James Brown Miller (October 25, 1861 – April 19, 1909), also known as "Killin' Jim", "Killer Miller" and "Deacon Jim", was an American outlaw and title-holder gunfighter of the American Old West, said to have killed 12 people during gunfights. Miller was referred to by some by the alias "Deacon Jim" because he regularly attended the Methodist Church, and he did not smoke or drink. He was lynched in Ada, Oklahoma, in 1909 along with three other men, by a mob of residents angry that he had assassinated a former deputy U.S. marshal.
Early life
Miller was born in Van Buren, Arkansas, but his parents migrated to Franklin, Texas when he was one year old, and he grew up there. His father Jacob Miller, born in Pennsylvania in 1801, was a stonemason, and helped build the first capitol building in Austin. Miller's mother was born Cynthia Basham. Just a few years after the move, Miller's father died, so his mother took the family to Evant, Texas to live with her parents. In 1869, when Miller was eight, his grandparents were found murdered in their home. Miller was arrested, but never prosecuted for the crime.
His sister, Georgia, and her husband, John Thomas Coop, accepted the boy onto their farm at Plum Creek near Gatesville. The 1880 census records him as being nineteen years old, living in Coryell County, Texas, with his siblings and widowed mother. On July 30, 1884, Miller shot and killed his brother-in-law (with whom he had had an argument) with a shotgun while the latter was sleeping on his porch. Miller was arrested for the murder, convicted, and sentenced to life in prison. The conviction, however, was overturned on a technicality.
After leaving the Coop farm, Miller became a hired hand on the McCulloch County ranch of Emanuel "Mannen" Clements, cousin of outlaw John Wesley Hardin. Clements was killed by Ballinger City Marshal Joe Townsend on March 29, 1887, during the period when Miller worked at the ranch. Townsend was later ambushed by an assailant wielding a shotgun, which became known as Miller's signature style, and severely wounded in one arm. Townsend survived, but lost his arm to amputation.
Pecos lawman
Over the next couple of years, Miller traveled the Texas–Mexico border region and operated a saloon in San Saba County. In Reeves County, Miller became a deputy sheriff and later town marshal in Pecos. During this time, he gained a reputation for killing Mexicans, claiming that they had been attempting to escape.
Miller was married to a daughter of a cousin of John Wesley Hardin, another Old West outlaw. In 1891 Miller married Sallie Clements, daughter of Mannen Clements. Assuming the appearance of a devout Methodist, he earned the nickname Deacon Jim. He was well liked by the townspeople because he was polite and an avid member of the church. Regardless of the weather, he was known to wear a long, black frock coat.
Miller became involved in a feud with Pecos Sheriff George A. "Bud" Frazer. While Frazer was on a trip to El Paso, he was informed that Miller had allowed criminals to gain greater control over Pecos. Frazer enlisted the help of Texas Ranger John R. Hughes to secure Pecos. After returning to Pecos, Frazer immediately jailed Miller on a charge of murder. A jury acquitted him of this charge. Frazer also believed that Miller had stolen mules and had him arrested for theft.
On April 12, 1894, in Pecos, Miller was confronted by Frazer about his involvement in the murder of cattleman Con Gibson. Frazer did not wait for Miller to go for his shotgun, and shot and wounded him in the right arm. While Miller was attempting to fire, he discharged his gun with his left hand, hitting bystander Joe Krans. Frazer fired again, hitting Miller in the groin, which finally put him down. Frazer emptied his six-shooter into Miller's chest. After Miller's friends had rushed him to a doctor, his frock coat was removed to reveal a large steel plate that Miller wore under it as a kind of bulletproof vest; it saved his life; and Miller recovered.
On December 26, 1894, Miller was standing outside of a blacksmith's shop when Frazer began to fire at him. Frazer hit Miller in the arm and leg. Rushing in to finish him off, Frazer tried to shoot Miller in the chest, but the metal plate in Miller's coat saved him again. Frazer, demoralized, quickly retreated. Miller had Frazer charged with attempted murder. The case was heard in El Paso, and ended in a hung jury.