Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-18
Attempted Escape OF Cook and CopPIe--
Exciting Scenes.

Attempted Escape OF Cook and COppIe--
Exciting scenes.
The dispatches to the Louisville papers give the |
following details of the attemp of Cook and CoFPIE
to escape from the jail at Charlestown:
OHARIEsTowN Va. Dec. I6.-The sentinel station |
ed near the Jail reported that at quarter mast
o'clock he observed man the iail wall whom
he challenged, and receiving no answer, fred at
him. The head of another man was also seen be-
fore the wall, but he returned soon as the first
one had been fired at The man on the TOP Of the
wall seemed at first determined to persist and was
about to jump down when the sentinel declared that
he would impae him on his bayonet He then re-
treated into the Jail yard with Coppie, and both
gave themselves up without further resistance
Cooke afterwards remarked that if he could have
got and throtled the guard he could have made
his escape The Shenandoah mountains are within
ten minutes OF the Jail walls and had he reach
ed them, with his knowledge of the mountains Lis
arrest would have been difficult especially as but
few of the military could have followed him during
the night. They had succeeded after two weeks
labor, whenever alone at night when the bed cloth
ing mufied the sounds Of the saw, which they had
made out of an old barlow knife through their IRON
shackles so that they could put them off at any mo-
ment that they should have their work completed.
They had also made sort of chissel out of a bed
screw with which they succeeded as opportunity
offered in removing the plaster from the wall, and
then brick after brick until a space sufficient for
| them to pass through opened, all except the
removal of the outer brick.
! The part of the wall on which they operated was
| in the rear Of the beds on which they slept. The
beds being pushed against the wall completely hid
| their work from view. The bricks they took out
were concealed in the drum of stove, and the dirt
and plIster removed in the course Of their work
| was placed between the bed clothing.
They acknowledged that they had been at work a
whole week in making the aperture through the
wall. Their cell being the first floor, the aper-
/ ture was not more than five feet above the pave
nent Of the yard and when freed of their shackes,
their access to the yard was quite easy Here,
however was a smooth brick wall. about Is feet
| high, TO scale. This difficulty was however soon
overcome with the aid of the timbcrs of the scat
fold on which Capt Brown was hung. and which
was intended for their execution on the succeeding
day. They placed these against the wall, and soon
| succeeded in reaching the top, from which they
could easily have dropped to the other side, had not
the vigilance of the sentinel on duty so quickly
checked their movements. They were arrested IL
the Jail yard by Gen. TallaferrO and an officer of
the day, who rushed to the Jail the moment the
| alarm given.
The prisoners were shrewd and cunning fellows,
and they were undoubtedly without any accompces
in their undertaking.
Their friends, who were still here, were fearful
that they might be suspected of having knowledge of
the attempt
The general impression is that if the prisoners
had waited until midnight or later. they might have
reached the mountains, but it is presumed they
were fearful of being watched dnring the night or
desired to have much darkness possible to gain
good distance before daylight would allow of a
general pursuit
Another dispatch says, that Immediately after the
firing of the sentinel the military called out to
arms and the excitement was intense beyond any
thing that has yet occurred during our memo
rable era :of occupation In a few minutes the
streess and avenues in the possession of armed
men and it was with some difficulty that the caus'
of all this turmoil could be ascertained RGmors o
every description were aaoat aaditwas at tim,
thought that the prisoners had oyerpOwered tn
guard and mad their escape, and then thatan attacl
had been made on the Jail by PARTIES attempting t
rescue the prisoners.
In regard to their execution, the dispatch say
their appearance was rather that Of hopeless dies
pair than resignation and they seemed to take Blu
little noice of anything, as the procession slOw
moved on to the field of death.
The wagon reached the scaffold at l3 minutes be
fore l o'clock, and the prisoners assembled with
:, determined firmness scarcely surpassed by Cap
, Brown. brief prayer was offered up by one of tn
cergymen-the ropes were adjusted, the caps wer
q drawn over their heads, and both were launche
: INTO eternity IN seven minutes after they ascende
the gallOEs. They both exhibited the most unfinet
ing rmness saying nothing with the exception Of BIZ
i ding farewell to the minister and sheriff. After tn
! rope was adjusted about Cookies neck he exclaimed
"be quick as possible which was also repeated b
COppie. After hanging about 30 minutes the bOdle
/. were taken down and placed in black walnI
q collins prepared for them; that of Cookies place
in popular box, and labelled and directed 70
~ lows: .sAshbel p. Willard and Robert Crowley. II
"a William street New York. care of Adams Il Co.
:, Express. The coffin of COppie was placedn sim
lar box, to be forwarded to his mother in Iowa.