The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-03-30
MURDER DEGREE
TO SUFFER THE FULL PENALTY
OF THE LAW.
Horace Cooper, the COlOred Slayer of his
Mistress, Maggie Pitts, Doomed.


the Cecil county court room was filled with
in interested audience. The principals ia
the Ease being colored people, naturally ex-
cited the curiosity Of that race and the
benches allotted to them were taxed to their
utmost capacity to accommodate those 'tendin'
co'rt"
Horace Cooper, the colored murderer of his
mistress, Maggie Pitt, at CokcsDury, a col
ored settlement two miles from Port Deposit,
on November 18th last, sat in the prisoners
box, eagerly scanning the court room and
deeply interested in every proceeding, which
meant life or death to him.
The impanelling of the jury consumed con
siderable time, some were challenged per-
cmptorily, and numerous others were dis
qualified because of their conscientious
scruples against capital punishment. The
jury was sworn as follows:
r. b. Lakeland w. H. Hughes,
Foreman. William Richards,
W. Harry Jones. A. T. Trumblr,
J. Harry Clark, Jehoiakim Brickley,
W. T. Spear, W. d. Dunbar,
William Hunt, G. A. Heatzig,
". Il. BENNETT.
The prisoner was arraisned and the indirt.
ment read.
The first witnesses put on the stand were
DR.. George W. Stump and DIR. A. c. Crothers,
who attended the murdered woman. The
physicians testified that she was suffering
from three pistol wounds. one on the lett
thigh one on the left breast. and third oil
the back, which had passed through the body
The back wound was sufficient to cause
DEATH The bullet had passed through the
abdomen, causing peritonitis, which resulted
in the woman's death, on the Wednesday
night following the shooting on Sunday
morning.
PERRY GIBSON,
at whose house the homicide took place. was
next put Oh the stand. He stated that he had
lived at Cokesbury fifteen years and in that
house three years The house contained one
room downstairs and two rooms upstairs,
with a hallway.
On the night of the shooting, Maggie Pitt
and her two children occupied a bed con the
fioor) in the larger OF the two rooms, and in
another bed in the same room Harry Coale
Ca visitor) was sleeping. Gibson and ms
wife, Annie Gibson, occupied the other room.
Harry Coale, he testified, 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 womans room, and he car
ried 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 cinched 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
waving his hand for him to come out, and he
also sent boy to tell him to come out. But
he (Gibson) didn't go. Cooper remained,
and after while he did go 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 mad come
down stairs.
In a short while Cooper walked into the
yard and motioned through the window to
Maggie to come out. She wouldn't CO. Then
Gibson went out into the yard and Cooper
walked into the house as though ito ste
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 an 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 u frequent visitor Of Maggie's,
being there every day until about "A 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 test
fed, but he didn't know of his ever having
slept in Maggie Pitts room. Gibson had seen
him help her ironing.
a colored resident of Cokesbury, was then
placed on the stand. Elijah told how on
that Saturday night Cooper had come to his
house and borrowed Il ladder saying that he
wanted to get coon out Of a tree because
the butt of the tree was too thick for him to
climb"
LEMUEL JONES,
was the next witness. Lemuel was a phil
osopher, and on Sunday tafter the shooting)
advised Cooper that it would be better for
him ito give himself up"
Jones testified that Cooper said she didn't
intend to lay in Jail for any woman" When
informed that the officers were after him.
Cooper said it would be ''a kill kill"
Jones was II "smart" witness and when
asked by Mr.. Constable if he was married
replied that he would be if any body
would have him. When asked where he
was born Lemuel vouchsafed the information
"they tell me was born at "Gravelly Hill"
1t was through Jones that Coopers where
abouts, after he had fed were learned He
received a letter from Columbia, Pa, signed
James Henry Clark" Clark had told him