for the State at Dennis! trial when also was convicted and sentenced
__to_die,._Dennis! convictionwas—appealed-to the Indiana Supreme Court.
on the grounds that the only evidence against him was Coffey's testi-
mony and confession, The issue was further clouded when Coffey made
a third confession in which he claimed that five other men had been
involved in the murders. Dennis! conviction was reversed and he was
finally absolved of any connection with the crime, Coffey was hanged
publicly at Crawfordsville on October 16, 1885, Even though the rope
had been previously tested for its strength, it broke when the trap
fell and Coffey fell to the ground, He was taken back to the scaffold
the rope was retied and for the second time it broke when the drop
-fell, When he was returned to the scaffold, he sought to speak a
few words but was warned to be silent. He then was pushed from the
galls a third time and, as the rope did not break, he strangled to
death, ree se dae, iets Die
.. ehANG BY THE NECK... by Testers: Pages 177-178 —
GALVESTON DAILY NEWS, Galveston, Texas, Oct, 17, 1885 |
MONTGOMERY COUNTY REMEMBERS, compiled and edited by Constance Kavaye-
cos Riggs, Crawfordsville, Ind, Montgomery Co, Historical Society,
1976. Pages 307-310
XOIXINVXKNAXRERORKEXKKX 103 INDIANA REPORTS 12 (Dennis Appeals)
for the State at Dennis! trial when also was convicted and sentenced
bathe to_die.._Demnis!_conviction_was_appealed_to_the-Indiana Supreme Court
on the grounds that the only evidence against him was Coffey's testi-
mony and confession, The issue was further clouded when Coffey made
a third confession in which he claimed that five other men had been
/ involved in the murders. Dennis! conviction was reversed and he was
finally absolved of any connection with the crime, Coffey was hanged
publicly at Crawfordsville on October 16, 1885, Even though the rope
had been previously tested for its strength, it broke when the trap
fell and Coffey fell to the ground, He was taken back to the scaffold
the rope was retied and for the second time it broke when the drop
fell, When he was returned to the scaffold, he sought to speak a
few words but was warned to be silent, He then was pushed from the
galls a third time and, as the rope did not break, he strangled to
death,
",. HANG BY THE NECK..."*by Teeters, Pages 177-178
GALVESTON DAILY NEWS, Galveston, Texas, Oct, 17, 1885
MONTGOMERY COUNTY REMEMBERS, compiled and edited by Constance Kavaye-
cos Riggs. Crawfordsville, Ind. Montgomery Co, Historical Society,
.1976, Pages 307-310
XQAXINWKANKXRKMORKAXKSX 103 INDIANA REPORTS 12 (Dennis Appeals)
for the State at Dennis! trial vhen also was convicted and casas
Ebi
odie. ourt,
onthe grounds that ae only Grint aaainct ah was Coffey's feat:
mony and confession, The issue was further clouded when Coffey made
a third confession in which he claimed that five other men had been
involved in the murders. Dennis! conviction was reversed and he was
finally absolved of any. connection with the crime, Coffey was hanged
publicly at Crawfordsville on October 16, 1885. Even though the rope
had been previously tested for its strength, it broke when the trap
fell and Coffey fell to the ground, He was taken back to the scaffold
the rope was retied and for the second time it broke when the drop
fell, when he was returned to the scaffold, he sought to speak a
few words but was warned to be silent, He then was pushed from the
galls a third time and, as the rope did not break, he strangled to
death,
+. .HANG BY THE NECK..."=by Teeters, Pages 177-178
GALVESTON DAILY NEWS, Galveston, Texas, Oct. 17, 1885
MONTGOMERY COUNTY REMEMBERS, compiled and edited by Constance Kavase-
Crawfordsville, Ind, Montgomery Co, Historical Society,
Pages 307-310
MRXANKXRERGREZXKGX 103 INDIANA REPORTS 12 (Dennis Appeals)
ig rae reo
DGATNMURENTDAK 193 DESK POS 1h (Denke opel)
COFFEY. John W.
Coffee, a 2l-year-old white man, considered to be retarded, was the
only son of a widowed mother, Because bhe was in poor health, he
was reased by a neighboring couple who lived west of Elmsdale, Mont-
gomery Co., Ind. Mr. and Mrs, James McMullen, a middle-aged farmer
and his wife, who were known to have accumlated several hundred
dollars with which they planned to make some improvements on their
farm lived nearby. On the night of January 7, 1885, Coffee went
there and shot and killed both of them, After plundering the house
and taking the money and other valuables, he set fire to the dwelling,
The charred bodies were removed the next day and the bullet holes were
plainly visible, Coffey was an immediate suspect and shortly after
his arrest he made a confession in which he admitted that he alone was
responsible for the murder and arson, Because of his low mentality
a number of persons believed that he could not have conweived and ~
committed the crime alone and, at their urging, he made another con-
fession ten days later in which he accused John Dennis of having been
the instigator and the man who had actually murdered the McMullens,
Both were indicted but they were granted a severence for their trials,
Coffey was first convicted and sentenced to die and he then testified
COFFEY. John W.
Coffee, a 2l-year-old white man, considered to be retarded, was the
only son of a widowed mother, Because bhe was in poor health, he
was reased by a neighboring couple who lived west of Elmsdale, Mont-
gomery Co., Ind, Mr. and Mrs, James McMullen, a middle-aged farmer
and his wife, who were known to have accurmlated several hundred
dollars with which they planned to make some improvements on their
farm lived nearby, On the night of January 7, 1885, Coffee went
there and shot and killed both of them. After plundering the house
and taking the money and other valuables, he set fire to the dwelling,
The charred bodies were removed the next day and the bullet holes were
plainly visible, Coffey was an immediate suspect and shortly after
his arrest he made a confession in which he admitted that he alone was
responsible for the mrder and arson, Because of his low mentality
a number of persons believed that he could not have conweived and
committed the crime alone and, at their urging, he made another con-
fession ten days later in which he accused John Dennis of having been
the instigator and the man who had actually murdered the McMullens,
Both were indicted but they were granted a severence for their trials,
Coffey was first convicted and sentenced to die and he then testified
COFFEY, John We
Coffee, a 2l-year-old white man, considered to be retarded, was the
only son of a widowed mother, Because bhe was in poor health, he
was reased by a neighboring couple who lived west of Elmsdale, Mont-
Ind, Mr, and Mrs, James McMullen, a middle-aged farmer
rife, who were known to have accumlated several hundred
dollars with which they planned to make some improvements on their
farm lived nearby. On the night of January 7, 1885, Coffee went
there and shot and killed both of them, After plundering the house
and taking the money and other valuables, he set fire to the dwelling,
responsible for the murder and arson, Because of his low mentality
a number of persons believed that, he could not have conveived and
committed the crime alone and, at their urging, he made another con-
fession ten days later in which he accused John Dennis of having been
the instigator and the man who had actually murdered the McMullens,
Both were indicted but they were granted a severence for their trials,
Coffey was first convicted and sentenced to die and he then testified
