, 1884-12-13
COOKS GOODNESS.
The Laramie Murderer Dies Game
on the Scaffold.
He Iokes With His Friends Until the
Last Moment.
He Expires in Ten Minutes From a
Broken Neck.
His Body is Buried at the County's
Expense.
History Of the Crime For Which He
Was Hanged.
Cooks Last Night.

- AAIA " AAOAAOn III
These were about the last words uttered
by George Cook, the murderer of his
brother-in-law, James Blount, to his
death watch, William latham, at lI:lO
O'Clock Thursday night. He had just
crawled into the little bed affixed to the
iron wall of his sxlO cage in the Albany
County Jail at Laramie, and cuddled
himself up in his blankets with an appar-
ent feeling of grateful satisfaction.
Half an hour before a LEADER reporter
who had visited him, accompanied by
Officer p. II. Brophy, Of the city police,
found him s%trolling l~eisurely about his
brilliantly lighted cell, smokinga cigarette.
His cage opened out into a little passage
way, which in turn was separated from the
main hallway through which the visitors
entered by a heavy latticed iron work ex-
tending up to the ceiling. 1t was through
this lattice work that Cook spoke when
he said he expected to meet his fate un-
h~inchingly the following day. He was at
that time attired in a laring suit of red
Undertaking and his feet were encased
in stockings. When offered a few cigars,
he made some rather brisk remarks about
a friend who had imposed upon his CON
tidence by giving him some cigars of the
cabbage-leaf variety.
A young girl employed by the Sheriff
passed through a dark passage way at the
far end Of the hall and Cook united with
the prisoners in adjoining cells in their
efforts to scare her.
His evident intention was to make the
most of his few remaining hours of life
and to prevent his mind from dwelling on
the ghastly realities of the death that
stared him in the face.
There seemed to be no morbid senti-
mentality in his makeup. He spoke
freely and without reserve to all who ad-
dressed him. Even when alone his mind
seemed calm and unruffied.
Only once during the interview did he
show any trace Of deep feeling. Then he
offered to answer every question asked
him by the reporter the following morn
ing at 10 o'clock, but mind" said he,
you mustn't misrepresent me-
As he said this there was a strange gilt
ter in his eyes, that seemed to give a sud
den glimpse of a diseased mind.
Cook crawled into bed at exactly ten
minutes after IL o'clock. 1t scarcely took
him a minute to get comfortably settled.
A light burned brightly above him, but
in three minutes he was TRANQUILITY sleep
ing. He betrayed no signs of restlessness
and his repose seemed as profound as on
my one Of the sixty-two nights the death
watch has stood guard over him.
At ten minutes past 2 O'Clock in the
morning he turned over u~neasily in his
cot, but did not awake.
1t was s o'clock in the morning before
he finally awoke. He got up good hum
oredly and attired himself in a new suit
of clothing, except his coat which he did
not put on. He appeared in his usual
tranquil frame of mind.
AtS:l5 o'clock his breakfast was ready
for him and of course his wishes were car
ried out strictly regarding the bill of fare.
He ate eleven eggs, a big bunch of celery,
a generous quantity of bread and drank
two large cups of coffee. 'Eat2" said
Harry Miller, the cook in amazement,
nov l should say that he did eat hearty.
| Wb,, I navo- oooLoJ Co. 49, 1,,,
laborer who eat a heavier meal than he
did this morning"
Soon afterward Rev. Father Cummis-
key, the Catholic priest at Laramie, Wis
ted Cook to administer ghostly consola
ton. They remained together in Cooks
cell for about an hour, during which time
no visitors were admitted. After the de-
parture of the priest the doors of the jail
were thrown open to the public generally,
all of whom were allowed to file down the
narrow stairway leading to the basement
below and take 4 last or in many cases a
first glimpse Of the doomed man. About
two hundred people availed themselves of
the opportunity thus presented. Cook
stood during all the time behind the lattice
work in his shirt sleeves. Some men in
his position might feel themselves abashed
in being thus exposed to the gaze of the
curious. Cook wasn't one of them, how
ever. 1t seemed on the contrary to af-
ford him a good deal Of consolation.
Very frequently he noticed someone in
the crowd whom he recognized. In such
cases he at once hailed the individual and
chatted with him for a few moments.
Very many Of the visitors poked a couple
Of fingers through the bars s. that Cook
might grasp them as a last token of fare
well. He was cordially at home to every
body.
1t was about a quarter before 10 o clock
when The LEADER man met Cook, who
greeted him pleasantly.
well, I've got very little to say
said Cook in reply to a question. Con
corning the trial, l don't think l got 0
fair trial. Now I know | did not, for Q
fact"
What leads you into this belief?''
asked the reporter.
II have been asked not to tell. and
therefore will not" said Cook as he
whitfield out a cloud of smoke from the
cigarette which he held daintily between
his lips.
is there any word you wished con