Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-01-13
AN OUTLAW KILLED.
Posse Finally Captures a Negro
Who Had Murdered Five
Persons,

Sumter S. c., Jan. Sake Dargan,
colored, living five miles the other side of
Sumter from Lynchburg, the seat of the
horrible tragedy in which five persons
lost their lives at the hand of Simon
Cooper, the negro outlaw, went to w. 5.
Burkett, white neighhor, this morning
about o'clock and said that Simon
Cooper had come to his house and was
there asleep.
Burkett rode to Sumter with the news
and Il deputy sheriff with 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 ammunition in Camden, CIV
ing him a sample shell. The man rode
over to the posse and gave them the
shells.
Cooper is in the house alone and is well
armed with Winchesters with which this
morning he kept up a continuous fire.
The house is small and on hill so that
the posse canOt come within range with
any degree of safety.
n small siX-pOunder cannon used for
firing salutes has been secured, as the
only method by which 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 and it will be loaded with bolts
and nuts.
A messenger named McCoWn, who had
just arrived for ammunition, says Coop
er is shooting through a hole in the Chin
ney and that once Cooper came out Of
the house with shotgun and was tax
ing aim when he (McCown) fired at
him. Cooper immediately dropped his
gum knelt and pressed his hands on his
left side about four inches below the
heart. McCown therefore feels certain
that he hit him. Cooper did not shoot,
but returned to the house. Men have
been leaving town all morning and prob
ably 100 armed men are on the scene.
Later advices state that Simon Cooper
is dead. News has just been brought TO
town that he was shot by the posse
around the house before cannon arrived.
No details we're given.
An eye witness to Cooper's death, who
has just arrived, says that about noon
the crowd began to close in, coming
around from the side to the right OF the
chimney through which Cooper was FIR
ing. Noah Osten of the Sumter Daily
Item placed a dynamite bomb near the
house and it was exploded. Cooper came
to the door and threw up his hands. As
he did so 4 shot was fired and he fell.
The ball entered his left cheek. He
called for one or two gentlemen who
were not present and died few minutes
afterward. The coroner empaneled Il
Jury Immediately and proceeded ID hold
an inquest, which is now III session. No
one of the posse was hurt. Gov. Evans
had ordered Cooper taken dead or alive.
\ few days ago Cooper shot and killed
another negro and wounded several others
at Magnolia Yesterday he added four
murders to the list
He entered the house of Ben Wilson
about sunrise and demanded the use Of
Mr.. Wilson's buggy, which was refused.
Cooper then picked up an axe and split
Mr.. Wilson's head open. He attacked
Wesley Wilson, the son, and murdered
him in q like manner. Cooper then
killed Mrs. Wesley Wilson with the same
weapon, after which he struck down
negro who had approached on hearing
the noise and left the axe sticking III the
negro's head.
As soon as the news of the shocking
tragedy reached Sumter the sheriff or
ganized n posse and began search for
Cooper, but they evidently struck a false
trail and it was not until Mr.. Burkett
brought the news this morning that a
clue TO the outlaws whereabouts was
obtained