James Coyle

About

Irish-American priest who was murdered by a Ku Klux Klan member and Southern Methodist Episcopal pastor E. R. Stephenson. At the time of his death, Coyle was leading the congregation of The Cathedral of Saint Paul in Birmingham, Alabama.

Before Fame

After graduating from Ireland's Mungret College, he attended Italy's Pontifical North American College. He became an ordained Roman Catholic priest in 1896.

Trivia

He secretly performed the wedding of E.R. Stephenson's daughter and a Roman Catholic Puerto Rican man. This act led to his murder at the hands of Ruth Stephenson's enraged father.

Family Life

The son of Margaret Durney and Owen Coyle, he was born and raised in Drum, Ireland.

Associated With

Attorney and Ku Klux Klan member Hugo Black, who later served as a United States Supreme Court Justice, was the defense attorney for E.R. Stephenson during Stephenson's trial for Father Coyle's murder.