New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-11-04
THE ARREST OF CAPT. COOK.

There were murmurings in this town the other day
about the uufairness with which Capt Cook had been
reated-frst by his captors, Logan and Fitzhugh ana
ubeouently by the counsel for Virginia here, petit
fosVer of the name of Douglas. had not time 70 IN
vss,;ose the ustce of the murmurs but being Obliged
bv business TO return here yesterday have since tred
TO discover the Justice of the popular charges. They
are not unfounded.
First Cook was seized by two strong men, sud.
denly and without warning, when they were pretend
ing TO lead him-haggard and fanished and weak from
sicknsss-o their house, or neighbours, TO buy food
Cor himself and companions. They chained him, after
disarning him, put him into a wagon, which was
arceu by Logan, and which Fitzhugh ACCOMPANIED on
t.., ,,o,. "Hsred 10 release Cook if he or his
trends would nav him the reward offered for his
arrest by Governor Wise. Capt. COOK PROMISED 10 DO
90 and gave him his commission TO keep. ~ was eNr
IDENTIFY his only chance TO trust TO TINS i'ian nVn
For when brought before the Magistrate, ID commits
sion would have bee,. found on hin and his identity
established beyon. the possibility of error. The
why he ke., his Commission was to facilitate his
escape to TO North; to prove his identity ana the
dent' Of his four companions as soon as Ihey snouu
req n the first station of the Underground Railroad
The idea of arrest never entered INTO their ealeui
lions There were five of them-all men OF desperate
courage all armed TO the teeth each having Sharps
r;te four reyolyers and bowie-kne, with an abun-
dance of ammunition. Cook, not knowing now
infinitely he had been described nor that reward
was on his head and being the leading spirit OF the
party not willing to risk the life Of any OF his COM
panons--who had less knowledge OF men and the
world than he-descended from the mountains to buy
food; and untoward fate would have IT. INTO the
neghborhood of the very worst men OF the very worst
township of this State.
Logan. probably. would have kept his word, had he
been able TO do So and, at the same tme-though not
otherwise-to pocket his reward But Fitzhugh,
partly from political motves-he is malignant poll
ician-and partly from prudential considerations, re-
fused 10 share the spos; for the reason, il openly
sad here by men who know him BEST that, being eau
ous and not caring trust his companion, to whom,
TO save him, the reward would have been paid he
preferred get $500 without fail from Gov Wise than
TO run the risk of Logan getting cool thousand, ard
keeping IT, Whether Cook could have paid 81 900,
| did not see him. of course not know; but that the
offer was made and accepted by Logan there is no
manner of doubt-uness all men liars and Ftzhugh
man of infexible integrity which bis reputation VIII
not permit to believe.
The treachery Of Logan, therefore, consisted IN pro-
ducing Cooks commission AFTER HAVING soLEhNLY
TAKEN AN OATH to conceal it, and help to permit him
TO escape. No wonder that the Justice said, Lo-
gan fairly crouched beneath Cooks stare" no won
der, now, that, knowing that all honest men scorn
him, and having the fear Of the Abolition League
around him. he " felt all over off cold shudder when
he came to think of it," as he himself declared.
Second The Justice remanded Cook TO prison {, n
wait requisition from the Governor. 1t is the in de-
cent haste with which it brought served an the
prisoner carried off, that makes Douglas, the ,reny
attorney OF this town-the counsel for Vrp mia-the
object of contempt TO all men of humane f cling ire
spective altogether of their political pre- v;ties and
their opinion of the character of the aft r of Harpers
Ferry.
Capt. Cook has wealthy brof .her.n.law in New.
York, who telegraphed that he was coming down 70
him. He expected to arrive by the noon train
on Thursday. The requis on came by that train. but
the brotherin-aw did not arrive till o'clock 1t was
known TO Douglas that ne would arrive without fail
that day. But he W ould give the poor prisoner no
chance to speak witt the expected relative; he insisted
that nc sn3ud De hurried off to certain death in Vr
ginia, withou'. the slightest opportunity Of sending
messages mis- distracted mother sister and father
me F,Iuisition was directed to Mr.. kimball, Ia
prothe rin-law of Attorney General Black the pre-
sdng Judge of this Judicial District. Forgetting the
.ecencies OF his high station, well all consderx-
tons Of humanity he encouraged Douglas in his eager
haste for Cooks blood, rent to the prison ruth him,
signed Tie Necessary document there and ordered the
Deputy Sheriff to surrender the prisoner to the
Virginia authorities.
Capt. Cook was astonished az he had been told that
his relative was coming, and that he would be per-
mitted to see him. He asked that his counsel might be
sent for in order that at least if he could not see his
brother.in-law he might be permitted TO intrust
sage to man ON whom he could rely
NO" even this moderate request was sternly re-
fused and rtthtn twenty minutes from the time Of the
arriral of the train that brought a. the requisition was
signed. The Justice called on to make the necessary
acknowledgements enable his captOrs to receive the
price of blood and the unfortunate brave boy Capt.
John Z. Cook was surrounded by armed men, and on
his way to Charlestown Jail and Virginia scaffold.
The brother-in-law arrived, as l did, by the ;
o'clock train to find that he had come too late.
Great praise is Justly awarded here TO Mr.. A. K.
Mcclure the counsel for Capt Cook, for his generous
exertions in bis behalf Legal extremes met in this
case; all the rights that the law permitted in mercy
and in mednness, were exerted in Cooks behalf OF
Virginias 81 interests"
Douglas had the hard.hearedness, even, to deny L
Cooks council that requsiton had arrived, or W. Ju
arrive that day. at the rery time rheR the Var gfRi
authorities weye hurryins the prisoner oto A0rles
torn.
Cooks companions were in town the night after hi
arrest. They are sor out Of danger. Cook name
three of them to his COUNSEL but refused to say VIII
the fourth was; as he said bis was not known Il
any one; and he had not been implicated in the AFFAIR
In this respect, not knowing what the papers found
Harpers Ferry had developed, he was mistaken; bu
his generous spirit is no less commendable on that &C
count. His gentlemanly conduct, his youth, and hi
brave carriage here, have aroused general feeling
sympathy in his behalf; and if he suffers death on
Virginia scaod it will have deep-reachng effect Of
the growth and development of the Ant-Slavery sen
tment Of this part Of Pennsylvania. His exhibition
as if he were wild beast to the mob at Hagarstowl
has excited universal feeling Of disgust here.
Douglas gives his for hurrying the Captain
of to Virginia that he "did not know but there mgh
had been known that Cook was to be taken of at .
given hour, there would have been great excitemen
about it.
Consderate Douglas!
As for Cooks right to see his counsel, he sad ths
Captain had no more right to it than prisoner dfe,
condemnation rould haze in gong TO tie seegold!
COPELANDs CONFESSION.
The following is the confession made by Copeland