Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-02-14

Execution Of Cumberland.
HE PAID THE DEATH PENALTY
ON THE GALLoWs AT FORT
MADISON, IOWA.
His Aged Parents Live in Mexico,
Where Jake Was Once a Resi-
dent He Killed Faith
er and Son.

FORT MADISON, Iowa, February S.
The execution of Jacob b. Cumberland
took place to-day. The fall broke Cum
beriand's neck. When asked on the
scaffold if he had anything to say,
Cumberland answered:
81 have been ~unjustly dealt with. |
was promised that if | confessed /
would get a life sentence"
This wss a false statement on the
gallows, as the fact is that the Judge
told Cumberland that if he would fur
nish evidence duplicating others he
would speak in his behalf.
The crime for which Cumberland
IA hanged was the murder of James
and Jasper Robertson at Harlan, Shell
by County, Iowa, September 81, 1889.
The Robertsons were father and son
and had long resided at Harlan, but
that fan they sold their farm to a neigh
Dor, who rented it to Cumberland, and
announced that they would soon move
to Montgomery County, fowa.
On the morning of September 27th
Cumberland slipped up behind Robert
son in the barn and beat his brains out
with a neck-yoke and concealed his
body in the straw. Later, ne crept up
behind Jasper Robertson, who was
husking corn in a field near by, and
shot him through the head. At night
he buried the bodies near the Nish-
nabota River, which runs through the
farm
The disappearance of the Robert
sons occasioned little comment at first,
as it was supposed that they had taken
their intended departure to Montgom-
cry County.
After 4 month or so Cumberland
married a respectable woman and
soon moved away.
In April, 1890, some notes of Robert
sons came due, but no trace of him
nor his son could be found. Letters
of inquiry were sent to all their known
relatives, without result. Inquiry con-
corning Cumberland was then set on
foot by those who believed that he
knew something about the strange
disappearance of the Robertsons. 1t
was found that he had served 4 term
in the Kansas Penitentiary. The
Grand Jury indicted Cumberland and
his wife for murder of the Robertsons
without any other evidence than mere
suspicion. The Cumberlands were ar
rested at Springfield, Mo-, in April,
1891.
The State of Iowa offered $500 re-
ware for the bodies, and all summer
long many people engaged in a fruit
less search,
Cumberland seemed to have a wild
devotion for his wife and was made to
believe that she would suffer for his
crime. While he was in this desper-
ate condition, Mrs. Cumberland was
permitted to visit her husband alone
in the jail, with the expectation that
something would transpire between
them to solve the mystery. Upon
searchins
full confession of the crime was found
on the person of Cumberland, who
had written it to use in defense of his
wife i'll case she was in danger. Cum
berland tore the confession to shreds,
but with infinite pains the pieces were
put together and the terrible story re-
vealed. The bodies of the murdered
men were found where the confession
described the place of burial, Novem-
Der Is, 1891. Cumberland was ar
raigned and pleaded guilty and the
case against his wife was dismissed.
Judge Fl. E. Deener, now a Justice of
the Supreme Court, presided, and SEN
fenced him to hang, but stated to him
that if there e other parties to the
crime he could turn States evidence
and escape the death penalty. There
being no accomplices, the Judge sen
Cumberland to hang February
10, 1893. Cumberland's attorneys Sc
cured delays on one pretext or anoth-
until finally Governor Jackson fix
ed the date of execution for February |
1895.
II AGED PARENTS FRUSTRATED. |
Mr.. and Mrs. Cumberland, of Mex-l
leo, Mo-, the aged parents of Jake
who was hanged at Fort
Madison, Iowa, Friday, received the
information of his execution
the Daily LEDGER. The old
folks are terribly Frustrated, as they
nad fully expected the sentence to be
committed. MIR. and Mrs. Cumberland
are among our oldest and most re-
'pected and worthy citizens and have
sympathy of the entire communi-
in this, the darkest hour of their
ife.