The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-04-11
THE BRUTAL ASSAULT ON MISS GRAY
me N elghborhood Aroused-The Country
secured for the Villian-His Final Cap
ture by a Man Of his own Color
Iak1ng Things Easy in the City
Jail-The Young Lady's
Condition Be

Jail-The Young Lady's
Condition, &c.
Nothing that has occurred in Baltimore county
ID many years has so excited the Indignation OF
our people as did the brutal assault committed by
the young colored fend, Howard Cooper, on Miss
Kate tray, most estimable young lady and the
daughter of Mr.. D. Cogle Gray, who lives on the
Aoeil property, on the old court road leading
from kockland to Pikesville. The particulars of
the assault, which was committed on Thursday,
End inst, were given in the columns of The
UNION last week, and when they became generally
known there was at once determination on the
part of the people to hunt down the william and
by taking the law in their own hands punish him
as he deserved. Particularly was this the case in
the neighborhood were the young lady lives, and
although the assault was committed on Thursday
afternoon, the people of that vicinity formed
themselves into scouting parties and commenced
securing the country the same night in the hope
of capturing Cooper, who appears to have been
very familiar with every foot of ground lying be.
tween Towsontown and Rockland and above as
far as Timonium. The scouting parties kept up
the search without intermission and although
they were able to hear of several places where
Cooper had been, they were unable to come up
with him and their efforts proved entirely fruitless.
Had they captured the william it was their inten-
ton to dispose of him in very summary manner.
While the scouters were searching every nook
and corner in the country around, the officers were
also on the lookout and on Thursday night Sheriff
knight and Deputy Risteau, having had an init
nation that Cooper was concealed in a house on
Dr. Bosley's property, just west of Towsontown,
they went to the place, but as they passed in the
front of the house Cooper, who was in the cellar,
got out of the rear and disappeared in the dark
ness They saw him and fired several shots at
him, none of which, however, took effect From
this time until Monday night nothing was posi-
lively known as to the fellows whereabouts There
were any number of wild rumors floating about
that he had been seen here, there and the other
place-but when these were followed up and sifted
it was found that they were without foundation.
In the mean time the county authorities offered a
reward of 5000 for Cooper's arrest and delivery to
the proper authorities and this, in the end brought
the answer, though not in way most satisfactory
to the indignant people.
On Monday night large body of men from
the 3rd district came to Towsontown, believing
that Cooper had that day been arrested at Edge
wood, Hartford county, and that he would be
brought to Jail here under cover of the darkness.
They intended, in the event of his coming, to
take him from the officers, remove him to the
scene of his crime, and there punish him with
death. They assembled about the Jail and de-
termined to spend the night, but about ii O'Clock,
after repeated assurances from the Sheriff that
Cooper had not been found and therefore could
not be in the Jail, they finally withdrew and de-
parted for their homes, determined to continue
the search bright and early the next day.
But while these proceedings were taking place
in front of the Jail, the much wanted Cooper was
within ear-shot of his pursuers, in charge of four
men, hid in an old quarry not stones throw
from them. AS soon as the lynchers had disap
peared several men made their appearance at the
Jail door and demanded admission, saying that
they had Cooper in charge. The Sheriff thought
this of the lynchers to get into the Jail and
told them if they had the man to hand him over
to those who were so anxiously looking for him.
The men persisted, however, and when the Sheriff
finally opened the door they pushed colored
man in and the Sheriff at once recognized him as
Cooper. 1t took but few minutes to tell where
and how he had been captured and the Sheriff and
his deputy, knowing that no time was TO be lost
made preparations for an immediate start for the
city. In few minutes they left the Jail on foot
and started across the fields and woods with their
prisoner, fearing that the news of his capture
would get out and an attempt would be made to
take him from them. They kept away from the
main roads as much as possible and after weary
tramp arrived at the Central Police Station about
o'clock Tuesday morning and Cooper was safely
placed behind the bars. He very much
frightened and was in constant dread of those
who had been so eagerly looking for him, know
ing we'll that should he fall into their hands no
was safe from them he breathed much freer and
did not hesitate to falkland quite fippantly, too
of the murderous assault he had made on the
young lady, saying that he had no object except
pure devilment.
