The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-12-24
ESTABLISHED
The Exccssien of Cook ana Copp,~.

ious hours Wnlc0 has Just closed vi
Q .ue execution OF the prisoners. Througho
. sns CAV Yesterday there was . great influx
8 strangers and citizens Of the country, who we
hooking in to witness the last act Of the us
pers Ferry tragedy. The latter came shus ea
: " apprehending that they might be detain,
~ sne outposts, as was the case on the day
nrowns execution. The vigilance exercised
the Railroad depot on the arrival of = train =
NOS 80 stringent as on the occasion Of the ex1
cution Of Brown, and but little difficulty vas =
perienced in getting in town. Shortly after ii
srrivai OF the train in the afternoon gran
! Mih'afy dress parade Of al, the companies
attendance tool place. The troops went thr
t.eir esoiutions with great skill, and were re
viewed oy Ten. Taliaierro, who was on Ii
grouna in full dress, and mounted on a spirite
charger. f"''s
The prisoners we're visited yesterday afte,
noon by the Rev. Messrs. Nassau, Dutton. an
North. OF The Presbyterian Church, aud Re,
Beverly. Waugh. OF the Methodist Church. Tn
services IN the cells were of an interesting an
solemn character, and were participated in b
sii the condemned, though i. is now eyideu
from subsequent events that Cook aud Coppi
At least were playing possum,n, as thei
minds must have been fixed on hopes of lif
ana liberty rather than death and eternity a
tne time they we're making outward protesta
ions OF resignation; they all gave an unquslfie,
assent 10 the conviction Of religious truth, an,
each expressed hope of salvation in the worl,
10 come. Cook and Coppc were the loudest il
their professions of change of heart. and i,
The hope OF divine forgiveness They freel,
admitted their guilt, acknowledged their doom
as just one, and that in the main they hav.
been treated with the utmost kindness by all
| They thought that some OF the witnesses were
| rather harsh in, their testimony. The minister,
Imagined that they had discovered decided,
favorable change in the condition of Cook
mind since his interview with his sister up to
that time.
His calmness aud bravery we're regarded az
proceeding from lack of feeling, but on leay-
ing him yesterday P. II. they reported that he
had been led to seek forgiveness in his protes
tations OF religious conviction aAd hopes of for.
g'veness, all Of which was undoubtedly intended
TO hoodwink their project of escape.
COOK has been visited throughout his inpris.
onment BY the Rev. N. Green and North, at the
request OF the prisoner, as also Of Gov. Wise
and Willard
Rev. N. North was present at an interview
between Coppic aud Mr.. Butler, and Quaker
gentleman from Ohio, who raised the prisoner,
lie describes the interview as an affecting one.
and speaks highly of Mr.. Buffers Christian de-
pertinent and advice to the prisoner. Mr.. But.
boy. An uncle Of Coppic of the same name.
from Ohio. his fathers brother, also visited him
yesterday.
Tie interview lasted for over an hour He
seemed in much distress at the sad fate which
awaits his relative.
This Was the condition OF the town, the pris>
oners aud the military, up to I o'clock last even
lug. All apprehensions o! an intended rescue
had long since been bansheL, and nothing was
thought of but the approaching execution. So
firmly had this conviction settled in the public
mind. that military duty WAS voted bore, and
I be finale OF the tragedy was regarded as at last
approaching.
AT quarter past eight last evening, the whole
town was thrown into commotion by the report
of rifle under the jail wall, followed by several
shots from the vicinity of the guard house in
close proximity to the Jail.
The military was called to arms and the ex-
citement was intense beyond any thing that has
yet occurred during our ever memorable era Of
military occupation. In few minutes the
streets and avenues OF the town were in posses.
sion OF armed men, and it was with some diff
Guilty that the cause Of all this turmoil could be
ascertained. Rumors OF every description were
afoat, and it was at one time thought that the
prisoners had overpowered their guards and
made their escape, and Their that an attack had
rescue the prisoners.
The sentinel stationed near the Jail reported
that at quarter past eight he observed man
on the jail wall whom he challenged, aud re-
ceiving no answer, fired at him. The head Of
another man was also seen above the wall, but
he retseated as soon as the first one had been
Cred at. The man Oh the top of the wall seemed
at first determined to persist and was about
making an attempt to jump down, when the
sentinel declared his Intention Of impalipg him
on his bayonet. He then retreated into the Jail
yard witn Coppic, and both gave themselves up
without resistance. Cook afterwards remarked
that If he could have got over and ,hrotlIed
the guard he would have made his escape. The
Shenandoah mountains are within ten minutes |
run Of The nil, and could be have reached them,
with his thorough knowledge of them, his arrest |
would have been difficult, especially as but few |
of the military could have followed him.
During the hight they had succeeded after |
two weeks labor, whenever alone and at night, |
when their bed clothes muiiied the sounds of |
saw which they had made out Of an old knife, |
in cutting through their iron shackes, SO that |
they could put them off ut any moment they |
should have their work completed. They had |
also made sort OF chsel ont oil an old bed |
screw, with which they succeeded, as opportu>
nifty would offer. in removing plaster from the |
wall snd then brick after brick, until space
sufficient for them to pass through was 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,
and the bed being pushed against the wall CONS
ple;ely hid their work from view. The bricks |
they took out were concealed in the drum of a
stove, and the dirt and plaster removed in
course of their work, was placed between the
bed clothes.
~, Al ~ Lol k.a,
work q whole week in making the aperture iu |
the wall. Their cell being on the first floor,
the aperture was not more than from tive feet
above the pavement OF the yard, and when
freed OF their shackles their access to the yard
was oistructed by smooth brick wall, about
fifteen feet high. To scale this difficulty was
however, soon overcome with the aid OF the
timbers on the scatiold 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 have easily dropped to the other side had
not the vigilance Of the sentinel on duty so
quickly checked their movements. They were
arrested in the Jail yard by Gen. Taaliero and
an officer of The day, who rushed TO the Jail the
an alarm WAS given.
Sheriff Campbell and Capt Dennis, are much
cha grinsd at this narrow escape Of their prison
ers, especially they had resisted all interier>
ence Of the military with the interior discipline
of the jail. The prisoners were shrewd and
cunning fellows, and they were undoubtedly
without any accomplices in their undertaking.
Their friends who were still here, were also
fearful that they might be suspected Of having
of the attempt.
The general impression is that if the prisoners
had waited until midnight or later they might
have reached the mountains, but !: is presumed
they we're fearful Of being watched during the
night, or desired to have % much Of darkness
ss possible to gain good distance before cay>
light would allow OF general pursuit.
Meantime the closing religious ceremonies
we're progre ssing in the cell. Since the failure
of the attempt Of Cook and Coppic their assumed
composure and apparent resignation had given
way, and they nov looked at the reality OF their
awful fate with the full conviction Of its awful
calamity. They were sad and rather quiet, but
joined with fervor in the religious ceremonies.
When called upon By the Sheriff they stood
calm and quiet whilst their arms were being
pnioncd. and after bidding farewell to the
guards Of the Jail were helped into the wagon