New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-23


THEIR EXECUTION.
A Charleston correspondent Of the Baltimore
Sun, writing on the 10th, gives the following ac-
count of the closing scenes in the lives of these
young men. There now remain but Hazlett and
Stevens, who yet to be tried the latter by the
Federal authorities for treason. tits supposed that
the former did not participate in the Harper's
Ferry affair, az the insurrectionists, from Old
Brown down denied all knowledge of him:
THE ATTEMPTED EscAPE.-At quarter past eight
o'clock last evening, the whole town was thrown
into commotion BY the report Of rifle under the
jail wall followed by several other shots from the
vicinity of the gnard-house, in close proximity to
the JAIL The military were called to arms, and the
excitement was intense beyond anything that has
yet occurred during our ever memorable era of
military occupation. In few minutes the streets
and avenues Of the town were in possession of arm
ed men, and it was with some difficulty that the
cause of all this turmoil could be ascertaned.
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 then that an attack had been made on the jail
by parties attempting to rescue the prisoners. II
was dangerous for citizens to 90 out to ascertain
the true cause of the excitement and rumors of the
most extensive character fOated into the bar
rooms, only to be contradicted by momentary
arrivals of citizens1 driven in from the streets.
The sentinel stationed near the Jail wall reported
that 81 O'Clock he observed a man on the Jail wall,
whom he challenged and receiving no answer,
| fired at him. Another head was also seen above
the wall, but he retreated as soon as the first one
had been fred at. The man 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 impaling him on
| his bayonet. He then retreated into the jail yard
with Coppie, and both gave themselves up without
| further resistance Cook afterwards remarked
that if he could have got over and throttled the
guard he could have made his escape. The Shen-
ondna ~
the Jail wall, and had he have reached them, with
| his thorough knowledge Of the mountains, his ar
rest would have been difficult, especially as but
few of the military could have followed him during
| the night.
| They had succeeded, after two weeks labor
whenever alone, and at night, when the bed-coth
ing mufied the sound of the saw which they had
made of an old Barlow knife, in cutting through
their iron shackles. SO that they could pry them
off at any moment they should have their other
work completed. They had also made sort Of
chisel out of an old bed-screw, with which they
succeeded, opportunity would offer, in removing
the plaster from the wall, and then brick after
brick, until space sufficient for them to pass
through opened, all to the removal Of the outer
bricks. The part of the wall on which they oper-
ated in the rear Of the bed on which they slept
and the bed being pushed against the wall com
pletely 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 the course Of
their work was placed beneath the bed-clothing
They acknowledged that they had been at work q
whole week in making the aperture in the wall.
Their cell being on the second floor, the aperture
was not more than five feet above the pavement Of
the yard, and when freed of their shackles, their
access to the yard was quite easy. Here, however
was smooth brick wall, about fifteen feet high
to SCALE This difficulty was however, soon over.
come with the aid of the tmbers of the scafold or
which Capt. Brown was hung, and which were in
tended for their execution on the following day
They placed these against the wall, and soon sue
ceeded in reaching the top, from which they could
have easily dropped to the other side had not the
vigilance Of the sentinel duty quickly checked
> their movements.
ferro and the officer of the day, who rushed to The
Jail the moment the alarm was given.
Gen. Talliaferro Immediately telegraped to Gov
Wise, informing him of the frustrated attempt of tn,
prisoners. His answer directed that the military
should Immediately take possession of the interio
of the Jail. and guard the prisoners until they wer
t executed.
Sheriff Campbell and Capt. Avis are, of course
much chagrined at the narrow escape of the pris
oners, especially as they had resisted all interior
ence Of the military with the interior discipline
the jail. The prisoners were shrewd and cunnin
fellows, and they were undoubtedly without an
accomplces in their undertaking. Their friends
who are still here, were also fearful that they migt
+ + be suspected Of knowledge Of their attempt
If The general impression is, that they had waite
: until midnight or later, that they might hav
reached the mountains. But it is presumed tha
they were fearful Of being watched during tn
8 night, or desired to have as much of darkness q
was possible 10 gam gOOQ distance before
would allow general pursuit.
J. Various surmises are INDUCED to-day in regar
to the attempted escape. 1t is said that Cook RI
e fused to tell how he came by the knife, and ais
s that he had the countersign, whereby he woul
. have been able to pass the sentinels. This, how
ever, needs confirmation, and is hardly reliable.
Much indignation was expressed by some of tn
headstrong with regard to the officials of the jai
a but large majority of our citizens express COZ
fdence in them, and spurn the idea that they wer
bribed bysthe friends of Cook. The hole made j
+ the wall was large one, and the room was in til
second story.
Z they had done the best they could-that life
sweet to them as to any one else and that they ha
planned it for ten days. They had set Tuesda
night for the attempt, but had deferredit on accou
. of not wishing to compromise Gov. Willard, VIII
/ was in the town on that night.
INTERVIEW WITH PRISONERS. - The prisoner:
Cook and Coppic, were visited in their cells thi
morning by the Rev. Messrs. Waugh, North an
Leech, previous to their departure for the scafolG
They We're engaged at the time of the entrance G
the ministers in washing and dressing themselye
:. for death, and putting on clean Undertaking
a Capt Avis told them that if they had anything {
. say they could now say it in the presence of til
= fifteen or twenty persons who were then presen
n Cook replied that he was grateful for the kline
ness shown to him by Sheriff Campbell, jailor Av
3 and his family, and the guard. He also expre
y sed his thanks to Rev. Messrs Waugh, Nortl
Little, Leech, and others, who had manifested sue
interest in his welfare. He also spoke of til
. Kindness he mad received from MeSSrs. Joseph
= Blessing and John f. Locke, as well the citizen
+ !; of Charlestown generally.
n At this point Coppie looked up and remarked
IT +" Thems my sentiments too, gentlemen"
IS Cook then gave directions with regard to one O
two articles. A breastpin he wore lie did not wis
to be taken off then at the scaiiold as he wishe
it to be given to his wife, to his boy if he lived
At Within his shirt bosom daguereotype with
lock of his sons hair which he wished to renal
70 where it was, and after death to be given to hi
u wife.
: They both requested that their arms be not pir
J. toned so tight as to stop the circulation Of BLOOD
i which was complied with.
The prisoners conversed on a variety of subject
q this morning. Cook said to gentleman " that Ii
Y. was fully convinced that slavery sin, and be
lieved that it would be abolished in Virginia in les
than ten years. and that by the people of Virginia.
:, He was "prepared to die in such cause; an
:. thought he had done nothing to regret SO far q
n | principle was concerned"
Coppie said that I" he feared the affair was NJ
80 ended yet-that they had friends in the North VIII
he feared would not rest satisfied until they wei
70 avenged" He hoped, however, :" that the afia
would end here forever
81 EXECUTION OF Cook AND CoPpIE.-The bodies
the two negro prisoners having been brought bac
n, to the Jail at about quarter to II O'clock motto
" was given to Cook and Coppie that their time Wi
q, approaching, only one hour more being above
!" them. The military movements, similar to thos
~ at the first execution, were repeated, and tn
!" wagon with two more collins standing at til
door at halfpast II O'Clock. The same nlllltar
a. escort was in readiness whilst the closing rel
:" gious ceremonies were progressing III the cell {