The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-03-30

around the yard.
Maggie Pitt came down stairs and opened
the door throwing out some water. She
didn't see me. She went back upstairs /
went into the house and sat down in the
dark
Presently Maggie came down again and
fastened the door and went back upstairs
still she didn't see me- | remained there, |
Judge it was about half past eleven O'Clock
All were in bed. After about half an hour, /
walked upstairs and walking INTO Maggie's
room struck a match. | saw Maggie and
Coale lying together in bed.
She ran at me and grabbed me by the ar II.
did not have my pistol in my hand. A.icr
Perry Gibson came out went back to my
fathers house. and went to bed. | was rest
less and got up going out into the road in my
bare feet. | went to Elijah kclls and got a
ladder, and placed it up against the side of
Gibsons house and looked into Maggie's
room through II hole in the drawn curtain
Coale was in one bed. and Maggie was in the
bed on the floor. | went back again at 12.30
and they were in bed together | went home,
but couldn't sleep. In the morning | went
over to ask her why she had treated me SO.
| was crazed; and don't remember pulling
out my pistol or firing the shots. Didn't
know | had shot her until my father told me
had done it. got my gun and went back
with the intention ofshooting myself. Maggie
asked me what was going to do, and when
l told her, she said for me not TO kill myself.
was fixing my necktie on the trigger $50 |
could shoot myself). told her she had been
the cause of this-she said-don't kill YOUR
self on account of me. | stayed around, and
she told me to 90 away and she would let me
hear from her.
Lemuel Jones also told me to go-to get on
the Pennsylvania railroad and get int o Penn
syvania-and go to New York. ! went and
stopped at Columbia. got gun, and if she
was dead, intended killing myself. Didn't
kill Coale because didn't have an idea of
killing anybody. Didn't say anything about
killing a rabbit Didn't remember of talking
that way.
Upon cross examination Cooper. stated that
Harry Coale was the only company she had be-
side himself She had gotten sometimes let
her as Ny dear Lover" Maggie told me
she only wrote to him to pass away time.
had demonstrated with her She told him
that he could depend upon her. therefore he
didn't object to her having other company.
Was not suspicious that day until she had
put down the window blinds. He stayed in
the house that night. he said, to play little
Joke on her.
SUSANNA COOPER,
II sister of the prisoner, was next placed on
the stand. She lived mostly at Cokesbury.
One day. while they were picking hucEle-
berries, Horace had said to her: "Rosy. |
will soon have "A place of my own. | have
two pigs. Pm tired going around from one
place to- another. and we are going to get
married. Then Maggie sal |: 'Yes, we are
going to get married. and, Rosy, I'll Lee h
sister-in-aw to you.' Horace helped Maggie
around the house, and once, when she was
sick, Horace said: I'm do the washing and
ironing for you" They slept together.
Horace gave her money and did without
things so she and her children could have
money. She had often seen Harry Coale in
her company.
George Hawkins, James Clark, Philip
Craig and James Martin testified to Coopers
good character. and thta he was not a high
tempered man.
ANNIE COOPER,
mother of Horace, was the next witness
Annie is self-respecting colored woman,
and convinced oll of hnin,, n uonI utnacs
She testified that Maggie had IA great deal of
influence over Horace. She (MaggIe) would
send to her place (store) for things and
then Horace would come over and pay for
them. | had quarreled with Gibson because
of Horaces living with Maggie On that
Saturday night Horace was at my house This
fathers house, looking wild, biting his lips.
He went in and out several times. | went to
bed and left him on the floor under the table
downstairs He did not say word. Ap-
peared to he worried and kept gnawng at
his lips.
WILLIAM COOPER.
Horace's father. testified as to how Horace
was worried, and that he had gone over to
Gibsons house Immediately after the shooting
THE ARGUMENTS.
At the night session on Tuesday, the first
argument for the prosecution was made by
John Il. Wilson, Esd, after which Court
adjourned until Wednesday morning at 10
o'clock, when the opening argument was
made for the defense by John G. Cuttings,
Esq. who was followed by Albert Constable,
Esq, the senior counsel for the defense. who
spoke two hours and a-half States Attorney
A. l.. Crothers closed for the State, and the
Jury retired at o'clock on Wednesday after
noon. Upon the first ballot the vote stood
seven for murder in the first degree. four for
second degree, and one for manslaugbter.
The jury did not agree upon a verdict until
half past ten o'clock on Thursday morning
when they returned the verdict,
GUILTY IN THE FIRST DEGREE"
Judges Stump and Wickes were upon the
bench, and a stiffness fell over the partly
filed court ROOM The jury was polled. and
all eyes centered on the prisoner as each jury
man repeated, "Guilty in the first degree"
Cooper while showing signs of nervousness
bore up well seemingly unapprecative of
the doom awaiting him. The prisoner was
returned to his cell. and the sentence sus-
pended.