Evening star., 1897-01-08
Simon Cooper, the South Carolina
Murderer, Run Down.
CANNON AIMED At HIS RETREAT
Ammunition Lacking,Nuts and Bolts
Will Be Used.
RECORD OF HIS CIR I'M ES

SUMTER. S. c.. January Sake Dar-
of Sumter from Lynchbur the seat of
the murder of five persons yesterday. went
to W. s Burkett. white neighbor. this
mCrning about 2 O'Clock and said that ST.
me Cooper had come to his house and was
there asleep. Burkett rode to Sumter with
the news. and deputy sheriff. with a
posse of nine men. Immediately left. A
woman and man were in the house with
Cooper. He sent out the woman. and later
sent the man to buy him ammunition in
Camden. giving him a sample she'll. The
man rode over to the posse and gave them
the she'll
Cooper is in the house alone: is vel
armed with Winchesters, with which he
this morning kept up continuous fire. The
house is small and hill in the open, so
that the posse cannot come within range
with any degree of safety
A small six-pounder cannon used for fir
ing salutes has been secured. as the only
way to capture Cooper without further loss
of life is to demolish the house in which he
is barricaded. There is no ammunition for
cannon in Sumter. SO it will be loaded with
bolts and nuts.
A messenger named McCown. who has
just arrived for ammunition. says Cooper
is shooting through hole in ttc chimney
and that once Cooper came out of the
house with shotgun. and was taking aim
when he (McCewn) fired at him. Cooper
Immediately dropped his gun. knelt and
pressed his hands on his left side about
four inches below the heart. McCown
therefore. feels certain that he nit him.
Cooper did not shoot but returned to the
house. Men have been leaving town all
morning. and now probably hundred men,
armed with all kinds of weapons. are on
the scene.
COoper's Career of Crime.
Simon Cooper. a negro. killed old Ben
Wilson. his son Wesley and Mrs. Wesley
Wilson. all white, and two negroes, a nan
ard a girl.
Cooper went to Lynckburg Wednesday
evening for the purpose of forcing young
cClored girl to marry him. The girl and
her mother by some means escaped and
ran into the swamp. As soon as possible
after Coope-s appearance in the town
poss as organized and went In pursuit of
him.
Cooper forced some Eegroes to 60 with
him, and kept them with him all night.
He came out of the woods about daylight
yesterday morning. and went to TIE house
of a cOlored mai named Boyle. took his
horse and compelled Boyle's son to accom-
psny him. From there he went to the
house of the Wilson's. about a mile distant.
Mr.. Baker. who lives near by, saw Mrs.
wilson go to the buggy house with Cooper
TO get the harness, and then go back into
the house. Cooper following her. Cooper
short time afterward came out on tine
piazza, shooting in every direction and
forced Boyle's boy to harness the horse to
MIR. Wilson's buggy. He got in the buggy,
and only went few yards when he met a
coiored man named Smith He killed him.
and as he passed Bakers house he shot at
Bakers children, who were on the piazza
He then disappeared.
When the bodies of the Wilson's were
found, the old gentleman. seventy-fiye
years old. was sitting up in bed with a
shotgun In his hands; his son Wesley was
In another room. with his head split while
on the floor lay the body of the woman.
her head smashed in and her throat cut
smith. the negro who was killed on the
road, was found with an AK still in the
lack OF his neck and his head half severed
from his body
Cooper. on Emancipation day last killed
one negro and wounded six others who un-
dertOok TO arrest him