The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-03-11

Willard. "Cook," said Mr. VOORHEES,, WAS
the only son of very respectable, upright
parents in Connecticut. He had four sis
tiers, one of whom married a Mr. Crowley, a
prosperous mercsnt in New York; another
married Mr.. Stanton, of New York, also q
man of consideration; third married Gov
elnor Willard; the fourth sister, Katie, was
unmarried, and, think, never has married.
John Cook studied law at Williamsburg. y.
Y, with Mr.. Stearns. Mr. Stearns' daughter
is the wife of Homer A. Nelson. former men,
her OF Congress and Secretary of State in
New York. She remembers Cook well when
he was in her fathers Office in
dTen took to him. He bad a very
pleasant way with young children. He did
not complete his studies, l think, but went
to Kansas when he was about twenty. Gov
ernor Willard was born in Utica, n. Y, of
old Massachusetts, stock, and it is said that
mis- great gIest-uncle was executed at Salem,
Mass. for hostility to the authorities there
who were hanging witches. The Cook grls
were bright and yivacious, and had fine
characters. Governor Wizards wife had
been q school.teacher in southern Indiana
when he came there to settle. They were
very fond OF each other. Willard had the
consumption. Governor Willard died while
governor, and his widow survived him bat
q little while. Their son is the leader of the
Indiana Legislature, is Democrat, and has
twice supported me for Senator. They had
a daughter, who is married to q gentleman
at Liverpool England"
Said l. did Captain Cook, Of Harpsrs
Ferry, leave posterity?'
Yes; he had a child which was only
about four months old when be was execu-
ted. That child lives at Bloomington, H.,
al is now fine boy or young man. The
mother, whom Cook married at Harper
Ferry, and whom be dearly loved, is a re.
spectacle lady, and has long been married
to her second husband"
Said / "Mr. voorhees,, you were saying
that Captain Cook had not been responsible
tor your line of argument leaving him out
of the usual motives or status OF Browns
menu"
why" said the Senator, "ws who had
come there to save Cooks life mad no other
purpose than that. All that we were look
ing to was his sister and parents. To that
single end bent my whole argument. I
was a Democrat. and al snti-abolition Dem
oorat. John Brown and his raid were at
the moment the subject OF universal execra-
ton. l made up my mind If possible to save
Cooks life by putting him in the position Of
q young man under the magnetism OF
Brown. So denounced the sbohtionists as
not only responsible for this raid, bat for
misleading this young man. l used every
point within my reach to that end.
There was not the least chance any
other way to get him off aod not
much in that perhaps. But | took the
desperate chance. Now" said Mr.. VOORHEES,,
''it is 3 singular fact that Cook neither be-
fore LOT during nor after nv defense ever
alluded 20 it. When l was making my
speech. with Governor Willard sitting near
me and Cook not tar of. and while l was de-
nouncing the sbolitionisis who wonld so
peIvert this fair haired wandeIer, l saw
Cocks face at one time looking az me with
most extraordinary expression of c0uute-
nance. Ii was that of establishment, as if
he was surprised that should take that way
of defending him. / have no doubt myself
but that old John Brown inferred from my
speech that Cook had deserted his cause. The
anti.slaveTy papers may have fallen into that
inference. But there Is nothing whatever
to sustain il in real fact. Cook never repu-
dated his companions. He always spoke of
John Brown to me In terms OF the highest
admiration. He spoke OF his associates with
equal respect. He simply allowed his
brotber-in-law for the sake of his sisters to
use what legal line he chose, but he never
n ade a suggestion nor did anything to
alter my firm conviction that he was a sim
cere fanatic in that extraordinary perform
apce."
Mr. VOORHEES, remarked: 'Since time has
elapsed and am speaking OF shingsin their
actualities, let me say this: There never
Wss, probably, in this world such a remark
able band of men as that of John Brown.
Think of 1t! All OF the band were mere
youths, almost boys, except Brown himself,
and he was perhaps sixty years OF age.
They fought with him in the most unfiinch.
ing way, lost their lives with a courage IN
surpassed, and those who remained to be
executed were cool, consistent and firm in
the end. None Of them went to the gallows
with more bravery than John Cook. In
some respects he surpasses all the rest in
force OF character. heard him order his
own coffin. After he was sentenced to death,
instead of giving way to despair, he sat down
and wrote that most wonderful letter to
his wife and mother, telling them to
bring up his boy to understand in what
cause he bad died. John Brown probably
the ught from the nature of my defense that
Cock was not firm, but that ives an error.
WI en- Cook went to the scaffold with young
Coppick, his cell-mate, and the death cap
had been pulled ever their faces, he said:
Ned, where is your hand? Let me take your
hand They grasped each others piniOned
hands, and died in perfect composure."
1t here occurs to me that perhaps / have
misouOted Mr.. VOORHEES, as TO the time when
Cock wrote the above remarkable letter. /
think it was written after he and Coppick
had attempted to escape and were brought
out from their cells. Mr.. Worries said, /
think, that he saw the shackles struck from
the sallows close bshiDd him. having, indeed,
but few hours TO 1--we, and wrote the above
cool letter in q clear and mistaken hand.
as another instance of Cooks coolness,
Mr.. Voorhees, said that he was a superb
handler of arms. and that Lewis Washing.
ton had Tenarkedto him (Voorhees) that
Cook could take revolver in each hand, and
alternately lifting his hands could drive
bullet through a spot as big as ones eye.
said i: ibid he show any gratitude to
you for your endeav0rsp'
Cook really loved me-" said Mr.. Voor-
hees. He was more open and frank with
me than with his brother-in-law, because he
knew that had complies sympathy with
him. His brother-in-law had reflected on
his case. ] never did to him. took the boy
into my heart, and vile in court used my
own way to save his life. i never upbraided
him for what he had been engaged in, pri-
vately. To me be was a Constant being. not
outstanding nay aversion at that time to
abolitionism."
WAS he not little set up in his own es.
teemP
HE had confidence in himself, bat 1 do
not recall that he was vain. He let us ham
die his cause as we saw fit. AS have al
ready told you, he never referred to my
speech IN his favor, though it was made q
feature of by almost everybody else"
Said /: 81 would like to have from You an
idea OF the delivery of that sOeech."
~ spoke about two hours" said Mr.. Voor-