The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-06-22


Governor at the Hotel Rennert.
RESPITE REFUSED.
Sheriff White received a telegram at 10
O'Clock Friday morning from Mr. Haines
stating that the Governor declined to inter-
fere.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Horace Cooper suf-
fered the death penalty, was the murder of
his mistress, Maggie Pitt, on November IS,
1894, at Cokesbury,a small colored settlement
two miles from Port Deposit. The shooting
occurred early Sunday morning, and the
woman survived her injuries until the follow
ing Wednesday night. The homicide took
place at the house of Perry Gibson, colored
He was one of the principal witnesses, and
testified at the trial that on the night of the
shooting Maggie Pitt and her two children
occupied bed con the floor in the larger Of
the two rooms, and in another bed in the
same room Harry Coale Ga visitor) was Sleep
ing Gibson and his wife, Annie Gibson occu
pied the other room. Harry Coae he testi-
fled. had come to their house that evening.
having brought Annie Gibson, who was his
aunt. pair of ducks.
They all retired between ten and eleven
o'clock, and half an hour later he (Gibson)
was aroused by hearing Maggie Pitt crying
out that Horace Cooper was in the house,
and called to him for help. There was no
light in the Pitt woman's room, ,and he carried
the lamp from his room into the hall and
there saw Horace Cooper standing in the
entry, half way in her room, Maggie Pitt
grasping revolver in one of his hands. and
with her other hand clinched over his collar.
He ordered Cooper out of the house and
Cooper went away.
Before sun-up on Sunday morning, he tes-
titled that he saw Cooper along the road
waivng his hand for him to come out, and he
also sent a boy to tell him to come out But
he Gibson didn't go. Cooper remained,
and after a while he did 90 out, and Cooper
said: II want to see Maggie this morning -
Gibson went back into the house, and by this
! time Maggie Pitt and Annie Gibson had come
| down stairs.
/ In short while Cooper walked into the
yard and motioned through the window to
! Maggie to come out. She wouldn't go. Then
| Gibson went out into the yard and Cooper
walked into the house as though ''to see
Maggie He then heard the shots.
After the shooting Cooper ran up stairs.
Gibson hurried over to William Cooper, the
murderer's father, and warned him that he
would shoot him if he didn't get him out. He
then hurried for IN officer He said that
when he returned Cooper had gun.
When cross-examined Gibson stated that
/ Coale was placed in Maggie Pitts room
because it was the largest in the house and
had two beds in it. He further stated that
Horace was frequent visitor of Maggies 5,
being there every day until about month
before, when she had ordered him off. He
swore that Maggie for some days past had
/ been opposed to his coming there. Cooper
had slept in the house several times, he testi-
/ fled, but he didn't know of his ever having
/ slept in Maggie Pitts room. Gibson had seen
him help her ironing.
The story Of the crime was well told by
Cooper, the murderer, who when placed on
the stand, gave his testimony in IA straight
! FORWARD way, anu sustained searching
cross-cXaminaton.
Cooper stated that he was 32 years of age
and had known Maggie Pitt three years
/ They had been intimate for over Il year, and
which had never been broken by any quar-
rels. They We're engaged to be married, and
were constantly in each others company.
gave her anything she wanted, money OF
clothing for herself and children. She re-
ceiyed over half the money | made. When
she wasn't able to wash and iron did it for
her, and have worked this way until day
light. Last winter when she took in washing
l did the heavy work. | gave her children
things to eat and wear. She asked me fot
different things. | have bought food fol
Perry Gibson's house. | was at the house
every night and day, except when l was
away working. | was fond of her, loved
her, had my whole heart and mind on her
and wanted to marry her.
After quarrel with Gibson in September
Cooper moved to his fathers house but con.
tnued his daily visits to Maggie Pitt. He
testified that she would send for him-and he
had sent her money.
Coale was at the house in July. When he
worked up the county he would drive there
and one evening Maggie went out driving
with him and did not return until Ii O'Clock
| When he came to the house on that Saturday
night, Maggie had been fixing things uI
stairs all afternoon. asked her if she was
going to have company. About 2 o'clock sht
sent to me and wanted dollar. sent it tc
her At O'Clock, | saw her again-she was
worried. | asked her why she was worried
but she wouldn't tell me. In the evening
was talking to her when COale came. | asked
her about his company and she replied that
she didn't know he was coming | had picked
up Il letter she had received from him about
his coming. gave it to her-she read it and
laughed This was about five o'clock. She
went up stairs and put all the window blinds
down-something | had never seen her dc
before. This worried me.
went out hunting with my dogs, getting
my pistol. l went hunting on Mr.. Viii
Steele's place. | was troubled and didn't
have ambition to hunt. Was worried ovel
the way Maggie had treated me. went back
to my home at half past ten o'clock. Then
came out and could see no light at Perry
Gibson's house. Went over there and walked
around the yard.