Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1896-07-02
POUND Hrlr n THE closEr.

house 7"
FOUND HTM II TIE CLOSET.
"Here be is: by -r' yelled man,
who had gone upstairs. as. proud Of hEs
find, he yanked the aged negro from =
closet where he had hidden himself
aGive mp she keys" demanded one,
pointing o gun at his breast
Better than that; make him 60 with
u.s." said another
The idea took with the crowd and Burch
was hustled with little ceremony from the
house. and up the read to the jail.
BY this time Burch was thoroughly
frightened and he unlocked the door with
alacritY. lie was made to show the crowd
CQcking's cell Then he was let 90. He
went out and sat on the stone steps while
the blood thirsty fellows were preparing
for their awful work
cocKISG's LAST PLEA
At the first sound Of the noise Cooking
sprang from his cot and turned CHASTITY
white. At least so says John Simmons,
a colorei boy, who was confined ia a
neighboring cell. Then, as the tramp of
many feet neaied his door, he shrank as
! far back as he could in bis cell and sank
! 10 the floor He was down on his knees,
with clasned hands raised above his head
when the iron door went changing back
upon its rusty hinges and the lynchers
crowded into the apartment
"For the love Of God, men, let me say
something" he implored.
"You - you've said to much al.
ready" was the reply. "We'll teach yon
TO murder defenseless women r.
@Then let me pray" he pleaded
s.You've had plenty Of time for that. II
you haven't prayed before this. that's your
lookout" was what be heard in reply.
There was q sound of scuffle, then as il
someone was choking. II what was going
on inside was not understood, the next re-
mark dissipated all doubts.
Loosen the ropel We want him TO
walk out Of here ~ ordered the leader, and
the rope was loosened.
Atiired only ia a nightshirt, the I'M
fortunate man was hauled from the build
ing. His hands were pinioned, and he
was hurried to bridge, within stones
throw of the jail All the while he strug-
gled desperately, but the odds were too
great against him. His face and hands
were scratched in his efforts to free himself
from his relentless captors, but it was all
Of no use.
Then he begged for mercy.
But, no. The hearts of the men into
whose hands he had fallen were strangers
TO mercy.
The lynching was witnessed by Balti-
more drummer, who was driving along the
road, md who described it the reporter.
At a. m, the body was discovered
swinging from the bridge, the floor of which
is about feet from the water. which at
that point is nearly 10 feet deep.
The water reached to Cocking's knees.
| DR.. Thomas S Owens, of La Plata, who
later made an examination Of the body,
found that the neck had been broken.
| AhSAS "aS a Nut ObNA eye anu u
bruise on the temple. q.
The sentiment of the community seems
to approve the lynching and Sheriff Wades
vigorous condemnation of the act came
near melting a riot. "-
The Jail, up to last week, had been
guarded, but later the guards were removed
because of the cost. The building was. no;
toriously unsafe.
The connections of Cooking believed In
his innocence. Mr.. John Miller, a brother
of the murdered women. is said, to have
visited him almost daily, carrying him del
icacies.
Mr.. Grason, of Cockings counsel, told q
Herald reporter; II blame States Attor.
ney Posey for this crime ''"i'' '''h
81 begged them TO send Cooking TO
the Baltimore City Jail, but they refused.
To me il seems as if the lynching was the
outcome of criminal neglect O.. I,.n Inn