The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-15
THREE HUNG IN GEORGIA
JOHN PICKETT SWUNG AT LEES
BURG FOR DOUBLE MURDER

The Execution Private but the Last
Rites Before Death Celebrated IL
the Presence Of 800 Peopie-Alex-
sndsr Henderson the Victim OF the
Hangman at cambridge.
ALBANY, GA, June 14-There were
about 1850 people in Leesburg, Lee county,
this morning 20 witness the hanging Of
Charley Cooper, alias John Pickett,
although it had been stated that
the execution would be private. The
NEWS correspondent visited the prisoner
in his cell. and he talked quietly and calmly.
He said that Tilda Hicks was the cause Of
the trouble he was in He did not mind
death, but he thought they should have
sent BIN 70 prison for life instead of hang
ing. A few minutes after 10 o'clock he was
led 10 the window of the Jail in view Of
the crowd, and Rev. Y. A. johnson fcol-
ored) read from the Bible and offered a
pathetic appeal to God 70 have mercy on
the prisoners soul, after which John ad-
dressed the crowd and said: II am very
sorry killed the old people. am not an
cry with any one. It is an aw-
full death but am ready to
meet it, and l earnestly beg everybody
never to do what did. God have mercy
on the high sheriff and all OF his, the kiGd
jaIler and his, and everybody. You al
have my love. Now last good-by TO al.
A few minutes before he was led to the
gailows he asked for and ate some boiled
eggs. He was a boy of good appearance
vailed throughout the day. At ~ o'clock
the trap was sprung, and in few minutes
Pickett was no more. He died by strangu-
lation, his neck not being broken by the
fall OF 6 feet.
THE CRIME.
Feb rs. Cooper and Matilda Hicks drove
up to the Fields plantation, about six miles
from Albany, and stopped with some other
negroes on the place over night. Next
morning Cooper saddled his mule and said
he was going to see about renting farm
for the year. Cooper and the woman stated
to the negroes on the place that they we're
man and WIFE, and that they came from the
upper part Of Lee county, where they
had lived last year. When Cooper left,
Matilda went to Anthony Mccarthy,
worthy molatto negro man on the place,
and told him that Cooper was a murderer.
She continued as follows:
You see, Charley and / worked up near
Smlthville with old man Nelson Brooks
J
Nelson owned the place on whichlwe lived,
and two mules, and be hired US to help him.
Cooper got mad with the old man, and
during some words told him he would get
even with him. So, shortly after that he
went to the house from work
ahead of us, aud armed him
self with Uncle Nelson's shotgun, and as the
old man walked up, at dnner-time, to the
house, Cooper was standing ready and said:
Nov, III get evenIn and shot the old fell
low dead in his tracks. Then, with the
ak, as Aunt Hester Brooks ran out of the
kitchen, he split her brains out. After he
had finished them both, he dragged them
into the house and locked them up. He
then put meat, meal, corn for the mules,
bedding, etc, into the old mans wagon,
hitched up the mules, and told me that /
must now be his wife and go with him.
''If you don't believe me, go out to the
wagon and look at that ak. for that is the
one he used"
Her story was proven true, and Cooper's
arrest trial, conviction and hanging to-
day followed.