The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-12-23

the Jail. The military was called to arms,
and the excitement 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 the possession of armed
men, and it was with some difficulty that |
the cause of all this turmoil could be ascer-
tanned. Rumors of every description were
ahoat, and it was at one time thought that |
the prisoners had overpowered their guards |
aud made their escape, and then that an at.
tempt had been made on the Jail by parties
attempting to rescue the prisoners.
The bodies of the negroes, after being cnt
down, were placed in poplar collins and car
ried back to Jail. They will be inferred to-
morrow ON the spot where the gallows stands.
Though there is party of medical students
here, from Winchester, who will doubtless
not allow them to remain there long.
The bodies of the two negro prisoners
having been brought back to the Jail at
about quarter of twelve this A. M, notice
was given to Cook and Coppic that their
time was approaching-only one hour more
being allowed them. The military move
ments similar to those at the first execution
were repeated, and wagon with two more
coffins was stationed at the door of the jail
at half past twelve o'clock the same mill
tary escort was in readiness meanwhile the
closing religious ceremonies were progress.
ing in the cell. Since the failure of Cook
and Coppic to escape, their assumed COM
posure and apparent resignation had given
way, and now they looked at the reality of
their fate with the full conviction of its awful
calamity. They were reconciled and rather
quiet, but joined with fervor in the religious
ceremonies.
When called upon by the Sheriff they
stood up calm and quietly whilst their arms
were being pinioned, and after bidding fare
we'll to the guards of the jail, were helped
into the wagon and took seats on their
collins. Their appearance was rather that
of hopeless despair than of resignation, and
they seemed to take but little notice of any
thing as the procession moved on to the
field of death. The wagon reached the
scaffold at thirteen minutes before o'clock,
and the prisoners assembled with a deter
mined firmness, scarcely surpassed by that
of Capt. Brown A brief prayer was
offered up by one of the clerg ymen. The
ropes were adjusted, the caps drawn over
their heads and both were launched into
eternity in seven midutes after they assembled
the gallows. They both exhibited the most
nnfinching frmness, saying nothing with
the exception of bidding farewell to the
ministers and sheriff.
After the rope was adjusted about
bo sc De- IL,
quick as possible" which was repeated by
Copic.
After hanging about thirty minutes both
bodies were taken down and placed in black
walnut collins prepared for them. That OF
Cook was then placed in poplar box,
labeled and directed as follows "Ashbell
P. Willard and Robert Crowley, 1O4
William street, New York, care Adams
Express" The coffin of Coppic was placed
in a similar box, to be forwarded to his
mother in Iowa.
PARTICULARS OF THE ATTEMPT AT ESCAPE
CHARLEsTowN, Dec. l6-11 P. M.-The
sentinel stationed near the Jail reported that
at a quarter past eight he observed man
on the Jail wall whom he challenged and
receiving no answer, fired at him. The head
of another man was also seen above the
wall, but he retreated as soon as the first
one had been fired at. The man on top of
the wall seemed at first determined to persist
and was about making an attempt to jump
down when the sentinel declared his inten-
ton of impalibg him on his bayonet. He
then retreated into the Jail yard with Coppic,
and both gave themselves up without resist.
ance.
Cook afterwards remarked that, if he
could have got over and throttled the guard,
he would have made his escape. The She
nandoah mountains are within ten minutes
run of the Jail, and had he escaped there,
with his thorough knowledge of them, his
arrest would have been difficult, especially
as but few of the military could have follow
ed him during the night. They had sue
ceeded after two weeks labor, whenever alone
and at night, when their bed clothing muf.
fled the sounds of saw, which they had
made out of an old knife, in cutting through
their iron shackles, so that they could put
them off at any moment they should have
their work completed.
They had also made sort of a chisel out
of an old, bed screw, with which they sue
ceeded, as opportunity would offer, in remov>
ing the plaster from the wall, and 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, and the bed being pushed
against the wall, completely hid their work
from view. The bricks they took out were
concealed in the drum of an old stove, and
the dirt and plaster were placed between
the bed clothes. They acknowledged that
they had been at work whole week in
making the aperture in the wall.
Their cell being on the first 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
a smooth brick wall about fifteen feet high
to scale this difficulty was, however, soon
overcome with the aid of the timbers of the
scafold 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.
Thew were arrested in the Jail ward nv