The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-16
DAN COFFEYS LAST SHOT.
The Well Known Detective
Ends His Life With a
Bullet.
HE WAS OUT OF HIS MIND.
tective's Home on ShotWell
Street.

Odul6l OOley, Tile Well-kuOWu pOllCc ue-
tective, committed suicide late yesterday
afternoon by shooting himself in the right
temple with his revolver. The tragedy oc-
Cured in the bathroom of his residence at
800 Shotwell street, corner of Twenty-sec-
ond
For long time past his family and
friends have noticed that he acted in Pc
culiar manner and all believe that he was
out of his mind when he ended his life.
During the past month or two Detective
Coffey has been engaged with his brother
officers hunting the burglars who haye
been at work in the Western Addition.
The officers were usually out all night
and they had but little time to sleep dur
ing the daytime. Coffey went out on Sat-
urday night with Officer Reynolds and re-
turned to the Chiefs office in the morning.
About 10 O'Clock he met Detective Cody,
and the latter, noticing that Coffey carried
an umbrella and wore an overcOat, re-
marked, Hello, Dan, are you crowding
the winter upon us?" Coffey made no an
swer, but walked away. Cody repeated his
salute, but it brought forth no reply-a
peculiar action on his part, for be always
spoke good-naturedly with all, and espe-
cially with his brother officers.
He went home, it was supposed, to take
a bath and get something to eat. He was
expected back at the Chiefs Office, for yes
terday was his Sunday on Office duty He
did not return and his failure to do so led
to the belief that he was not well.
Mrs. Coffey, in telling the remainder
of the story, said: Dan came home
before noon to-day and said he was going
to rest for awhile. When he went to the
bedroom / asked him if he wanted to be
called for supper and he said that he did
not know.
."All the family went to the lower part of
the house and some time late in the after
noon we heard what we supposed to be
some one slamming a door or window, but
we did not pay much attention to the
noise, or rather two noises, for there were
two reports. We expected that Dan would
get up for supper, but he did not and
about 1880 our son, Thomas, went upstairs
to see if his father was not oversleeping.
1.-THE bedroom was empty. So was the
case in which he carried his pistol. Tom
began to hunt around and found his father
had shot himself in the head in the bath
room. Two chambers of the revolver were
empty and showed that they had recently
been discharged. Where the first bullet
went we have not yet learned
The son at once notified Captain Lees
and the Coroner. The latter, after making
an examination of the case stated that it
was clear case of suicide and at the re-
quest of the family left the body of the
dead detective at the family residence.
Captain Lees stated that Detective Cot
fey had seemed much worried for some
time past. A number of crimes that had
been recorded on the secret file have been
made public and the detective had been &C
cused of giving out the information. Cap
tain Lees assured him that he believed him
guiltless of the offense and told him so;
still Coffey was worried.
Coroner Hawkins also narrated several
instances in which he had dealings with
Detective Coffey and noticed that he acted
in a manner that indicated that his mind
was not perfectly sound. He conducted
himself in a manner foreign to his usual
habits.
The widow, in speaking upon this
subject, said: dan has been acting
queerly for long time past. first noticed
this about seven months ago. Whatever
may have been the cause do not know,
and did not say anything of what had
noticed, as | did not wish to bother the
children. Recently he has been unable TO
sleep at all, and he seemed restless and
troubled all OF the time. Dan did not tell
me much about his business, and thought
that he was troubled about his detective
affairs"
A few minutes before the body of the
dead detective was discovered his only
broken-hearted upon returning to her
home after her evenings pleasure to find
the undertakers preparing the body of her
father for the inquest that will be held in
day or two.
Detective Coffey leaves a widow, two
sons and daughter.
He was born in Limerick, Ireland. on
June is, 1910, making him 50 years OF age.
He was appointed on the force on Novem-
Der l, 1869, and promoted to the rank of
detective in 1873. He was formerly
cooper. Several years ago he did good
work in his line of official duty.
After being appointed a detective he first
had as a partner Ned Davitt and they did
good service in looking after the pawn
against burglars and thieves. Then he had
successfully as partner Ed Byram, Ross
Whitaker and Ben Boben.
He made many prominent captures of
criminals, including noted burglars and
cracksmen. He was instrumental in
breaking up the notorious Wilcox gang of
murderers. housebreakers, footpads and
Mccall, Walker. Modesto Wilcox and
Johnston. This gang terrorized the City
for a long time. They were all Eastern
crooks of National repute.
He knew every pickpocket of prominence
in the country, and captured large num-
Der. Only one was able to escape MIN,
and he was Splinter. He was known as
"Windy Dick and had National repu-
tation. When General Harrison paid this
City visit, Coffey saw WINDY Dick" and
a companion named Tom Rodgers working
the crowd He quietly made his way
toward them, but they noticed him and
made break through the crowd.
Coffey chased them, but was unable to
overtake them. They got train at the
n or finp md pY, to- Roc
ton. At the recent fiesta in Los Angeles
he was sent for, and he captured num-
Der of pickpockets. At the conclave of
Knights Templar in this City and at the
Midwinter Fair he arrested large num-
Der.
He was favorite with the railroad
people. who frequently procured his SER
vices to assist their officers in running
down train-robbers. He was known as a
man without fear and proved it on many
critical occasions.