Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-15
PETER COFFEE,s DEATH.


 The Stony Creek Murderer Dies In Prfson-Attempt To Make a Confes- sion.
 Peter Coffee, who was serving @ life sen- tencc in the State prison at Wethersfe1d for institution on Sunday afternoon at o'clock. His disease was quick consumption brought on largely by constant thought upon the crime for which he was imprisoned. Coffee had been in prison over year on life sen tence, and during the entire time had been Respondent. The crime weighed upon his mind, and on @ number of occasions he of cred to make 8 confession, but when the time came he refused. His age was about ffty-five years. Coffee was convicted of the murder of Charles L Way, the station agent at Stony Creek, May 8, 1886. As will be remembered by the readers of the CoUR- IER, the mangled remains of Way were found upon the rails of the Shore Line road, some distance from the station. It was at first believed that the man had met an ac- cidental death, having been run over by a night freight. Suspicion was aroused, how ever, that the death was the result of foul play, and Peter Coffee, hard character of the town, was picked out as being connected with the sudden taking off of Way.
 The murder of Margaret Ernst occurred the same night and Coroner Mix sent Deputy Coroner Willett to Stony Creek. The result of his and Coroner Mix's investigations and that of detectives led to Coffee's arrest. When the case was tried it was shown that Coffey had acted rather strangely on the night of May 9. He had gone to Guilford on Conduc- tor Mason's train, he said. Masons story onr ad Gnff0uta Judge Blydenburgh, rested upon this to prove an alibi. If Coffey left Stony Creek with Mason he could not have had a hand in the murder, as Way was alive at that time.
 The State attempted to prove that Cof- fey did not go to Guilford that night, and had seen him loadng about the depot be- fore Ways death. The jury did not believe Mason's story and found Coffey guilty of murder in the second degree. It was the general opinion of the lawyers about town who had paid any attention to the evidence in the Coffey case that the State had not made Coffey's guilt very clear and the ver- dict of the jury was much wondered at. Coffey's counsel was engaged in preparing an appeal to the Supreme court for Q new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence.
 The New York World took special inter- est in the case and employed a detective re- porter to ferret out evidence against Coffey.
 
 ly failed in health, the disease developing into quick consumption. This was aggra- vated by his constant thought of the crime of which he was convicted. On number of occasions he announced a willingness to make confession of the Stony Greek mys- tery, but each time refused when pressed to do so.
 On Saturday afternoon Coffee sent for Warden Chamberlain saying he was going to die and wanted to make 8 confession. On the arrival of the warden at CoHees cell the latter was advised to make a truthful state. ment of his connection with the death of Way, which he said was his in tention. He thereupon began to talk in feeble voice, but almot immediate ly choked up and stopped. The warden en- couraged him to go on, but Coffee refused, except to repeat: "He fell off the train and was run over and killed. Ask Mason; he knows all about it, and he'll tell you" The warden finding it impossible to induce Cof- fee to continue his story finally left the cell, with the purpose of making another visit in few days in the hope of obtaining the promised confession, not thinking that the end was so near.
 The prisoner died about o'clock on Sun day afternoon. Mrs. Coffee was notified, and yesterday ordered the remains forward ed to Stony Greek, where they will be buried.
 The Stony Creek crime was recently re- called by the death in Colorado Springs of Genivieve Goddard, the clandestine wife of Way. She died Of broken heart, having been induced to leave her husband by her parents soon after the marriage.
 Judge Blydenburgh, who was Ceffee's counsel, when informed of the death of Golf. fee yesterday, said that Coffee had made no confession, as he had none to make. Coffee was 8 native of Ireland. He at one time owned 6 little house, but lost it through the passion for drink.