The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-11-14
Rlrl'monn Qispattb.
THE cHARLEsTowN TRIALS.
sentence of the FriSouers.-The:r Speeche
--Attempt at Assassination, &C.


Sentence of the rrisoners.-rhe;r Speeches
/ --Attempt at Assa ssination, &C.
The interest which has cen,ered at Charles
| town Tor so many weeks past, has ceased with
the conviction and sentence of the insurgents
| not again 10 be renewed un til their execution
on the 10th of December next. The Court has
| closed, and the case of VIM. Hazlitt will not
| re tried until next spring. The following is n
description of the scene in Court on Thurs.
day, al the passing of sentence:
The eonviets Cook, Coppie, Copeland and
| Green, were brought out yesterday at ~
| o'clock TO receive the sentence of Judge Par
| ker, The COURTROOM was crowded and the
anxiety TO set another view of the prisoners
| was great. They were brought into Court by
| the deputies and placed in the bar in a range
ot chairs facing the Judge Near Geek was
seated Gov Willard and MIR. Crowley. both of
| whom seemed bending beneath the weight of
sorrow this affair has cast over them and
heir families.
REMARKS or THE PRISONERS
The prisoners We're then directed to stand
up. and asked if they had anything to say WHY
sentence should not be passed upon them
Cook ard Coppie then proceeded TO deliver
short addresses. the former being somewhat
vehement in his manner of speaking, whilst
| the latter made n firm impression by his great
| and collective style of delivery. Both pro-
tested their ignorance of the attack ON Iiar-
per's Ferry, until The Sabbath before the night
| of the attack, when they We're called on to
swear TO obey the orders of their commander
Brown. Coppe stated he knew be should be
punished for his foolhardy attempt but he
thought ii shonId have been lighter than had
been adludged. The negroes declined saying
anything.
SENTENCE OF THE PRISONERS.
| Judge Parker then proceeded to deliver the
| sentence on the prisoners. which was received
| by them with great frmness. The sentence
| was that Johu L. Cook. Edwin Coppie Shields
Green aud John Copeland; Your trials, on
| which we have been so long employed, have
! at length ended, and all that remains 10 he
done to complete these Judiclai proceeClnss,
| is 10 pronounce and record The judgments
which bY law must follow upon the crimes for
which YOU have been tried an1 OF which you
have been found guilty.
These crime. have all grown ont of mad
. inroad upon this State, made with the pre-
determined purpose to raise III our midst the
, standard Of Il seTvile iusurreeuon. ln The eX-
ecuiion of this purpose IN the darkness OF
Sabnath night, YOU seized upon portion OF
our territory, captured several of our best cttl-
, | zeus-hulding them rs hostages OF war unul
your party was itself overcome by torce-
armed snuh Of our slaves rs you could SelZe
anon with deadly weapons, which they We're
| to use against their owners, whom You ue-
neuneed 10 them as their oppressofs; iiha, IA
your efforts to push your bold ana unhoty
scheme through 10 g successful Issue, you nave
| taken human life in no fewer than I'VE m
J | stances The evidence mostabundantly proved
| tbat all4hese things had been done, aad by the
| force of that evidence jury after jury has ielt
Itself compelled 10 bring in lis verdict OF
| guilty against each one OF you
Hapuiiy fer the peace of our whole land,
Won obtained no support from that quarter
whence you SO confidently expected It, Not
slave united himself 70 your party, but, SO
soon as he could get without the range of your
rifles. or as night gave him oppoI tuplty, madf
/, his escape from men who had come TO givehpn
: | freedom and hurried TO place himself onee
: more beneath the care and protection of his
5 owner.
ruin. the dark and fearful crimes, whic'3 must
r have attended even vour partial success-Iuen
I everywhere should lie thankful that you were
so soon and 50 easily oTerpowered.
For these offences the law demands the PEN
alty OF death, and imposes upon me the duty
= Of uronouncing that sentence. Ii is the most
painful duty have ever been called on TO
perform.
