until Oct. l6. The Supreme Court granted
a new trial to Dennis on the grounds that the
third statement might cause jury to return
different verdict than they had. In the last few
days Coffee has stated that Mrs. Rankin and her
daughter, Mollie, knew all about the murder
and knew that it was to be committed
Puoiic opinion was greatly divided as to the
truth of the last statement James r Rankin
had left home last fall. and had never been back
since, to the knowledge Of the neg. bors. Some
thought he was dead. To the surprise of all he
arrived in Charlottesville on Oct q and brought
with him afhdavits of persons showing that he
was in Carlisle, N. NJ. at the time of the MUIR
der In order to test the reliability of these per-
sons making the affidavits. several kilograms
were sent by different persons. S. ID. Csffman,
of the Argus News received an answer to his
inquiries. message saying that Rankins was
there on Jan. z, aud that the parties who made
afhdavits were relatives A. r. Ramsay also