STORY OF THE CAPTURE.
Early On Monday evening a colored man named
Ferd. Young, employed by Edward Rider, Esq.,
on his farm short distance below Sherwood sta
ton, saw a man lurking about one of the out
L,.stl H. had av111 lot
once that it was Cooper, whom he knew WE'LL
Cooper said he was very hungry, and as he had
an aunt living at Mr.. Riders he had gone there
for something to eat. Young told him he would
get him something to eat and going to the kitchen
did so. He then suggested that Cooper hide him
ss,1in the barn and that he (Young) would after
wards render him all the assistance he could
Cooper went to the barn and hid himself in pile
of husks and Young went off, determined to secure
the man for whom a reward of 5000 had been of
fered. Josh. Brown, another colored man on the
place, was informed of the bonanza, and then
Young went off to Sherwood and took Edward
Wall and Frank Finnan into the secret. The
men returned with him and the plans of capture
having been fully matured beforehand, the four
quietly bounced upon Cooper, tied him with G
rope and started across the fields with him for
Towsontown, where he was safely landed as
above stated
A DESCRIPTION OF COOPER.
Howard Cooper, the self.confessed perpetrator
of the assault upon Miss Gray, looks as though
he might be 20 years of age, although he says he
is but II. He is about feet 6 inches high and
weighs probably 125 pounds. He is worthless
fellow and has been known to DO tricky and dan
gerous, men of his own color being afraid of him.
His mother says he has been bad boy but she
thought he had reformed, and appeared to be
much worried when she heard of the very serious
trouhle he had hroupht uDOn himself.
AT THE CENTRAL STATION HOUSE.
On Tuesday morning reporter called at the
Central Station and had an interview with Cooper.
When asked how he felt he said call right" and
as he raised his stiff trimmed hat the cut which
Miss Gray had inflicted with stone at the time
of the assault was plainly visible. The reporter
then asked, "N by did you treat the young lady
the way you did ?"
81 only did it for devilment," he replied "ust to
beat her for fun" lie then went on to say he
waylaid her purpOsely to crafty his desire for
"devilment" Her heroic resistance Infatuated
him. and he beat her the more because of her brave
ry. He denied any assault upon her after she
was helpless. He was satisfied he would be fol-
lowed up at once, and took to the woods in the
vicinity. During the subsequent days of his pur-
suit he kept in the security of any woodland he
came across, only leaving it at night to get some
thing to eat, which he did either by begging or
theft
"Of course I didn't want to be arrested. I liked
to be free. 1 wasn't afraid at all, only one day,
when 1 was hid near Sherwood, and saw man
with gun hunting for me. Ifthat niger, Ferd.
Young hadn't given me away I'd kept dem peo-
ple runnn' after me some time before dey caught
me. Why did go to Mr.. Riders barn? To get
somethin' to eat 1 knowed Young, and l met
him when he was going to the barn to feed horses.
He knowed me- L axed him to get me somethin'
to eat, and he said he would. He slipped me into
the barn and hid me in de loft under a pile of
corn husks. He tole to keep quiet and he
would soon be back with grub. 1 thought he'd
gone to the house to get some bread, but he done
gone told another coon, Josh. Brown, and two
white men whar was. Dey come in on me and
got me. Dey took me over towards Towsontown
Once seed some of the men what was hunting for
me. was kept in quarry near the Jail for
awhile, and den takin' inside. Dey didn't let me
wait long for we started for Baltimore. was some
scared comm along the way here, but arter got
in / was not frightened"
Cooper is now in the Baltimore Jail where it is
likely he will remain nutil such time as Sheriff
Knight may think it safe to bring him to Tow
sontown.
THEY BAG THE REWARD.
Frank Finnan, Edward Wall, Ferdinand Young
and Joshua Brown-the two first named white
men and the other two colored-made their ap-
pearance at the County Commissioners Office on
Tuesday morning and demanded the reward of