The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-07-17
The Lynching of Howard Cooper.

Lynch law is always to be deprecated, but
it must be admitted that in the summary
hanging of the negro, Howard Cooper, at
Towsontown, early Monday morning, no
principle of justice has been violated Coop
er's offence was one of the most heinous that
could have been committed. He had a
fair, impartial trial and there could be no
doubt in any mind ofthe truth of Miss Gray's
story of the horrible crime of which she was
the helpless victim.
The people of Baltimore county quietly
permitted the law TO take its course and felt
that their moderation was justified when
Cooper was convicted. His counsel raised
some technical points and on these took the
case to the Court of Appeals. The Court of
Appeals affirmed the decision of the court
below and Coopers death.warrant was sign.
ed by Gov Lloyd, who appointed July 31st
as the day for his execution.
Messrs. Weld and White, Cooper's counsel,
in their zeal for their client, continued their eff
forts in his behalf by endeavoring to take the
case TO the Supreme Court ofthe United States
on the technical points already decided in the
courts of Maryland. To procure the amount
necessary to pay the preliminary fees circulars
were issued to the colored people and ap-
peals made to them through colored associa-
tions and churches. Some of the colored
people were beginning to regard Cooper as a
martyr for the rights of his race, rather than
as criminal whose life was justly forfeited
tor his crime. They were made to believe
that principle vital to them as citizens was
being violated in Coopers case, and the fact
of Cooper's guilt was set aside.
The citizens of Baltimore county, who had
waited patiently while the law took its course,
saw that if Messrs. Weld and White succeeded
in taking the case to the Supreme Court
months and perhaps years might elapse be-
fore decision would be rendered. If the
decision below were sustained and Cooper's
execution followed, the good effect which it
might have in lettering others from COM
hitting like crimes would be in great
measure lost. 1t is only the swftness and
certainty with which punishment follows
crime that can make it an effective example
to evil-doers. On the other hand, if the
Supreme Court had decided in favor of
Cooper, the case would be remanded to the
lower courts for new trial, and the unfor-
tunate young lady who was the victim of his
fiendsh assault, if then alive, would have
been compelled to undergo again, the pain
of telling the horrible story in open court.
Therefore, since Cooper was tried under the
law as it applies TO whites and blacks alike.
was found guilty by an impartial jury ad-
mitted his crime; was properly sentenced
and the points raised in his behalf examined
and pronounced invalid by the highest court
in the State, justice has not been defeated,
although his execution was not according to
the forms of the written law, but according
to society's oder law of preservation
The points relied upon by Cooper's counsel to
secure new trial with the chances ofa re-
versal of the first verdict, were entirely tech
nical. They did not relate to Cooper's guilt
or innocence, and there was well-grounded
fear that in the intricaces of the law justice
might not only be retarded but altogether
lost sight of and the guilty wretch escape to
boast Of if not 10 repeat his crime.