Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-28
COOKING LYNCHED.
Maryland'S Alleged Murderer Of Wife
and Sitter -in-LaW Hanged.
SWUNG OFF FROM A BRIDGE.
The Mob, Ii Is Suggested, AnH-
ious to Save the County the
Expense of Trying the mnn-
His Anteccdcnts.

LA PLATA, MD, June T.-Joseph Cock
ing, who was awaiting trial on the charge
Of numbering his wife and sister-in-law'
was taken from the Jail at Port Tobacco
early this morning by a mob Of his Fellow
countians and hanged TO a bridge. The
mob was composed Of about thirty mask
ed men, half Of whom, in addition to their
DISCUSSES, masqueraded in woman's at
tire. The rickety old jail building was in
charge Of Washington Burch, an aged col
ored man, who, after some little show OF
resistance, handed over the keys TO the
crowd.
Cooking, who had been awakened by the
sound Of voices outside, had arisen from
his bed and was partly dressed. lie nm
ished his toilet silently and followed his
captors without a murmur to the bridge.
which Is about 200 yards from the prison.
After placing a moose about the mans
neck, he was asked by the leader Of the
gang to confess his guilt, but he said he
was innocent and had nothing to confess.
Asked to make his peace with God, he re-
piled that he did not feel like praying.
The men then without more ado pushed
him from the rail OF the bridge, and the
wretched man dropped ten feet After
watching the body swing slowly to and
fro until they were satisfied their victim
was dead the mob silently dispersed.
Sheriff Wade, VINO lives about sixty
yards from the jail building. was not
awakened by the mob. and knew nothing
OF what had occurred until after daylight.
Meantime Burch. the colored janitor,
came TO La Plata and awoke States At
torney Posey, who with Magistrate Suth-
erland and DR.. owen, drove TO the scene
Of the hanging and cut down the body.
It was removed to the Jail and an inquest
ordered.
There has been desultory talk Of lynch
ing Cooking since he was returned from
Baltimore on May 2lst, but no one seemed
TO give much credence TO the report Ger
tainy Sheriff Wade took no extra precau-
tions TO protect the mans life.
IL is said that the determination 10 lynch
Cooking was arrived at after a baseball
game at Hill Top. the scene OF the hor-
rible, tragedy. yesterday afternoon.
TO SAVE EXPENSE.
After the game, the advisabillty OF
hanging Cooking. in order 10 save the
county the expense of trying him, was
discussed. 1t Is alleged that the crowd
was composed Of some OF the leading resi-
dents OF the county, and that the propo-
sition 10 lynch the accused was discussed
as calmly as If they were planning a
baseball game. After all arrangements
had been made the men dispersed, and
met again near The Jail at Port Tobacco
shortly before midnight. Little time was
lost after the Gssemblage. and in less
than half an hour after their arrival the
crowd dispersed as nOiselessly as they
had come.
Cooking was born in England IN 1860.
For several Yeas he had been the pro-
prie,or Of a country store at Hill Top,
hamlet nine miles from this place. On the
nigh, Of April I'D his wife, Mrs. Mary
Cooking. and his sister-ir-law, Miss
Daisy Miller were murdered In their
rooms, being beaten and hacked to death
with n hatchet. Cooking himself was
found lying on the floor OF the cellar. his
clothing bespattered with blood and
several slight scratches about his face
and hands. His feet We're tightly bound
with q piece OF rope. His story was that
two men had entered the house, and after
assaulting him had bound him and
thrown him into the cellar. He explained
the absence OF cord about his hands by
stating that he had severed such a cord
by means Of n piece of bro6en glass.
An investigation satisfied the police that
Cooking was the perpetrator Of the crime,
and a perfect chain Of circumstantial evil
dence pointed TO him as the murderer. lie
was indicted and taken TO Baltimore for
safety, the excitement having been so
great that the authorities feared violence.
After a few weeks stay In the Baltimore
jail Cooking was returned 10 La Plata
FOR preliminary hearing. His counsel ask
ed that the case be tried IN st. Mary's
county, and the case was set for trial IN
the next term OF court at Port Tobacco.
Since his return Cooking had been mo-
rose and taciturn. He refused 10 discuss
the murder or his chances OF acquittal OF
the grave charge against him. Several
theories have been advanced by residents
OF the county, but the real motive for
the dastardly double murder has never
al .s.T