- IN suite of your offences against our laws
) cannot hut feel deeply for you. and sincerely,
: most sincerely, do l sympathiZe with those
friends aud relations whose lives are bound
up in yours. and whose hearts VIII be 50
wrurg with grief when they shall hear of the
- sad fate wlFeh has oyertaken You, the object
OF their warnest and hottest atfec tons
For them we ali do sorrow; whilst a due re-
| gard foT our safety may not permit us 10 1or-
r. | give the offences OF which you have been gull
| ". hope that they will turn for consolation,
% | and you f,r pardon, to that good Being who,
I | in his wrath, remembereth mercy. Make,
| them YOUR peace with Him-for you must
soon be ushered into his presence there to be
. dealt with as His justice and His mercy may
= | ordain.
= | To conclude this sad duty, I now announce
: | that the sentence of The law is, that you. and
= each one of you, Iohn f. Cooke. Edwin Cop
!. pie Shields Green, and John Copeland, be
! hanged by The neck nntil you be dead-and
that execution of this judgment be made and
done by the Sheriff OF this county, on Friday
the 10th day of december next, upon you
- Shields Green aud John Copeland, between
the hours of eight IN the forenoon and twelve
e noon, of that day-and upon you, John L.
. Cooke and Edwin Coppie, between the hours
d Of twelve (noon) and five in the afternoon of
/ the same day. And the Court being OF opinion
d that the execution of This sentence should be
y in pnbic it is further ordered that this iudg-
e ment be enforced and executed, not in the jail
= yard, but at such public place convenient
!, thereto the said Sheriff may appoint-and
NAV God have mercy upon The soul OF each
u one of you.
J. During the delivery of the sentence the ur>
g most silence was observed, and the soemnity
Z was very marked. A large number of the spec
p | tators wepf as also did the Judge.
II The prisoners were remanded to Jail, there
to await the execution of this judgment.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
y 1t is supposed that Gov. Wise will respite
Brown who is sentenced 10 be hung on the I'd
If December, until the day liked for the other
= executions, that the excitement attending
| the affair may be all gone through with on the
=! same day.
/, Gov. Willard, Attorney General Mcdonald,
;. | Mr.. Voorhees, and Mr.. G Crowley, lett yester-
Il day for Washington ciy,and It's supposed wiii
> also visit Richmond. for the purpose OF con-
= suIting with Governor W use.
, There was considerable excitement in town
if Yesterday morning, i'll consequence OF the
I, burning of Il wheat stack, the property OF Hon.
.e VIM. Lucas, near Huiitown, in this county.
e The stack was fired about nine O'Clock IN the
Is morning and about the same time Mr.. l.. OBJ
e served suspicious looking character walking
, from the direction Of the fire. Efforts were in
: 4 short time made for the arrest OF the man,
but without success. Scouts Were started IN all
| directions in order to arrest him. bat utreturEed
| a night without having accomplished their
= | purpose. -
it NAV be mentioned here that a bold at
] Ia sh T.
: der Mr. Lucas. He had retired 10 bed, and
l. | had his lamp near him, reading. lie had not
+ | been in that position long before he heard
noise and in a moment observed the faSn OF q
| gun outside the window. lie Immediately
/ | snrang from his bed, seized his revolver and
5 | rushed 10 the door As he reached the door
l. | he saw n man wheel his horse, and ride OH At
u = furious rate OF speed. The man had left the
II gate Open and had little difficulty in making
70 | his escape Who he was, or what pIoyoea-
tion he had for this murderous attempt, MIR.
L. is entirely ignorant Of The affair has been
kept quiet thus long in order 10 detect the
wretch. should he attempt TO repeat his nor
rid design. Mr. LIS loss on his wheat VIII be
- about 500. Several barns and stock yards
have been burned during the past few days,
- and it is feared by many that the county Is in
= ies ted with a band Of abolition incendiaries.
Should this turn out to be true and any of
:, them caught in the act, il is most probable
they will not have the benefit OF jury.
A SAMPLE OF THE SYMpATHY."-A better
. illustration of "free soil" sympathy has not
r heen lately seen than that described in the fol-
= lowing paragraph about misguided lady
a | Fro,, G,rtf, Carolina.