The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-02
HORRIBLE SCENE AT AN Exc
CUTION.
A CULPRIT'S HEAD PULLED FROM HIS
BODY
From the London &C. wy Free Press

From the London &C. W. Free Press.
On Tuesday, in front Of the Jail in Wood
stock, Thomas Cook suffered the extreme
penalty Of the law, for the murder of his
wife, at 1nnerkip, in July last. The muir
der was committed under very aggravating
circumstances. Cook was totally blind,
and the only assistance he had in procuring
q living was that afforded by his wife. I'm
mediately prior to the murder, Cook and
his wife had returned from begging tour,
which extended over seven months, and,
in the opinion of many of their class, they
were supposed to possess means to con-
siderable extent. However this may be.
the couple started from their home at
1nnerkip early on the day of the muir
der, accompanied by person of the
name of Colver. On the way from Wood
stock, Cook and his wife quarreled re-
peatedly, and at Innerkip seemed to settle
heir dispute by the aid of whisky,
which they procured at an inn. On reach
ing their abode, small log hut about
half mile from the settlement, Colver
appeared to start for his home, and Cook,
complaining of fatigue, retired to rest in
an inner room. He had remained but a
short time in bed when he was aroused by
a noise in the house, and on getting up he
heard, or tancied he heard, a person es-
Gaping through the window of his house.
OF this he complained to his wife, whose
taithlessness was but two well established.
The wife only Knocked his sensbillty, and,
in intoxicated levity, laughed at him. This
conduct Cook determined to punish and,
according to his own statement, struck her
several blows with his fist, and at the same
time grasped her by the throat. He dis
avowed the use OF any other means by
which she met her DEATH. Culver, who,
instead Of leaving the place, was a specta-
tor OF what was transpiring, testified on his
evidence at the trial, that Cook used a
stick, and thus, by desperate violence, eff
fected the murder. Upon this testimony
Cook was found guilty and was sentenced
to DEATH
On the morning of the execution Cook
appeared in good spirits, partook of a
hearty breakfast and such other sustaining
requisites as the kindness of the estimable
Governor OF the prison suggested At no
part of the trying ordeal did Cooks man
hood tOrsake him, and he stepped from the
prison, on the way to the gallows, with
surprising tirmness. On reaching the
scaffold the condemned man was placed at
once on the drop, the rope adjusted about
his neck, and all was ready for the fatal
fall. Cook remained for moment en-
gagged in prayer, when, at a given signal,
the bolt was drawn, and, with the swift
ness OF thought, the unhappy man fell
through the trap The fall was very long
one, the rope being nine feet four inches in
length. 1t was now that the unlooked-for
and terrible scene, which sickened all who
beheld it, took place The fall being so
great, and the mans body being in dis
eased condition, the vertebra and muscles
connecting the head with the shout
ders gave way, and, terrible to relate, the
head rolled OFF, while the body fell with
heavy plunge into the interior of the
scatfold The life blood Of tie criminal
poured out in lvid streams from the head
less trunk, while the torn muscles and gap
ing arteries presented Il sickening specta-
Gle. The crowd, seeing the body disap-
pear from their view, and the rope sway
ing to and fro, at once supposed that some
catastrophe had occurred, but it was not
for few moments that the real nature of
the horror became known When it was
bruited around that the man whom they
had but a minute before seen alive on the
scaffold was now a mangled headless
corpse, Il thrill of horror seemed to settle
upon all. For few minutes the body lay
as it fell, the authorities apparently shrink
ing from the task of touching the murder
ers renal 5.
The body was at length put in a coffin,
and delivered to Mr.. Brown, near rela-
tive Of Cooks first wife, Brown was,
strange to say, present in the capacity Ola
special constable. The medical theory re-
lative to the severance of the head from
the body is not easily explained High
authority on the spot attributed this result
to Cooks emaciated condition, the effects
of dissipation and bad living combined,
and to the diseased state of the body. Be
that as it may, the drop that caused Cleary
at Sarnia to die in agony sent Cook with
out a pang headless into eternity