He wore a suit to church on Sundays and was known as a devout Methodist. He was also one of the deadliest hired guns in the Old West.
Early Life
James Brown Miller was born October 25, 1861, in Van Buren, Arkansas, and raised mostly in Texas. As a child, he was arrested — though never prosecuted — in connection with the murders of his own grandparents. In 1884, at age 22, he shot his sleeping brother-in-law, John Thomas Coop, with a shotgun following an earlier argument. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but the conviction was later overturned on a technicality.
A Career of Violence
After his release, Miller worked as a ranch hand and later as a deputy sheriff and town marshal in Pecos, Texas, where he developed a reputation for shooting people he claimed were trying to escape custody. In 1891, he married Sallie Clements and briefly cultivated a respectable public image, earning the nickname "Deacon Jim" for his church involvement.
Miller was later implicated in the ambush killing of a lawman who had shot and killed his employer, and in the shooting death of a rival sheriff. He was never convicted in either case, and several witnesses who might have testified against him died under suspicious circumstances. By 1900, Miller had begun taking paid contracts to kill people, reportedly carrying out at least six additional murders as a hired gun.
The Final Killing
On February 27, 1909, Miller was paid $1,700 by two ranchers to kill Allen Augustus "Gus" Bobbitt, a former deputy U.S. marshal, in Ada, Oklahoma. Miller was arrested and extradited to Oklahoma to stand trial.
Death
Fearing the evidence against him might not be enough to secure a conviction, a mob of local residents broke into the jail on April 19, 1909, and lynched Miller along with three other prisoners connected to the murder-for-hire plot.
FAQ
How many people did James Miller kill?
He is believed to have killed at least 12 people, though the exact number is debated among historians.
Why was Miller called "Deacon Jim"?
He cultivated a devout, church-going public image for a period of his life, which stood in contrast to his violent history.
How did James Miller die?
He was lynched by a mob in Ada, Oklahoma, in 1909 before he could stand trial for a murder-for-hire killing.