HistoryNet mastheadHistoryNetShop Summer Catalog

Deacon Jim Miller: Killing in Deacon’s Clothing

Wild West  | 8 comments  | Print This Post  | Email This Post

Nobody ever found out who the mob members were. Nobody really cared. As an Ada historian wrote later: ‘The forty-odd men who took part in the lynching were honorable men, for the most, who had patiently endured desperado rule until it could no longer be tolerated….It can be written down as the one mob action in America entirely justified in the eyes of God and man.’

Subscribe Today

Subscribe to Wild West magazine

If it was a bit presumptuous to announce that God approved, it is certain that most of Ada did. The message to hoodlums was clearly posted, and Ada was on her way to the peace and quiet her citizens so devoutly wanted.

To be sure, there were those who still believed Miller had been wrongly accused. Long lines of people paraded through the undertaker’s parlor. Even so, Ada had done the rest of the Southwest a mighty favor, for Miller had definitely killed at least a dozen men (maybe his own figure of 51 wasn’t too far off) and would certainly have continued his murdering ways. Not counting any future contracts he might have been offered, he had sworn to kill Barney Riggs and the man who had cut down Little Mannen Clements in El Paso.

With Deacon Jim Miller gone, the world was surely a cleaner, brighter place. One respected citizen spoke Miller’s epitaph, cutting cleanly through Miller’s smooth manners and churchgoing facade, ‘He was just a killer–the worst man I ever knew.’


This article was written by Robert Barr Smith and originally appeared in Wild West magazine.

For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Wild West magazine today!

For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Wild West magazine today!

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Tags: , , ,

HistoryNet.com Subject Locator
  1. 8 Comments to “Deacon Jim Miller: Killing in Deacon’s Clothing”

  2. yo yo nice job homie

    By j dog on Mar 5, 2009 at 7:28 pm

  3. Jim Miller was born in Van Buren, Arkansas October 25, 1861 not 1866.
    He didn’t kiil his granparents.
    Read book by Bill James “The Story Of “Deacon” Jim Miller Killer Of Pat Garrett: Jim Miller, The Untold Story Of A Texas Badman ,”

    By M. L. Childress on Apr 11, 2009 at 5:11 pm

  4. Wow, so COOl! tottaly i learned ALOT!
    Kay!?! Buy-bye

    By Cara on May 8, 2009 at 4:00 pm

  5. He did kill his grandparents and he moved in with his uncle and planed his death also

    By leandro on Aug 29, 2009 at 9:00 pm

  6. makes me proud to be a miller…and damn proud to be a direct desendent of a war hardin confederate solder with 55th NC company C…….

    By killin Aaron Miller on Sep 16, 2009 at 3:37 am

  7. damn i HATE yankees!!!!!!!!!!!!

    By killin Aaron Miller on Sep 16, 2009 at 3:42 am

  8. I am doing a report on Killn’ Jim Miller. Is there anything I could in there that would be interesting?

    By Courtney on Sep 23, 2009 at 12:20 pm

  9. who knows anything about the miller duuude? tell me :)

    By Lily Day on Sep 28, 2009 at 3:52 pm

Post a Comment

Please note that HistoryNet Staff cannot respond to requests for research of any type. Please visit our research forum to post research questions. If you have a question about our magazines, please use the contact us form.

Related Articles




SPONSORED SITES







HistoryNet Article Archives Historynet Spacer

OPINION POLL

Which of these World War I aircraft was the best fighter plane?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

See previous polls

STAY CONNECTED WITH US

RSS Feed
 
Get Our Daily HistoryNet Email
 
 


What is HistoryNet?

The HistoryNet.com is brought to you by the Weider History Group, the world's largest publisher of history magazines. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 5,000 articles originally published in our various magazines.

If you are interested in a specific history subject, try searching our archives, you are bound to find something to pique your interest.

 Get our RSS!
 Newsletter Signup

From Our Magazines

Weider History Group

Weider History Network:  HistoryNet | Armchair General | Great History | Achtung Panzer!

Terms of Use | Copyright © 2009 Weider History Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Contact Us|Advertise With Us|Subscription Help