| Jim Miller The Deadly Deacon |
| Born on October 26, 1866 in Van Buren Arkansas, little else is known about Jim Miller other than he was one of the deadlist killers of all time. Miller was not your average stand up shoot it out gunslinger's, but he knew how to get the job done if the price was right, or if he just happened to have a grudge against you. Miller's philosophy was it don't matter if you shootum in the front or back, their just as dead either way. In 1867 Young Jim and his parents moved to Texas, where a few years later both died mysteriosusly.( Some say they were poisoned, just speculation) Jim moved in with his grandparents and they weren't around much longer either. Only they were murdered. The suspect? Eight year old Jim of course. What can you do with an eight year old killer in the 1800's except give him a good talking to and watch your back. Little Jim moved in with his sister and her husband J.E. Coop in Gatesville Texas, after all he had no other place to go." I'd been watching this little tyke" Jim and Coop didn't hit it off to well and a few years later on the night of July 30, 1884 while Coop was sleeping on his front porch Jim slipped up on him and shot him in the head. Jim was tried and convicted for the killing and sentenced to life in prison, but was later released on a technicality. Free again Miller roams around for awhile before going to work for Mannan Clements on his ranch in Texas, but Clements is killed a short time later by Ballenger Texas Marshall Joe Townsend. Townsend would later be blown off his horse by a shotgun blast one night by an unknown party. (Makes you wonder though don't it.) Seems everywhere Jim goes people turn up dead. Miller finds a job in 1891 as the deputy sheriff working under Bud Frazer in Pecos, and marries his old bosses daughter Sallie Clements. After Miller marries he becomes a devout Methodist minister and is working long hours at night performing his duties as a deputy. Miller is not doing to much to stop the rustler's in the area and word has it that he might be taking a few horses himself, while putting in all those hours at night. Frazer confronts Miller about the accusations but Miller denies any wrong doing. A couple of weeks later Barney Riggs, Frazer's brotherinlaw claims that he knew the where abouts of some horses that Miller had stolen. Frazer checks into the matter and fires Miller. How Riggs knows about this is anybody's guess, but hey, it's the old west isn't it. |
| Miller is furious at Frazer for his firing and swear's revenge. Frazer is nervous as he knows that Miller will try to get even. Things are a bit sketchy from here on, one story has it that Miller runs against Frazer in the next election and wins, then another story has it that Frazer just quit and left town for awhile. Regardless of the circumstances one morning in 1894 Frazer is back in Pecos and puts about four slugs in Miller's chest. Thinking him dead Frazer walks off only to find out that he didn't die. Miller wasn't real dumb, he had created his version of a bullet proof vest. A sheet of metal he wore under his shirt and coat. Miller was a ruthless killer and he new that sooner or later someone would plug him so he was ready. Frazer is stuned how can a man take four slug's and still be living? Miller in the mean time swear's that he will get Frazer in time. Frazer leaves Pecos and heads to New Mexico where he tries a little prospecting. But on September 13th Frazer was back in Texas, visting some of his relatives, or on a buisness trip, and was enjoying a hand of cards in the local saloon when Miller walks in and open's up with a shotgun blowing Frazer's head off. Miller is promply arrested for murder, and call for his good buddy and cousin Attorney John Wesly Harding. If Hardin can't get him off in court he probably can help him shoot his way out. Hardin manages to get a hung jury for his work and Miller is released. Miller moves to Memphis, Texas at this time and is running a saloon. Jim has started himself a little side buisness, killing for cash anytime or place if the money is right. Miller was said to have killed a man named Joe Earp, ambushed him with a shotgun. Later the District Attorney that had proscuted Miller earlier was found dead from an over dose of poison while staying at the hotel where Miller worked. The Deadly Deacon would move on and everywhere he went people died. Mostly by being ambushed or shot in the back. Miller was at one time reported to be charging as little as 150.00 per man for sheep herders. In 1904 it was said that Miller ambushed and killed a Texas lawyer, before moving on to Oklahoma where He shot and killed a Marshall Ben Collins at his farm house late one night. Miller would spend some time in jail for killing the Marshall, but in 1907 he was either released or was out on bail. |
