West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-05-21
Former kinswood Woman Meets Ter.
riols Death Monday.
BODY BROUGHT HERE FOR BURIAL
INSANITY Believed TO Have Caused the
Tragedy -Planned 10 Kill
Mother and Self

'S -" nearing ot the
brutal murder ot Mrs. Lillian Coff-
man by her husband, Rev. s. A.
Cottman. aged SO years, a Me,ho
dist Episcopal minister, at their
home at Rosstown. short distance
from fairmont, while temporarily
insane. The tragedy occurred short.
y after midnight Monday morning
and the details are horufying In the
extreme. The murderer is now in
the Fairmont Jail and from his
rambling confession and what can
be learned we give the following
story OF the crime:
The family of Lafayette Meredith.
who reside some little distance from
the Coitman home, we're awakened
Monday morning about { O'Clock
by Goldman, who came to the house
anu aroused them, saying he had
KILLED his mother. Mr.. Meredith
and son started for the Coflman
honse al once, aud instead of find.
ing the mother the victim cf the
SUPP psed insane mans deed, found
the wife lying dead in the back
yard. near coal house, with her
BODY beaten and Slashed in horrible
manner.
The mother was in her room, ap-
pa'ently asleep and she was not
aroused or told of the occurrence
until some time after the sheriff and
other officers had been on the scene.
Coffman's clothes aud his hands
were ali blood stained aud indica.
tions tended to show that there hal
been a hard struggle OF some kind,
and this evidently took place after
Coftman first struck mis- wife
Cofiman related the details to
the officers in rather clear way.
although he seemed to be consider
ably dazed at times. He said that
he had not been feeling well Sun
day, and that he was To have filed
All appointment at Hoult to baptize
several persons, bu; that he did moi
go, for the reason that he was I'll.
That on Sunday night he did not
retire, but his wife had gone to bed
at The usual hour. At midnight or
later he says his wife got up and
dressed, because he still complained
that he was Ill, and it Is the general
supposition that she had tried TO do
something for him. Mrs. Coffman
was putting on her shoes, CuTman
says, when he was seized with a
murderous desire. Grabbing a
poker he struck his WIFE on the head.
and he SAID il was his intention to
also kill his mother and himself.
Besides beng beaten with the poker,
Mrs. Goldman was sldshed about the
head and face with razor, aud a
terrible struggle must have onsued,
as streams OF blood were found lead
ing from the bedroom 10 the place
III the yard where the woman Law
dead, He said that some time
alter comrnitllngthe horrible tragedy
he came To himself, realized what
he had done aud wrui To the Mere.
duh home 10 relate IL.
Mr.. G. hmau's mother. who has
b. r' ieslGing with him for some
time, D., qaiie oil anG feeble, and
besides beng bhnd, is unable to
@a'F. She said to people who
Questioned her that she thought she
herd Il commotior Of some kind
durng she night. bu, did not know
what u p" as; that he, son had come
q" hef room during ,be night and
lprhed after her wants as was his
usual custom.
Those who knew Cofman per.
sonslly say that he possessed a
pecuiu disposition, and that he
had acted very queefly at times, al
though il was not though, that his
mind was unbalanced. 1t is said
thst insanity is hereditary in the
Cohman family, and that the mur.
derer's father and two brothers were
at one time IN an insane asylum to.
gethet. Mr.. Cofman belongs 90 a
Harrison county family.
Since last October Mr.. Cofman
had been in charge of the Meadow
dale circuit and boarded in the
neIghborhood until last February,
when he went to housek eeping and
his wife joined him. During the
winter Mrs. Cofmdn taught school
at DAVIS Ridge, near Monongah.
Previous TO coming to this county,
Mr.. Coffman and wife lived IN the
neighbofhood Of Wheeling. lie
never was taken into the Methodist
Episcopal conference, although he
bad put in an application for adj
mittance.
Mrs. COfiman was born in King.
wood Dgcenber ,Q~C bc. ..o...,.