Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-06-16

Saieide.-Mr. John Lewis Cooke, Of
Powhattan, in Virginia, put an end Tor
bis existance on Saturday week. by dis
charging the contents of a loaded gun
into his temples. lie seems 70 have
contemplated the act some time pre-
vious to its commission. Having gone
| out two or three times with a hunting
party, he, on arriving at a certain spot.
requested his companions to proceed,
| whilst he would wait and shoot a sq,iir-
rel, which he pretended was in an ad-
joining tree-but fearing the result,
they always refused to leave him. On
Saturday having borrowed a shot gun,
and fixed new flint with great care, he
went out with a small boy, and, ar
irving at the same place, requested him
to go on saying with the same excuse,
that he would wait for the squirrel
The boy not fearing any thing, procse-
ded, and soon heard the report Of a gum
He went home to the Courthouse, and
upon enquiry from the family, told
where he had left Mr.. Cooke. They
being alarmed, Immediately repaired to
the spot, where they found him dead.
He had placed the muzzle of the gun
on his temples, where he held it witfshis
thumb and two fingers whilst he fred
it with the other hand. He had dress
ed himself with great care and neatness
on that day. 1t is seldom that we an
nounce with SO much regret as we do
the death of MIR. Cooke. The character.
standing, and prospects of this young
| gentleman, were such that his tragical
end excites the sympathy of all classes
of society. The feelings which promp-
ted him to commit the tragical act which,
terminated his existence however abb
horrent to our nature, the act Of self-des-
truction,) would induce us to forget
the crime and admire the ~n,agnanimity
of the victim.
A success only ~equalled by his merits
rewarded his professional exertions, and;
the confidence and good opinion of all,
who knew him, promised to him a life
Of usefulness and honor. But all his
prospects were suddenly blighted. lie
INDUCED for once in dissipation, which
disordered his mind and made him a
maniac. He strayed off from home,
was found by some friend and sent back
to his fathers house. where with an I'M
wise care he was chained and treated
like a mailman. Coming to his mind
finding himself chained like a brute, his
nice feelings were stung to the quick.
Mortified and degraded, he dreaded to
meet the society he had crnamented,.
and determined to destroy himself. One
of us saw him the day before he COM
mitted the deed. when in a long con-
versation he seemed intelligent, calm,.
and temperate, both in habit and in
mind. Society must always c~ensure,
| all laws, bothmoral s. devine. forbid the
destruction of that life which is infused
into s. taken away from us by an over
ruling hand, for the wisest and best of
purposes.-Lynchbmrg Virginian.
We have before US a lettersfrom a
Justice of the Peace in Falmouth, Vir-
| ginia, to a respectable m erehant of this
city, stating, than a man by the name
Of John Peters, alias Corners, had been
arrested at that place as the murderer
of Miss Cunningham.
He was taken up at the instance ola
travelling companion, by the name of
Grey Barbour, to whom, he, when UNI
der the excitement of ardent spirits. had
made a confession of having murdered
and violated Miss Cunningham, from
whom he also stole a ring, which he
had sold eth err in this City or in George
Town.
This confession he subsequently
made in the nearing of a third person,
who was purposely secreted TO hear
the cunversation.-The afidavits con-
tanning this evidence have, as the letter
states, been transmitted to Governor
Stevens Nor. Chron.
Trarslling Grocery Stores.-There
are now under sailing orders on the
Grand Erie Canal, three large substan-
tial boats of the first class, having, be-
sides room for the stowrage OF barre Is,
kegs, boxes, SC. the convenience Of
counters, seats, measures, and other
accommodations for rending groceries
of every kind, wholesale and retail
The boat is to leave Troy about every
three weeks. Besides dealing in the
usual articles of grocery, the proprie--
tors of the establishment keep constant
" or baud large quantities Of cherry
rum, lrasberry brandy, winter-greeu