Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-05-02
A HORRIBLE MURDER
Two Women Found Dead at
Their Home in Charles
County,

A brutal double murder was pcrpe.
trated Thursday night at Hill Top,
Charles county, the victims being
Mrs. Joseph Cooking. aged thirty,
wife Of the storekceper there. and
Miss Daisy Miller, aged eighteen, her
sister. Mr.. Cooking, the husband, was
found in the cellar of his store, slightly
injured, with his feet tied with n
clothesline. The front door Of the
store was broken open as was the cash,
drawer.
The discovery was made hy Mich.
olas Jones a col0red man, who went to
Cockings store about sunrise to buy n
pillow point. Jones found everything
in disorder in the store and finally
heard voice from the cellar. Cock
ing was discovered lying in the cellar
There were bruises over his right and
left temples, four scratches ON his
forehead, from two Of which little
blood may have flowed. His nose had
been bleeding, his hands were scratch.
ed, and on his shirt front was splotch
Of blood about - inches square, with
other drops OF blood near by. His
right shirt sleeve from the elbow down
was saturated with blood and there
were stains on his left shirt sleeve.
Jones was asked by Cooking TO 90
up stairs, saying something is wrong
up there" Jones went and found the
women dead in their beds. Both were
horribly hacked about the head and
the Ratchet with which the murders
were committed was found on the
counter in the store The hatchet was
Il new one, with its blade rusted it
was smeared with blood.
Cocking's statements were such rs to
lead people TO suspect him OF the
double murder, and on Sunday at the
inquest Justice 1indel ordered Cock
ing's arrest. Cooking was taken to
La Plata.
The coroner's jury, after hearing
the testimony of Detective Gault and
States Attorney Posey, found that
the women came to their death BY
blows ON their head, and that the Jury
believed Joseph Cooking to he guilty
of the murders.
a pair of trousers were the only
new piece of evidence presented The
trousers were found concealed under
the pillow Of the bed upon which
Cooking had been resting since the
murder They have distinct marks
OF blood on the legs and on the waist
band. The officials are trying to find
out when Cooking changed his trou-
sers, il they belong to him. Those he
wears have no blood on them. 1t has
been suggested that he wore two pairs
OF trousers when the killing was done
His underclothes bear no marks Of
blood.
Cooking, the accused murderer, was
taken from La plata Monday 10 Bal
tinlore and placed in the city jail.
This action was. OF course, taken To
prevent an attempt being made Ia
lynch the man by the people Of the
community Of which he was Il part.
MARSHALL Frey. after an interview
with Cooking, said Il feel sure that
he is the murderer OF his wife and his
sisterin-law. He impresSes me as be
ing conscious now that the story he
told of the murder was not one that
would hold water and to be regret
ting with all his heart the slip when
it is too late This is natural, rs he
must know that he Is in a pretty tight
box
"Cocking killed these two women rs
sure a the sun is To rise tomorrow.
He was weak and nervous when we
were talking to him and came very
near cnllapsing tried to make him
tell what he really knew about the
matter, but all the reply we got was,
4 want Il lawyer
The fact that he held good rep
utation up 10 the time this crime was
committed is very little in his favor.
Lots of criminals lead exemplary lives
until a certain point and then 90
wrong From what can learn Cock
ing was Il man OF taciturn disposition
with Il stern exterior, and stubborn
when stubbornness had chance to
show Itself. He is just the man to
have done deed like this, and there
is no doubt in my mind that he did
it,"