The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-12-24


could have got over and throttled the guard
/ he would have made his escape. The
shenandoah Mountains are within ten
minutes run of the Jail wall, and had he
reached them, With his thorough knowledge
I of the mountains, his arrest would have
] been difficult, especially as but few of the
! soldiers could have followed him during
/ the night.
The following is their statement in rela-
stion to the attempt:
CHARLEsTowN, Dec 16, 1859.
Having been called upon to make fair
statement in regard to the ways and means
of our breaking Jail, have agreed to do so
] from a sense of dnty to the Sheriff of the
county, our jailor, and the Jail guard. We
! do not wish that any one should be unjust
lily censured on our account. The princi-
] pal implements with which we opened a
passage through the wall of the Jail were
Ia barlow knife and screw, which we took
out of the bedstead
q The knife was borrowed from one of the
q Jail guard to cut lemon with. We did
I not return it to him. He had no idea of
any intention on our part to break out,
sleither did the Sheriff, .jailor, or any of the
aguard have any knowledge of our plans.
4 We received no aid from any person or
3persons whatever We had, as we sup
Hposed, removed all the brick except the
last tier, several days ago, but on theeve
ling previous to our breaking out, we found
our mistake in regard to that matter.
We had intended to go out on the even
s ling that my sister and brother-in-law were
/ there, but l knew that it would reflect on
sthem, and we postponed it-but / urged
aCoppic to go and l would remain, but he
I refused. We then concluded to wait
4 got knife blade from Shields Green,
and with that made some teeth in the bar
i low knife, with which we sawed off our
1 shackles We had them off the night pre-.
vious to our getting out. Coppic went out
Z first and followed. We then got up on
I the wall, when l was discovered and shot
at. The guard outside the wall immedi-
lately came up to the wall.
. We saw there was no chance for escape,
{ and as it was discovered that we had bro
! ken Jail, we walked in deliberately and
gave ourselves up to the Sheriff, Capt.
I Avis, and the Jail guard. There was no
zperson or persons who aided us in our es-
#cape. This is true, so help me God.
Signed, JOHN E. Cook,
EDWIN CoPPJC.
Gen, Taliaferro Immediately telegraphed
to Gov. Wise, informing him of the frus-
strated attempt of the prisoners, His answer
4 directed that the military should imme-
diately take possession of the interior of
the Jail, and guard the prisoners until they
were executed
8 THE EXECUTION OF COPELAND AND GREEN.
4 At halfpast ten o'clock of the morning
] of the 18th, General Talliaferro, with his
I staf, numbering about twenty five officers,
having given orders to prepare the two ne
S5rU prisoners. Shields Green and John
ACopeland, for execution, took their depart.
! ure to join the main body of the troops or
y the field.
4 The military then formed in hollow
I square around the Jail, and an open wagon
4 containing the coffin of the prisoners drew
%up in front, with carriage to convey
SHERIFF Campbell and his deputies.
q The crowd of citizens and strangers was
very great-at least five times as numer
Aous as on the occasion of Browns execu.
sstion-most of whom were already on the
#feld, whilst others waited to see the pris
toner's come out
q The religious ceremonies in the cell Of
Il the prisoners were very impressive, anc
d were conducted by Rev. Mr.. North, of the
\ Presbyterian, and Rev. Henry Waugh, Of
4 the Methodist Episcopal Church.
j At quarter before eleven o'clock, thu
4 prisoners, accompanied by the Sheriff ant
q Rev. Mr.. North, appeared at the Jail door
4 land, with their arms pinioned, moved slow
#ly forward towards the vehicle in waiting
8 for them. They seemed downcast, ant
4 wore none of that calm and cheerful spiri
s evinced by Brown under similar circum
stances. They were helped into the wag
n on, and took their seats on their coffin
s without scarcely looking to the right o
IS left. The escort now commenced to move
E and the wagon was closely fanked on eth
er side bya company of riAemen, marching
in double file, lock step.
q At seven minutes before eleven o'clocl
the procession entered the field occupies
& by the military, and the prisoners cast
5 shuddering glance towards the gallows
erected on the rising ground in its centre
4 In two minutes more the wagon stopped a
the foot OF the gallows, and whilst tn
& prisoners were alighting the companie
forming the escort moved off to the pos
ton assigned them on the field
& rrba xo,.-aroro mounted the RcaffOl