| The Frazer Miller Feud |
| The Pat Garrett Killing |
| Nothing has ever been proven as to the tales of Miller being the man who killed Pat Garrett but there is some evidence linking him to the killing. The most elaborate conspiracy was that in the fall of 1907 a group of men met in the Regis Hotel in El Passo. In attendence was W.W. Cox, Oliver Lee, Jim Gililliand, Albert B Fall, A.P. Rhode, Carl Adamson, Mannie Clements and none other than Jim Miller. They were there to figure out how and when to get rid of Garrett. Its said that they offered Miller $10,000 to kill Garrett but that seems like a lot of money in 1907. Adamson would bring Garrett to a certain location where Miller would be there waiting to ambush him. Territory Governor George Curry wanted more information on the death of Garrett, and two men that were well informed on the facts of the case were, Attorney General James M. Hervey and Caption Fred Fernoff of the New Mexico Mounted Police. Fernoff and Hervey visited the site of the shooting with Adamson, and about 50 feet from where Garrett was killed discovered a set of boot prints, a rifle casing, horse tracks and droppings. Both men and the Governor had come to doubt Adamson and Brazel's story as to what had actually happened that day. Whether Miller did in fact kill Garrett we will never know, but there is some evidence of him being involved. |
| Killer Miller rode into Ada, Oklahoma in 1908 having been hired to kill a retired lawman by the name of Gus Bobbit. Bobbit had been causing trouble for two men Jessee West and Joe Allen, who were getting rich, skinning Indians. Getting the Indian's drunk and buying there land from them for a few dollers. Bobbitt wanted it stopped. The state law required the local District Court Judge to sign and approve the sale of all future land transactions between Indians and white men. Bobbitt was pushing to have new people elected to these office's. West and Allen wanted him out of the way and gave 1,700.00 to Berry Burwell who in turn paid Miller for the job. On the night of Febuary 27th, Miller was waiting for Bobbitt on his return trip home and shot him with a shotgun. Bobbitt did not die right away but made his way home where he lived for about an hour. Bobbitt told his wife who had shot him before he died. Miller was caught and arrested along with West, Allen, Burwell, Peeler, Miller's nephew and John Williams who turned state's evidence in the case and was out on bond. Williamson had supplied Miller with a horse and the Deacon told him that he had killed Bobbitt. Miller also told him that if he talked it had better be to the good Lord because he was going to be meeting him real soon. |
| The people of Ada were furious about the killing of Bobbitt and before long talk of a hanging was going around town. The people were afriad of Miller, some even saying that they were afriad to walk around the house at night with the curtians open. They knew that if the Deacon was released on bail alot of them would be in trouble. On April 19th, about 3:00 in the morning, the towns people took care of the problem. 150 to 200 men walked to the jail and overpowered two deputy's Bud Nester and Walter Goyne. Nester attempted to make resistance, but was at once made to understand that no interference would be brooked and was beaten over the head with the end of a pistol. The mob then took four of the prisoner's that were being held there for the murder of Gus Bobbitt leaving only the young man Peeler who they thought to be to young to be hanged. Their cold dangling bodies were found the next morning in an old abandoned livery barn out back of the jail. The men were Jessee West, Joe Allen, Barry Burwell, and Jim Miller all charged with the death of Gus Bobbit. So ends the life of The Deadly Deacon James B Miller the killer of over 50 men he once boasted. You've heard of Gunfighters who never shot a man in the back, Miller never shot a man in the front. That is if he was looking. |
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| Read the article that was printed Monday April 19, 1909 in the Ardmore,Oklahoma Paper. This is very interesting. |
| Click Here |
| The Lynching |
| The Gus Bobbitt Killing |
| The Hanging |
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