Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-12-19

ATTEMPTED 4 Va WYNN I'M Tat
.;,e,,eaf al Cha,4estopn- - Preparations for tie Er-
...gon -laterricw rHh The Prisoners, dr.-1lc
a,tcnnted escape of Cook aud Coppie from the
rharIestown Jail. was briefly noticed yesterday
II appears from the following accounts, that they
had been making their preparations for ten days
n~cyious: A telesraphic dispatch to the Baltimore
San. dated Charle>town. Dec. Ii. SAYS;
Ats4 O'Clock this morning. two of the condemn
81 prisoners: Cook and Couple, escaped from the
,ail. and we've fred upon by the sentincls and
driven back to the prison. They nre now in the
custody Of Sheriff Campbell.
Tho prisoners had mounted the jail wall when
they were discovered by the sentinel on the out
side, who Immediately give the alarm and fred
upon them. They had sawed their manAcies a>un-
der with tho blade of n Barlow knife. which they
Ind concealed and made into n fine saw.
Iii ascertained from their Confession, that they
have Teen engaged in preparing for their escape
duriug the last ten days. They made IL hole in
the wall near the window. which they conccgiei
with paper, hiding the bricks they had removed
under the bed.
Upon the alarm being given. they made no re,is-
lance, but surrendered as soon as they discovered
ly the shot of the sentinel they were detected.
The event has produced the utmost excitement
here, and all are on the alert. Mai. Gen. Talia,
fcrro is d directing everything in person, md will
maintain an uninterrupted supervision of affairs
until after the execution. We do not apprchend
any further difficulty.
ACharlestown dispatch to the Baltimore Amer
lean says:
Great excitement prevails here at the present
time, on account Of an attempted escape from
Jail of Cook and Coppic. The prisoners nrc now
heavily ironed, md Especial guard is standing
over them. The streets in front and the jail arc
also kept clear.
The prisoners say that they got the shackles off
their feet by saving them with an old knife, and
then forced the bars.
A Misunderstanding occurred several DAYS ago
between General Taliaierro and tho jailor in re-
gard to placing sentinels inside the jail. The inil.
er claims the right to have his own men. The
Gen. gave way to him but placed a guard on the
outside, which has thus prevented the escnre of
the prisoners. Cook says he could have made his
escape had he jumped down and throttled the sen
tinel.
A letter from Charlestown, dated Dec. II, gives
some interesting statements:
Tho interview between Cook and Governor
Willard his brother-in-law, was of a most effect
ing character. When they met they embraced
each other, Gov. Willard sobbing loud enough to be
heard throughout the building. Throughout the
whole affair Gov. Willard has given evidence Of
the possession of feelings most honorable to him
and he has the warmest sympathy Of all in this
sad affair.
There arrived in the afternoon train yesterday,
three members of the Society Of Friends, under
stood to be from the State of Ohio, who came to
see the prisoner Coppic, and make some arrange
ment in regard to the disposal Of his body, after
the law shall have been executed upon it. One
Of the party, it is said, had charge of Coppic be-
fore he grew to manhood, and represents him to
have been a youth of good character, and ola gen.
tie and obedient disposition. The interview be-
between Coppic and his friends lasted over an
hour, and was conducted in a quiet unimpassion-
ed manner. On meeting, one Of them said to him,
Edwin. thee hast broken the laws Of the land,
to which C"ppic slade no distinct reply. Before
parting with him, his friends gave him some good
advice.
The prisoners tonight all seem to be in good
spirits, although Cook is looking badly. having
been unwell for several days. They wero engaged
for some time to-,lay in spiritual exercises, under
the direction IF the Rev. N. G.. North. Of the Pres
byteriar church. All joined in the exercise with
seeming devotion. and seemed tn look t. Him
above MS the only help in this their hour Of severe
trial.
There was considerable excitement created in
the nei s~hbprh"od Of the military headquarters.
about noon to-day. on account ct the arrival 81 II
prisolcr, in charge Of one uf the country patrol.
who II was in a few minutes rnmored was one ct
the ycrituble followers Of the lite John Brown. On
Inquiry it was aseertained the fellow had been ar
rested under suspicious circumstances, and that
he could give n" satisfactory account of himself.
ms only answers being after the t~rllowihg manner:
I'm a Scotchman have had my leg broken and
sn twice fiftecn.''
IL" was identified hy Captain Seilert, Of New
al k"t, Va, rs having been arrested a few We Ks
aga III that piuce, md discharged for the want OF
~"'dencc. Capt. S. SAYS he answers in all res
l(cis ~ the.description of one Barton Hassc,t. IT
whom n heavy reward is now offered, and it is al
iie1ed lie is the murderer Of ii man named Evans.
!" Allegheny county, Va, some months ago. The
mnn was committed TO Jail by Justice Eichelber-
ger. to await future developments.
Connected with the Charlcstown affair, we may
e'Ty a statement made by one J. NJ. McKim, at
an Anti-Slavery Fair, in Philadelphia, on We'd
nesday
ihe 81 eaker mentioned in the warmest terms the
Kindness and courtesy exhibited by the civil and
military authorities If Virginia towards Mrs.
Brown and the party who accompanied her. The
only complaint he made was, that none Of the
Gentlemen were allowed an interview with Brown
,e!or his execution, that privilege only being ex
tended 10 Mrs. Brown. He said the inhabitants
u ilarper's Ferry We'd with each other in theil
,nuentlons to the party by presenting them with
A~eepSakes and mementoes of Brown and his two
sons, who fell there. and on all hanls there wa,
%n earnest expression Of sympathy for their fate
'"e Authorities cxer,ed themselves to discover the
"olies Of the two sons. and offered. without com
pVhEati"n, to disinter the bodies of some half doz
4" the invaders, who had been buried in ont
grave, t. ascertain if the body of Oliver was among
"tH' Ibis grave and another containing three
"''ies, was opened in his presence. but the bodie'
we're 70 decoinp3sed that it was difficult to identify
item.
tapt. Barbour informed Mr.. MEX. that HI
Cnp.ufi use every exertion to discover the body 0
liver and have it derently inferred. McNin
Nv, ,v read a letter from Capt. b., dated Dee. ST.
nI 1""g that the body of Oliver had been recover
H. /, ana properly inferred. The body Of Watson
o""' The elder brother. killed at the same time