Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-12-23
E.ssution of Cook > Q pic, Green
and Copeland.


E-ssution of Cook o pic, Green
and Copeland.
8 ueisgrayied Exclusively 10 the Cincinnati &c zrtte-l
Il. HAKpER's FERRY, VA. Dec. 10th.
eaAkLEsTowS BEFORE THE EXECUTION
~ 11'he coDdition Of things was vastly changed
on my arrival yesterday, since my visit to
sCharlestown on the occasion. of Browns exc
eution. People had become tired and weavied
re out. The soldiers were wishing that the exc
eutions were over 80 as to get rid of them
Cook and Coppic had been exhibiting a most
unusual flow of spirits.
go LAST EsrERvIEws OF THE CONDEMNED WITH
AZ a.tl E@%@ THEIR FRIENDS.
Cook, since the VISIT of his sisters, Mrs.
Crowley and Mrs. Staunton, on Tuesday last
has been very cheerful.
Their meeting was a very affecting one
The meeting Of a brother who had beerfiost to
them for wears, un Ter such circumstances, was
of a character that battles description. Gov:
WILLARD was present with Them and after they
81 had spent some hours together, they parted.
with the. understand ng that the sisters would
not leave until the next day, when they would
again visit linn. .
After they had parted, Gov Willard deem
, ed it prudent that they should not meet again
and he accordingly requested the sisters to
write each . letter to Cook, in which they
could take their farewell of him.
'E"-As soon as the letters were written, the SIS
/ ters and Gov. Willard left for the Ferry, and
thence for New York. Coppic was visited by
several relatives during the week, and yester-
day an uncle came on to whom will. be. given
his body. ..s.~
wHY ~coPPIC's SENTENCE; WAS NOT COMMITTED.
A great effort was made to have Coppic's
sentence COMMITTED, but the Legislature refas-
ed to give the Governor power. The result
was owing to C6ppieis course since his7conyic-
ton, his letter to Mrs. Brown proving a great
barrier TO clemency. a. an r Sd sli -H
COOK AND Copies VAIN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE,
About s o'clock on Thursday evening two
two made an unsuccessful effort to escape
Running between the window and the floor in
their room, was. o plank three and a half inches
thick and twelve inches in width. They had
loosed this plank so that they could remove it
with ease, and replace it with the same facility
FOR several days, with the help of a Barlow
knife and a screw from out their bedstead, they
had been employed in removing The plaster
nnd inside brick, 50 that or, the night OF the
18th, they had nothing TODD but rimoEe tht
outer bricks. @to SO, +rs, -@ { ...a I'D
At the hour named, when no guard was nea
ard the excitement of the dag was over tn
bricks were removed. ami an aperature mad
sufficiently large to admit ofthe egress of mucl
larger men. Cook with the use of his barlow
knife, which he converted into a a saw, had re
moved his irons from his feet. One of the link
of the chain of Copies irons was also cut, tn
rings still remaining on his limbs
To avoid the rafting sound which would AT
tend his walking, he had tied tue piece of chat
which was hanging to one of the rings. to hi
leg with his handkerchief. Coppic got GU
Arst feet foremost, and allowed himself to dro
q distance of IA feet. Cook followed. Tn
timbers of the scaffold on which Brown wa
hung were in the yard, and they were used 70
scaling the wall. Coppic assembled first, an
stretched himself on the top of the wall Coo
then held his hat up over the wall to. see if
would be noticed a sentinel observed it a
he attempted to elevate. himself; ! the guar
fred, bal, the ball missed its mark, The tw'
prisoners then r~etreated into the yard and te
yards the jail door. The. alarm was given, an
the jailor on entering the yard, seized thel
and reconyeyed them to their room, where the
were heavily ironed to the floor.
- 2 HST nuJ III shOWsoAo Phib NhiNA s"N Al"
exhibited now sank, and they appeared deepl
depressed. The slender thread upon which hun
their last hope of life was broken
In the morning, they again became cheerful
Cook humbly begged the jailors pardon, an
said he freely. and fully exonerated him fro
all completely. Had it not been for the mil
tary guard, they would have undoubtedly e
capped. Some of the citizens censure the jailC
/. - L. -41o4 -. ol,,,H
feeling towards the prisoners, was his onl
fault. -se "a NJ 8
He undoubtedly desired that the prisonel
should spend their last hours by themselve
undisturbed even by the regular Jail guard
His kindness, it is feared, has been his ruin.
THE MORNING OF THE ExEcUTIoN-AKKEsr {
r. STRANGERS =
At daylight the drums were beaten and Il
soldiers called to arms. In a few minutes t
entire people who had been quietly slunberil
after the excitement attendant upon the 8
tempted escape, were moving to and fro-
There were no guards placed on the avenu
leading to- town, and the country people we
focking in from all directions A number
persons who came to Harper's Ferry on Thu
day night from Baltimore, hired vehicles al
drove to Charlestown. They we're arrested {
entering the place, and conveyed to the iguai
house ; and those who could not give an a
count of themselves or get some citizen
vouch for them, were confined until after Il
execution.
At nine O'Clock the streets were lined wi
soldiers, The road leading to the field of ex
cution was throngedi with cayelry, and the fie
itself presented the appearance of a regiment
dress parade. All the poInp which could !
suggested was used, and nothing was wantiu
TO give effect to the scene The streets ne;
the Jail were taken possession of by the miit
nv, and, citizens were not allowed to move t
wards the prison. -,
A scafold had been erected on the san
spot which had witnessed the execution
Brown. Unlike the day Of his ~exccutio
which was mid, with a genial sunshine, Il
heavens were overcast, the air raw and bi
ter, and the ground covered with a sligI
snow.
EXECUTION OF THE NEGROES
At twenty minutes to eleven o'clock t
Commanding General, with his staff, depart
for the field, and in a few minutes Green al
Copeland, the negroes, with their arms pi
toned, walked out of the Jail. They were /
sisted into the wagon, and took their seats
their collins.
The line of march was taken up, and t
negroes without speaking a word, proceed
to the seaffold which they assembled at fl
minutes to eleven o'clock, with an unshak
step.
Prayer was then offered by the Rev.
North. The negroes babe each other go
bye, Green expressing the hope that he wou
meet Copeland in Heaven. The white ca