Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-02-13
from the Mississipp Sun.l


which occurred on the l9h of September
last, have been detected and ono ofthem is
is close confinement. Jahn w. Carter.
calling himself John W. Collins, vas taken
few days ago in Lauderable, county, and
brought TO this place on yesterday by Messrs.
Smith and White. It seems that Car.
ter and Cook had been short time previous
to the murder Of Rivcs, prow!ng about Hills.
borough, in Scott county, seeking employ
ment as wcll-Jiggers that for a week pre-.
ceding the murder, they absen;ed them
selves wnIl provisionss sufficient TO last
Them c:gt or ten days. These provisions
wcrr fJuasl il the swamp where Rives was
kll,el. Suspicion resting uron them, they
were immediately pursued, and were not
hcarl ol unt Cook, calling himself John
ston, got,withln ten miles of home, and gave
$50 10 rta: :cn miles. Cook, wi,h his wife
and ch:I,'rcn, sc, out that night for Mobile,
and f. tn nee to Texas. Carter was pur.
sued ami taken AT his resl,lcrce inLowndes
county, where his property had been
previously levied upon by the sheriff, and
on his return he paid execu ions and released
it. Some of the money Re paid the sheriff,
hos since b.cn identified to be- Rivcs'. 1t is
unknown what amount of money Rive had
at the time he was killed, butt. is suppo ed
he had about SlO,5O0. Cook, who is pro.
badly now in Texas, has, no doubt the ma.
ior part oftI.is SUN. From the character
Carter gives HIM, he is as bad or worse a
robber thar join A. Murrel, now in the
penitcn:iary of Nashville. He once lived
IN Florida, bit ~as compelled to leave for
h cr.m.s. The following nre some oTth"
CRIMES he comni,ted cccordrg TO his con-
(css,on to Carer. who related them 10 me
in tue presence Of Mr.. SmIh. at whose re-
duesl vro them down, and send 10 you
for pabca ion, 50 taat the good citizens oil
Texas may be on their guard aud if possible
bring this demon 10 justice. From this
short history Of Cook, he was, no doubt,
one of tie main -insigat rs Of the late SEM
moe war in Florida. Carter does not re-.
oIlec TIC precise dac Csc murders and
roUberIes were cemmilleI, but said it was
about the commencement! and during the
Seminole War. Carter states that Cook
and man by the name of Br,a who lives,
at Lake Pon;chartrain, killed man by the
name of Allen, in Tallahassee, Florida, and
robb ID him Of $3.50 cash.
Cook painted himseflike an Indian, and
he; ID lorge number ol S :ninoles, AMI
bu.chered one Of the most wealthy families
Of white people on the frontiers of FIorM!a.
After killing the whole family except =
young man, who stood over and fought for
his sister until he was woundrd by a sho.
from an indian-Cook then stuck an axe
in his head, and left i, there sticking, rob.
bed the house of ST. LOO in paper money, and
70 or $50 in specie. lie KEEP, the paper
himself, and gave the Indians the silver.
Cook then went to Apalachcola bay and,
from thence to BainbriJgc, Decatur county,
Geo. and, in company with Virginian,
with whom he had been travelling in the
stage, and supposng he had money. a,
-ook's instance, walked TO the spring, there
killed the Virginian, threw him in The river,
and robbed HIM Of $l,ll9, two SIG pieces
Of gold, and three smaller pieces: This
crime was committed 10 Dec, 1886. From
Bainbridge he returned 10 Columbus,
Geo. his resi- lence.
In Tallahassee. Florida, he saw travel.
Ter pay his bill. Discovering he had money,
he told The stranger he was tave'lins his
route, as il was dismal road, he would
be glad cl his Company. The stranger
! !hankel him, and they travelled about sew
en,ecn mil $. when Cook proposed they
should drink together, and while the stran.
&C. was drinking out Of Tic bottle, Cook shot
him through tie back Of lc heal, and rot'
bed hlm Of about 1862.
| Cook and his brother in l.w. Charl,s
! Hollis, killed the ferryn,an Of ST. Johns
river on the St. Augustine trail. French.
man, and robhod him Of II or $500. ard
| turned t H., loose to avoid the possibility
of pursuit..
Cook murdered q man not far from la.
!ahassee, ard robbed linn of $2,4OO, and
S13 in cash.
He then went into he Indian country, and
purchased poney, and sole II more, and
hired an Indian 10 assist him. When ne
got ino the white settlements, he then made
The Indian drunk and cut his throat.
Cook and Capt. Mirny Ia celebrated p'r'
ate. wen, 10 Snake Island, understanding
that vessel was coming from Key West
murdered the crew consisting ol { OF
g men and three ladies--plundered tine
boa, of $4,000 in specie, scutiled and sunk
the vessel.
Cook was then taken in irons to Talla
hassce but was released, by force, from
the authorities, and the irons knocked Oh.
The names ofhis friends are Augustus and
Willis Austin Of Texas.
Cook and Capt. Minny came across
vessel going from St. Marks 10 A'mony