The news & observer., 1897-01-09
Swung Up by Mob of Over
One Hundred People.
RiODLED WITH BULLETS
One Bullet Cut the Rope and
Corpse Fell to the Ground.
END OF DESPERATE CHARACTER
Coroners Jury Returns Verdict That
Cooper Came 20 His Death at the
Hands of Mob Whose Names
Are Unknown.


Sumter, s. c., Jan. S.-Simon Cooper,
the negro outlaw, who yesterday murder
ed three members Of the Wilson family
and a colored servant, was lynched near
here to-day. Cooper was captured by
the sher;f's posse and was being taken to
Sumter when the mob decided to hang
him. The deputy sheriff aided by two
men resisted the lynchers, but were over
powered. A rope was thrown over the
limb of q tree and as the man ran upward
yoley rang out. The body was pierced
by more than $50 balls. One bullet cut
the rope and the corpse fell to the
ground, where the coroner found it some
hours later when he went to hold an in
quest.
Cooper was captured about noon in a
cabin five miles from this place. About
o'clock this morning Jake Dargan, COLI
ored, went to the house of Mr. W. S.
Burkett, white neighbor and said that
Cooper was at his house asleep. Bur
kett rode to Sumter with the news, and
deputy sheriff with posse of nine
men Immediately left. A woman and
man were In the house with Cooper. He
sent ont the woman and then sent the
man to buy him ammunition in Camden,
giving him sample she'll The man rode
over to the posse and gave them the shell.
Cooper was well armed with Winches-
ters and kept up continuous fire. The
house is small one on a hiH in the open,
so that the posse could not at
FIRST come within range with any degree
of safety. Once Cooper came out of the
house with gun and was taking aim
when a Mr.. McCown fred at him. Coop
er Immediately dropped his gun, knelt
and pressed his hands on his left side
about four inches below the heart Coop
er did not shoot but returned to the house
Cooper's steady fire kept the crowd un-
der cover for some time. About noon,
however, an advance was made and the
posse closed in. They called to the outlaw
to come out and surrender promising
that he would not be shot. Cooper re-
Piled with a voley OF oaths and two gen
tlemen who knew him, ordered him to
strip and come out. Cooper seeing that
his game was nearly up, replied that he
would remove his coat, but nothing else.
After a conference his terms were ac-
eepted. Several men posted themselves at
the door and as the ousaw stepped out
A1V W6S StuAtu ny Liz hIHAtc. L1D uE SbObu
facing the crowd a shot was fred and
Cooper dropped with a rife baal through
his checks. He was not badly wounded,
however, and as he rolled over made an
attempt to get his hand to his trousers
He was seized again and searched. In
searching razor was found, while un-
derneath his trousers band was loaded
revolver.
Cooper was drunk, and after the shot
became almost unmanageable.
A search of the cabin revealed a Win
chester rifle, two revolvers, n valise filed
with cartridges, and a number of TASKS.
some empty and others filled with whis-
key. On a page torn from blank book
was written, Remember that / killed
myself; there never was man that could
take me. