The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-06-16
After Remaining Out All Night
 Jury Reaches Verdict
FRIENDS CONGRATULATE HIM
His Freedom Assured Coffman Gathers Up His Belongings at the Jail and Leaves for Home at
 Brookside.

At o'clock yesterday morning the jury in the case of Rhenna D. Coffman brought in a verdict finding him not guilty, of the charge of murdering the Rev. J. W. Bradford of Brookside The jury had been out all the preceding night, the case having been submitted to them at a quarter past five o'clock Saturday afternoon.
 When the jury reached a conclusion early yesterday morning Judge Samuel E. Greene, before whom the case had been tried. was sent for. as were the attorneys for the stato and defendant. These were all present when the verdict was announced. The defendant was also in court accompanied by his wife and his relatives who have been in attendance during the trial. When the verdict was announced he was surrounded by his rel atives and friends, who congratulated him on his acquittal. When this scene was over Coffman went to the Jail where he has been ever since the killing in December last, got together his pos sessions and accompanied by his wife and relatives left for his home. which he had not seen for six morJNs.
 Case of Great Interest.
 Few cases have aroused as much pub lie interest as this one. The trial began on June 3 and the verdict was rendered just two weeks later. The trial has been in progress every day except Sundays and part of last Friday when one of the jurors became i'll. A large crowd has been in attendance at every days session and nearly the entire population of Brook side, the little town where the tragedy occurred, has been in the court room either as witnesses or spectators. Over 100 witnesses testified in the case.
 The killing took place one Sunday af- ternoon about o'clock in the early part of last December, the deceased being shot to death in his own home by Golf man, who claims that he shot in self defense. as MT. Bradford was trying to kill him.
 The minister had just returned home few days before from a Methodist con- ference, having been assigned to his same charge for another year. While making an address to the Sunday school on the morning he was killed, MT. Brad ford Is said to have made some personal remarks about Coffman.
 Where Testimony Stops.
 Witnesses saw the defendant enter the home of the minister, and after that no testimony Is absolutely authentic, ex- cept that the preacher was found dead in his hallway by neighbors. There Is a difference of opinion relative to the num- Der of shots fired.
 Coffman was immediately placed under arrest and the next day was brought through the country to Birmingham and placed in the county jail At a preimin- ary hearing he was bound over to the grand jury without bond. Later the grand jury indicted him on a charge of murder in the first degree.
 Some weeks later he petitioned the court to allow him bail on habeas cor pus proceedings This hearing lasted sev- eral days and Judge Samuel E. Greene denied the petition. The case was then set for hearing on April 22
 The First Trial.
 The afternoon the day for which the case was set the defendant filed a mo- tion to quash the indictment on the ground that 1t had been procured by ur- gent representations of the solicitor made to the grand jury that they should indict the defendant for murder In the first de- gree. The plea set up that the grand jury had taken several votes on the case but had failed to get twelve votes favor ing an indictment for murder in the first degree until the solicitor told them that the evidence adduced before them war ranted this finding and that it was their duty to so indict as the petit jury could if they saw fit, bring in an indictment for murder in a less degree, but that if Coffman was indicted for murder in a less degree he could not be convicted of murder in the first degree, even if the evidence on the trial warranted it.
 The solicitor filed an answer, denying that he had made any representations to the grand jury except such advice as he was authorized and required by law to make, but to avoid any questions that might be raised a new indictment was procured from the grand jury which was then in session, the new indictment charging murder in the first degree.
 Coffman Is a young man about 35 years of age and has a wife and several chill dren.