The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-12-17

CHARLEsTowN, Dec. 13. Extensive
preparations are making for the approach
ing executions. Nineteen companies of
military are now on duty. A guard is
stationed at every street, corner and cross
roads. Picket guards are patroling the
surrounding country. Six more compa.
MES are announced as being on their way
here. Citizens experience difficulty in
passing from one part Of the town to an
other. They are brought to halt and
marched to the guard house If unable to
give the countersign.
Green and Copeland will be hung at IL
O'Clock A. NJ, and Cook and Coppic at 8
P. NJ. All are composed and look calmly
on their approaching doom. Their bodies
will be given to their friends if claimed.
The town is alive with more rumors and
and excitement. Military discipline is
kept up as if enconpassed by beSieging
army.
The people are looking forward to free
dom from military surveillance with great
pleasure, and when the civil government
is restored there will be quite jubilee.
People would willingly consent to Ste
VEINS and Hazlitt spending the balance Of
their days in the penitentiary rather than
have another military siege before their
execution.
CHARLEsTowN, Dec. 14.-The town 10
rapidly filling up with strangers to witness
the approaching execution. The system
of excluding citizens adopted on the &C.
casion of Capt. Browns execution is not
to be repeated. Gov. Willard of Indiana,
accompanied by Mrs. Crawley of New
York, the sister of Cook, and the Hon.
D. Fl. VOORHEES,, Attorney General of In
diana, arrived here yesterday and visited
Cook. The interview with his sister was
most affecting. Later in the day, Dr.
Stanton and his wife. of Indiana, and
Miss Hughes arrived. Mrs. Stanton is q
sister of Cook, and Miss Hughes a cousin.
Thy also visited the prisoner, present
ing scene of grief and anguish scarcely
to be described. They all promised to
see him again. but through the advice OF
Gov. Willard each wrote him few fare.
we'll lines, and all the ladies have left for
their homes. The male relatives design
to remain with him to the last. Arang-
ments have been made to have the body
of Cook taken to New York for interment
Some of Coppic's relatives are expected
to arrive here to-day, and his body will
be sent to his mother at Springfield,
Iowa. The body of Green and Copeland
it is thought will not be claimed and will
be decently inferred near the gallows.-
The prisoners this morning were cheerful,
and making religious preparations for
death. Cook was much cast down after
the parting with his sisters, but is now
calm and collected awaiting his doom.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 16.-The American
has received a special dispatch stating
that Cook and Coppic attempted to escape
by cutting hole through the wall Of the
Jail. They were fred upon by the senti-
nels, and heavily ironed.
CHARLKsTowN, Dec. 16.-The negroes
Shields Green and John Copeland, have
Just paid the forfeit of their lives. The
crowd in the town is very great and the
execution was witnessed by 1900 persons.
At 8 O'Clock this morning the field was
occupied by the troops and at seven min
utes of eleven O'Clock the procession made
its appearance, and at IL O'Clock arrived
at the scaffold. The prisoners were in
wagon, accompanied by the sheriff and
jsilor. They mounted the scaffold with
q firm step. The prisoners had the caps
placed over their heads by the sheriff, and
after appropriate prayers by the Rev. Mr..
North, Of the Presbyterian church, they
were launched into eternity. Before the
rope was cut, Green was heard to offer up
fervent prayer Copeland was not heard
to pray. Green's neck was broken and he
died without struggle. Copeland writhed
in violent commissions for several minutes.
The prisoners babe farewell while on the
scaffold to the ministers, expressing a
hope TO meet them in heaven.
On the receipt of the news Of the at
tempted escape Of Cook and Coppic, Gov.
Wise telegraphed to Gen. Taliafero to take
possession Of the jail, which was accord
iugly done.
OF Cook and CoPPIo were executed at
1 O'Clock P. NJ, December 18th. They
assembled the scafold and met their fate
with as determined frmness as that shown