Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-11-15
2ailg Tirsinian.
THE CHARLEsTowN TRIALS.
Sentence Of Cook, Coppie, Copeland and
Green. .rH

Green.
CHARLEsrvws. Nov. IL, 1859.
The proceedings Of the Circuit Court for Jeffer-
county were brought to n close yesterday NOR
ming, after session Of three weeks. which was
occupied exclusively in the trial Of the Harper's
Ferry consprators Tho Circuit Court Tor Fred
erick county, over which Judge Parker prcsides
commences to-day aud hence the necessity Of the
closing Of the term for this county. The term
will long be remembered IA the most interesting
ever held here five men having been tried and
found guilty Of the highest crimes known to our
laws.
The csnvicts Cook, Coppic Copeland and Green
were brought out yesterday At IL o'clock to re-
cevo the sentence OF Judge Parker. The Court.
room was crowded, and the anxiety to get anoth-
er view Of the prisoners was great They were
brought into Court by the deputies and placed in
the bar, in range Of chnirs facing the judge
Near Cook was seated Governor Willard and Mr..
Crowley. both of whom seemed bending beneath
the weight of sorrow this affair has cast over them
and their families.
REMARKS OF THE PRISONERS.
The prisoners were then directed to stand up
and asked if they had anything to say why sen.
tence should not be passed upon them. Cook and
Coppie then proceeded to deliver short addresses,
the former being somewhat vehement in his man
ner of speaking. whilst the latter made firm i'm
preston by his great and collective style of delv-
cry. Both protested their ignorance OF the at'nck
on lIarper's Ferry. until the Sabbath before ths
night of the attack. when they were called on to
swear to obey the orders Of their commander
Brown. Coppie stated that he knew lie should
be punished for his foolhardy attempt, but lie
thought it should have been lighter than had
been adjudged. The negroes declined saying
anything.
SENTENCE OF THE PRISONERS.
Judge Parker then proceeded to deliver the SEN
tcnce the prisoners, which was received by
them with great irnncss. The sentence was that
John Il. Cook. Edwin Coppie Shields Green and
John Copeland: Your trials on which we have
been 30 long employed. have at length ended, and
all that rem ins to be done to complete these judi
cial proceedings, is to pronounce and record the
judgments which by law must follow upon tho
crimes for which you have been tried, and (which
| yon have been found guilty.
These crimes have all grown out of mad in
road upon this State. made with the rredetsrmin-
ed purpose to raise in our midst the standard of
servilo insurreciion. In the execution OF this rur
pose in the darkness of Sabbath night, you seiz
ell upon portion Of our territory. captured seve-
raj Of our best citizens holding them Ms hostages
Of war until your party itself was oyerenme by
force: armed such Of our slaves as You could seize
upon with deadly weapons, which they were To
use against their owners, whom y"u denounced
to lh"m as their oppressnrs; and, in your efforts
to push your bnld and unhoy scheme through To
! a successful issue, you have taken human life IN
m fewer than five instances. The evidence most
| abundantly proved that all these things had been
done and by the force OF that e,idenae Jury after
| Jury hns felt itself compelled to bring 10 it's
| dict If guilty against each one of you.
Happily for the poaoe Of our whole land, you
obtained no support from that quarter whence you
40 confidently expected it. Not n slave united
himself to your party but so soon US he could get
| without the range of your rifles, night gave
him oppor unity, made his escape from who
| had como t, give him freedom, and hurried to
| place himself once more beneath tho care and
! protection Of his owner.
When We reflect upon all the mischief and ru-
| in, the dark and fearful crimes, which must have
| attended even your partial success--mon every
where should be thankful that you were soon,
| 30 easily overpowered.
| For these offences the law demands the penalty
of death, aud imposes upon me the duty Of pro-
nouncins that sentence 1t is the most piinful
! duty have ever Ieen called To perform.
| In spite of your offences against our laws, |
cannot but feel deeply for you. and sincerely,
do | sympathizc with those friends and relations,
whose lives are bound up in yours. and whose
hearts will be wrung with grief when they shall
hear Of the sad fate which has oyertaken you. the
objects of their warmest and boliest efectio B.
For them we NIL do SORROW; whilst n due regard
for safety may not permit us to forgive the Of
fences of which you have been guilty. hope that
they will turn for consolation, and you for par
don, to that good Being who in his wrath re-
mem mbereth mercy. Make then your peace with
ence there to be dealt with His justice and His
mercy may ordain.
TO conclude this sad duty, l now announce that
the sentence of the law s, that you. and each one
of you, John L. Cooke. Edwin .Coppie Shields
Green and John Copeland be hanged by the neck
until you be deal-and thnt execution of thiA
judgement be made and done by the sheriff Of this
county, on Friday the sixteenth day of Deceniber
next, upon you Shields Green and John Copeland
between the hours Of eight in tho forenoon and
twelve, noon. of that day-and up"n you John H.
Cook and Edwin Corpie, between the hours III
twelve tnoon,) and five in the afternoon Of the
same day. Aud the Court being of opinion tint
the execution of this sentence should he in public
it is fl rthcr ordered that this judgement be enfpr
ced and executed, not in the jail yard but at surh
public place convenient therein as the said Sheriff
may appoint-and God have mercy upon the soul
of each one of you.
During the delivery Of the sentence the utmost
silence was observed, and the solemnity was very
marked large number of the spectators wep,
as also did the Judge.
The prisoners were remanded to jail. there to
await the execution Of this judgment.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
1t il supposed that Governor Wise will respite
Brown, who is sentenced to be hung on the 81 of
December. until the day fixed for the other execu-
tions, 80 that the excitement attending the affair
may be all gone through With on the same day.
Gov. Willard; Attorney General Mcdonald, Mr..
Vorhees and Mr.. @. Crowley, left yesterday for
Washin gton cty and it il supposed will als visit
Richmond, for the purpose Of consulting with Gov.
WISE The feeling here now in favor OF Cook 10
very great, and communication Of punishment TO
imprisonmept. would give great satisfaction to r.
large majority ot the thinking pntion Of the som-
munity.
There was considerable excitement in town yes
terdhy morning. in consequence Of the burning Of
a wheat stack. the property OF Hon Wm. Lucas,
near IIalltown, in this county. The stack was