The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-05-18
Rev. S. A. cotfman Says a
Murderous Fit Pos
sessed Him.
BUT SENSES RETURNED
Before He Had the Time to kin
His Mother and Then
Himself.


The Rev. s. A. cofrman, of near
Fairmont, Methodist Episcopal cler-
gyman, murdered his wife some time
Monday morning after midnight In a
vicious manner
Mrs. Coffman's bedoom was entered
by him and in the presence of his
aged and blind mother, he attacked
his wife with a poker striking her
over the head seveai times and Telling
her to the floor, after which he cut
her throat with d razor, the blade
penetrating deep across the throat
and DETECTING up into the woman's
mouth.
About 5:30 o'clock Coffman went to
a neighbor's house and informed the
occupants that he had killed his
mother. But, when the neighbors
went to the Coftman home, they
found his wife the victim OF his MUIR
derous deeds, instead of the aged
mother. The sight was a horrifylng
one, giving evidence Of a fierce
struggle and horrible death.
Sheriff Furbee. OF Fairmont was
notified, and officers went out to
Meadowdale, where the Coffmah
home Il situated, and placed the mfn-
lster under arrest He made no re-
slstance but voluntarily surrendered,
claiming that. he was temporarily in
sane when he committed the mur-
der hut that he regained his senses a
moment after he had done the terri
BILE deed.
The officers took him to the Fair
mont Jail and locked him up for a
hearing later. Advices are that he
does not appear to possess a natural
mind. or at least is not of normal
sense.
Coffman was pastor of the Mead
owdale Methodist church and rider
Of the circuit there. His wife was a
Miss Elliott, whom he married at
Kingwood about year and a half
ago, They had no children.
II appears that Coftman aroused
his wife at midnight and told her he
was sick. She arose and began to
dress herself to look after his needs
and just as she had one shoe on he
grabbed a poker and struck her over
the head three times, being possessed
as he described It, OF murderous fit.
Afr striking her they struggled, up
on her jumping up from the floor,
and in the struggle they both got out
into the yard, where he pulled a ra-
zor and Gu her throat as described
and she died in the yard.
Some hours later as stated, he went
to the home of a neighbor named
Meredith, and told them there he had
killed his mother, and for hours af-
terwards he seemed to know no bet
ter.
When the sheriff and his deputies
found him he was bloody as hog
and he was taken to Jail in that con-
ditIon. The horrible news and the
bloody appearance Of the man threw
the city of Fairmont into intense ex-
element. but no summary vengeance
was attempted.
Coffman says he could not control
himself when the " murderous fit"
seized him and that It was his inten-
ton. when he attacked his wife to
kill his mother and wife and then him
self, but his sense returned after the
attack on and murder of his wife.
SohNldH Is Stlu uON W W a GGkulhE=
ly appointed minister this year but a
local one and has two or three ap-
pointments. Only this year he was
quite successful in revival meetings
and especially at Holt.
Mrs. Coffman. nee Lillian Elliott
was young woman and a former
schoolteacher. She had brother
Felix Elliott, OF Kingwood; and a
sister, Mrs. A. A. Warner, resides at
Morgantown.
The minister committed the deed IS
said to be Stephen A. Coffman, who
resided here a few years ago and the
murdered woman was his second wife.
His age is about so years. He had
brother TO die in the asylum at
Weston. His father also died In the
asylum.