Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-28
JACK COOPER.
EXECUTION AT RAvENNA.
THE MURDERER---HIS CONDUCT.
His Speech on the Platform.
THE CHLORoFORM EXPERIMENT.

Jack Cooper" for the murder Of John Rho,
lenbaugh, took place yesterday at Ravanna,
twenty i've minutes before two o'clock,
P. NJ. All the necessary preparations had
been carefully made by sheriff Jennings.
Captain C. 4. Mason's company of the 44th
Battalion, o. y. G., from Windham, was
present, and on duty on the grounds.
The quiet of the city was not much bro
ken. The streets we're a little more thronged
than usual and knots Of men were gath
cred here and there en- the streets discussing
the career and fate of the murderer. In
side Of the Jail the gallows, on which DR..
Huges was executed, was erected il the
southern end of the east corridor, and oPpo-
site il, was another platform for those who
were 10 witness the execution.
The appearances Of Jack Cooper is not that
a hardened criminal. His career of dis
~sipation and crime had nc etIecto on his iron
nerves and he looked scarcely Twenty-Five.
In physique he was a model of an Athlete,
six feet three inches in height, erect, broad,
chested and muscular. with every indica-
ton of great endurance aud prodigious
strength. His features were strongly marked
and viewed in front, rather pleasing than
otherwise. A low, retreating forehead, eyes
dark and restless, a thin, sharp nose, 4 short
and pointed chin, a small mouth half hid
den by q dark moustache, and dark hair,
make up the face. Il i5 one Of those faces
which passion distoIts and knots up into
frightful ridges. There is 10 malicious cum
ming in it, but only a devil-may-care ex-
preston of restlessness and perfect reckless
ness.
THE EXECUTION.
At 10 minutes Of l P. N those who were
to witness the execution were admitted and
at 1 r. N. Cooper was led upon the platform.
He was smoking a cigar and walked erect
and firm. lie sat down, nervously putting
his cigar, while the Sheriff was speaking,
aud when asked if he had any thing to say
before the sentence of death was executed,
replied that he wished 10 say a few words.
SPEECH Of me
l claim to say (here he turned % the
Sheriff and asked, as my brothcr-in-law
here and Mr.. Hall?" Ca receiving an af-
frmative, he continued , Firmly | say
here l m. How long, sir, Ito the Sheriff
have l got TO TALK The Sheriff answered,
"Ten minutes.") Ten minutes to talk and
half an hour TO live. l die in a half an
hourl l claim 10 saw that I stand here
ready TO die. o, excuse me, gentlemen I
told a wrong story. l am not ready to die.
l am as ready TO die as folks commonly is
when they say they are ready 10 die. l
am to be hung because l knew l have
got 10 die. speaking very loud and
gesturing and stamping his feet violently.
Gentlemen, l speak loud SO that the men
out in the yard can hear me. How many
minutes, sir, Ito the Sheriff.) am a child
without education; l am to die, l would die
a noble citizen of the United States. Gen
tlemen, l am perfectly cool, perfectly cool.
| will die like d man. There is no bottom
to the ocean before me. If a man believes
his soul is right in the faith Of Gcd. MI.
Jennings, you have been a brother 10 me.
l am ready to die. know this rope. l
want five minutes to talk to Jennings. If
I could get out TO hear the birds sing and
see the green grass. l am sorry for the decd.
I intend to smoke this cigar as long as l
can. Istsnd here il the lortituiea and grace
of man. am a convicted villain Of the
murder of John R~hodenbaugh. claim to
die as a man. Murder was never in my
heart. Here he stepped forward to the
edge of the platform, g~esturing and stamp
ing violently.l l want to know how long l
have got to live. I unloaded a canal boat
with Berry. The Captain treated. I treated.
Berry treated and we were all jolly. Berry
brought in Rhodenbaugh. Off he went
with a wink and a blink across the road TO
a saloon. ~Rhodenbaugh treated and we
played seven up for the liquor. Berry says
to me, al seen seven hundred dollars any
way, and maybe athousand." I told Beery
not to murder his dimocratic and best
friend. l spoke too loud on the start. I
am hoarse. l said they should hear me
half a mile, but they can't hear me twenty
Eve rods. I wanted 10 sly up TO RhOden-
baugh, and catch him and rob him, but
Berry said no. If am to be an example,
Why am I not hung outside where the grass
is green and the birds singl I am not
afraid TO die. Not a tear will drop from my
eye. Berry set the plan and I struck the
the blow. l am ready to die. I claim to
say l will die like a man.
The Sheriff told him that it was time for
his spiritual adviser to speak, and the fol-
questions were asked by Mr.. Hall
and the answers given by Cooper
Do you believe in Jesus?
l do, sir!
Do you trust in God?
1 do, sir,
VIII you knesl down and pray?
l will, sir,
Tie prisoner knelt and the prayer was
for his repentance and salvation.
The prayer yer the prisoner took his stand
upon the platform and put the rope over
his own neck. The black cap was drawn
over his face and he babe his friends fare
well. He asked the Sheriff to wait his
word and in a moment said, 81 am ready to
die drop it" and he was lead without tho
Of a muscle. In seven minutes
and twenty seconds the pulse ceased. The
body is to be buried in the city cemetery.
TIE STORY OF HIS LIFE.
In regard to his personal history the pris-
says but little. His real name is Sam
uel Wittum, and he was born in Elkhart,
Erie county, Penn. Oct. %, 1887. His
died when he was six years old,
six children, of whom he was the
youngest.
After the death Of the mother the family
was scattered, and Samuel was apprenticed
to a farmer, by whom he was cruelty beaten,
hard and poorly clad, whipped for
offences snd never sent to school.
At the end of nine months he ran away and
soon hired out as driver on the Erie Canal.
After a year in this school of crime he
ran away and went to New York, q little
boy still, without friends in the great city.
soon fell in with a drover, and in his
was again abused and wronged.
Going west with a brother, he hired out
as teamster with a@train, bound across the
plains with Government freight. He
crossed the plains several times, met the
in many encounters and had many
escapes.
At last he was taken prisoner, and re-
a captive for three months, but at
last escaped on q pony furnished by a
squaw, who had taken e violent fancy to
him.
Reaching L~eavenwOrth city in safety he
at once engaged TO cross the plains again
and spent the Hext few years in California.
He soon learned the manners and customs
Of the country, and his lie there was full
Of adventures well calculated to hardin
him for a career of crime.
leaving California with considerable
money he determined 70 enjoy bis gains.