New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28

voices outsido had risen from his bed and was
partly dressed. He finished his toilet silently, and
followed his captors without a murmur TO tne
bridge. which is about two hundred 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 said he was innocent. and
had nothing TO confess Asked TO make his peace
with God he replied that ne did not feel like pray
irg. The then without more ado pushed him
from the rail Of the bridge. and the wretched man
dropped ter feet After Watching the body swing
slowly to and fro until they satisfied that their
victim dead. the mob silently dispersed
Sheriff Wade who lives about sixty yards from
the Jail. not awakened by the mob and knew
nothing Of what had occurred until after daylight
In the mean time Burch. the colored janitor came
"a La Plata and awoke States Attorney Posey.
who with Magistrate Sutherland and DR.. Owen,
drove to the scene of the hanging and cut down the
body 1t was removed to the Jail and an inquest
ordered
There had been desultory talk Of lynching Cock
ing since he was returned from Baltimore. on May
21 but no one seemed to give much credcnce the
reports. Certainly Sheriff Wade took no unusual
precaution to protect the man.
1t is said that the determination to lynch Cooking
arrived at after baseball game at Hil Top.
the scene Of lie tragedy. yesterday afternoon.
After the game the advisabi.i:y of hanging Cock
ing in order to the county the expense Of trying
him was discussed. II Is alleged that the crowd
was composed Of OF the leading residents Of
the county. and that the proposition 10 lynch the
accused mar was discussed calmly as II they
WIRE Planning another ball game. After all the
ARRANGEMENTS had been made the men dispersed and
met agar near the jail at Port Tobacco shortly
before midnight. Little time was lost after tho
assemblage and in less than half an hour after
their arrival the crowd disappeared noselessly
tiny had come
Cooking was born In England In 1880. For several
years he had been the proprietor OF country store
at Hill Top hamlet nine miles from this place
On the night OF April q his wife. Mrs. Mary Cooking
and his sster-in-.aw Miss Daisy Miller, were mur-
dered in their rooms being beaten and hacked TO
death with a hatchet. Cooking was found lying on
the floor in the cellar his clothing spattered with
blood and several slight scra tches about his face
and hands His feet tightly bound with a
piece OF rope. His story was that two men had en-
tered the house. and after assautng him had bound
him and thrown him into the cellar. He explained
the absence OF the cord about his hands by stating
that he had severed It with piece OF broken glass.
An investigation satisfied the police that Cooking
was the perpetrator OF the crime, and a perfect
chain of circumstant!al evidence pointed to him as
the murderer. He indicted and taken to Baltl-
more safety the excitement be ing 50 great that
the authorities feared violence. After few weeks
stay in the Baltimore jail, Cooking was brought
back to La Plata for a preliminary hearing. His
counsel asked that the be tried In st. Mary's
County and the set for trial at the next
term of court at Port Tobacco. Since his return
Cooking had been morose and taciturTl lie refused
10 discuss the murder his chances OF acquttal
Several theories have been advanced by residents
of the county but the real motive for the dastardy
double murder has never been learned.