The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-30 00:00:00

EXECUTION OF TEE HARPER'S PERRY

RIOTERS.

The following account of the execution of the re-
maining Harper's Ferry rioters is Wed Charles-
town, Dec. 16:
Throughout yesterday and to-day there was a great Index
of strangers and cinema of the country to witness *sleet act
of the Bargee's Ferry tragedy. There was very little dif-
, !Welty in getting Into the town, the vigilant* not being so
great mon the occadonol Brown's execution. The prisoners
were visited yesterday by Bev. Mears. Dutton, Nassau,
North, and Waugh. The MAWS were participated in by
all the oondessm= ma. All gave unqualified =sent to oon-
vie:lions of esligisue truth, and each expressed a hope of
ealvirekm. They in* acknowledged their guilt and
=Wed ISM their deem was lust, end that In the
main they bese bra treated with the utmost kind-
s.% tbetekk
_they thought some of the witnesses
were retkarlisak War testimony. Cook and Coppie were
eseeltymenssl task protestations at religious convictions
and ki af lorghemas. Mr. Butler, a Quaker from Ohio,
nag sea~mole of Copper's from Ohio, visited him yesterday.
the ineeniew lasting over an hour. All was quiet until S
o'clock LA evening, when the town was thrown into com-
motion by the report of • rifle under the gaol wall, followed
by several other shots from the vicinity of the guard-hoses,
In close proximity to the gaol. The military ware celled to
arms, sad the excitement wee intense beyond anything that
has )et occurred. In a few minutes the streets ware in pos-
session of mined men. Rumours of every description were
aloe, and It was dangerous for a citizen to
go out to eacertain the enure of the excitanent.
This morning the community was early astir.
At 9 o'clock the entire military force ware formed on Mein-
street. The companies doted= for the gallows, at half-past 9
were in position. The woman= detailed for escort duty
took up their position in treat of the gaol. At half-past 10.
Green and Copeland were prepared to go to the place of exe-
cution. The crowd was very great, at least five rime's. nu-
merous as on the comet on of Brown's execution. The reli-
gious ceremonies In the cell were very impressive, and were
conducted by the Bev. Wears. North end Waugh. At a
quarter before 11 the prisoners appeared rt the gaol door,
accompanied by the Rev. Mr. North, and, with their some
pinioned, moved slowly forward toward the vehicle In wait-
ing. They seemed downcast, and wore some of that calm
and collected spirit =km= by Brown. They were helped
into the waggon, and took their ream on their coffins,
scarcely looking to the right or this left. The escort moved
on, and the waggon was closely flanked on either aide
by a oompany of riflemen marching in double file.
At 7 minutes before 11 the prOmesion entered the field. The
primers mounted the gallows with a firm sap, sad were
diately joined by Sheriff Campbell. After a brief
prayer by the clergyman, the cape were drawn over their
Made and the ropes affixed around their necks. During the
few momenta they thus stood, Copeland remained quiet, but
Green won engaged in earnest prayer up to the moment the
trap was drawn away and they were launched into eternity.
Omen died very easy, his neck being broken by the fall, and
the motion of his body was very slight. Copeland seemed
to suffer vary much, and Ids body writhed in violent contor-
tions for several minutes. They were amompanied on the
gallows by the Rev. Messrs. Waugh, North, and Lea=, to
whom they bid an ideational° farewell, and expressed the
hope of meeting them in heaven. TM bodies were placed
in poplar coffins and carried back to the gaol. They
will be interred to-morrow, on the spot when the gallows
steeds, though there is a party of medial students hers from
Virginia, who will doubtless not allow them to remain there
long. At a quarter of testes notice was given to Cook and
Coppie that one hour more wsis allowed them. Religions
ceremonies were held in the cell. Since the failure of their
attempt to =ape Met night their assumed composure sad
apparent resignation had given way. They were reserved
and rather quiet, bat joined with fervour in the oceemonies.
When called by the sheriff they stood quietly whilst their
alma were pinioned, and atter bidding farewell to the gouda
of the 3=l, they were helped into the waggon cad took goats
on their coffins. They goateed to take but little notice as the
procession moved slowly. They ascended the scaffold with
determined firmness scarcely summed by Captain Brown. A
brief prayer was offered, the roes adjusted, the cap drawn, and
both "launched into eternity' in seven minutes after they
weeded the gallows. After the rope was adjuatell Cook
exclaimed, "Be quick—as quick as po•able I " which wee
repeated by Cope.. After hanging about 30 minutes both
bodies were taken down and placed in black walnut coffins.
That of Cook woe put ma poplar box and directed to Ash-
bell P. Willard and Robert Crowley, 104, William-street.
New York, care of Adams's express. Coppie's body was
lowa.
le • deoller box, to be forwarded to his mother in