Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-27

had kept it when in the presence of the
bcdies, and finally he was led back to the
parlor on the second floor This all oc-
CURED about o'clock yesterday morning,
and when the parlor had been reached
Cooking asked to see his aged mother-in-
law. Then he became nervous and almost
hysterical, and the mother-in-law, Mrs.
Miller. who, it is said. believes in Cock
ing'S innocence, tried 10 quiet him.
BIood-StaiHcd Clothes.
The inquest was finished Saturday alter
noon, when the evidence was directed to-
ward the killing of Mrs. Cooking In this
Investigation the evidence OF Detective
Gault played an important part. There
was offered in evidence pair of blood
stained trousers, the pair that Cooking Is
alleged to have worn at the time the muir
der was committed. They had been found
concealed beneath the pillow on the pallet
where he had rested since the discovery OF
the crime made. There were blood
stains on the back well as on the front
of the trousers, and it was explained that
a missing underSarment of the man $
might play important part in the af-
fair. This missing garment, 1t is thought,
indicates that there was somebody in the
house the day after the commission OF the
crime who was willing to assist Cooking,
and yet it was not explained why the al
legged tell-tale trousers were not taken
away 1t Is true that Cooking had lost
some blood from the left nostril, while the
blood stains were on the other side of the
trousers. Then, too, the jury had the bene-
fit of the condition of things in the house
at the time of the finding of the dead
bodies. In the hall or cupola room, where
Cooking is supposed to have slept with his
boy Malcolm, who is only four years old.
bed. The child, 1t was alleged, had been
taken from his mothers room and put in
the little room.
Ready to Go.
When all the evidence had been heard
and the jury returned verdict expressing
the belief that Cooking was responsible for
the two deaths, he expressed no surprise
whatever at the verdict, nor had he any
comments to make. Sheriff Wade then in
formed the man, who had been a prisoner
since Friday morning, that he would have
to go to Jail, and his response was, II will
go anywhere" He seemed not only willing
but anxious to leave Hill Top, and seek
place of safety Arrangements had been
made to drive to Riverside, on the Potomac,
distance Of fifteen miles, and take boat
for Washington, but this the sheriff con-
cluded would prove a dangerous expert
ment, and so he decided to have him taken
to La Plata under guard and there confined
until he could be removed on the train to
Baltimore. Several newspaper men were
sworn in as deputies to guard the prisoner
in the hotel. There an effort was made to
interview him by the detective, who hoped
a
fession. but his answers were, II don't
KNOW" or May be SOL
Double Funeral,
Yesterday morning shortly after break
fast time two hearses that had done duty
in the county for many years reached the
Hill Top house. In each ancient vehicle
was a coffin, and these were taken in the
house and the bodies were placed in Them
Cooking had expressed a desire to attend
the funeral but the officers feared that his
presence In church or in the cemetery
might result in further bloodshed, and SO
he was not permitted to attend. The
funeral had attracted large number of
people from the surrounding country and
among them were relatives of both the
deceased persons and the prisoner.
Mrs. Miller, the mother of the dead wo-
men, was In the yard which is to the side
of the house. and she heard for the first
time that her son-in-law had been sus-
pected. This was more than she could bear
and she became hysterical. She seemed to
imagine that her son-in-law had been
lynched. and expressed a desire that all of
them die together.
This was heard by Cooking, who was
imagined that there was an Infatuated mob
after him. But the crowd was orderly and
many of them went off TO the Durham
Episcopal Church at Nanjemoy, where the
services were conducted by the Rev. Mr..
Turner, assisted by the Rev. Thomas O..
Church Of Washington. The former read
the funeral rites of the Episcopal Church.
and DIR. Tongue preached the sermon, most
of his remarks being directed to those who
had apparently favored lynching. He spoke
at length upon the uncertainty of life and
Of the mysterious ways of the Almighty.
Then he turned his attention to the condi-
ton of affairs In the county. So far as the