Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1924-08-15
MURDER OR SUICIDE !?


Was Luther Coffelt, who was foun
dying at an early hour Sunday morn
ing near the home of his brothers a
Harmony in the western section 0
Shenandoah County victim of sci
inflicted wound, or was lie murdered
This is the question which has Sc
the countryside agog in that neighbor
hood and the veil of mystery which
surrounds the tragedy has created con
siderable skepticism as to the alleges
suicide.
Notwithstanding the verdict Of thu
coroner's jury that Coffelt came to hi
death by shooting himself with 3
calibre bullet there are circumstance
connected with the young mans dealt
which have caused grave doubts among
many people as to the manner OF hi
death.
The story as told by those best &C
quainted with facts is one to sugges
a possible murder, and the Sunday
morning tragedy becomes another Of
the County's unsolved mysteries.
For some years Coffelt had beer
living in Pennsylvania and it is alleged
that he left that State on the Friday
preceding his death with several men
and women. Neither their identity
nor their disappearance has been solv.
ed, nor is it known where Coffelt part
ed with his companions. 1t is known
that the dead man usually was plenti.
fully supplied with money and yet less
than three dollars were found on his
body. His friends state that it was inn
probable that he would have under
taken an extended motor trip on this
limited supply of cash.
The position of the body when found
is another element of doubt in the
minds of many as to the suicide theory.
Coffelt was stretched out on the ground
about thirty feet from the automobile
which he had supposedly been driving
with bullet hole above the right ear
and a pistol, with three empty shells
lying on the ground on his left SIDE 1t
is asserted that had Coffelt shot himself
the gun would have been still gripped
in his hand Or that it would have been
on the same side of the body from which
the shot was fired. 1t is also alleged that
there were no powder burns in the
locality of the wound, and it is also
stated that the undertaken found al
bruise near the heart and evidences
that Coffelt had been struck on the
head.
Apparently there was no motive for
self destruction, for Coffelt had notl
lost his job, as was at first enormously
stated, and during the evening before
his death, he attended a festival at
Columbia Furnace and seemed to be in
the best of spirits.
His friends state that he was not al
man and there was no evil
iences eff melancholia. The note fonnd
n his pocket asking that his brother
be notified in the event any thing i
should happen to him was dated in
1922, and carried for identification.
Coffelt was thirty-five years old, and
vas SON of the late Samuel Coffelt.
FOR fourteen years he had been men,
ger of the Brethren Church and at
,ne time he lived at Middletown.
He is survived by his wife who was
Hiss Nellie Henry, of Reliance, Va,
md one little daughter Frances, six
'ears old. There are also four sisters
md six brothers surviving Mrs. Moses
dollar, of Harmony, Mrs. William
delsley, of Columbia Furnace Mrs.
Ralph DuBruler and Mrs. Ada Smith
If Winchester, Guy Coffelt, of Win
chester, Earl, Of Edinburg, Charles,
Hugh and Roy, of Harmony, Va, and
Ira, of Middletown, Va.
Funeral services were held at Union
Forge Church on Monday.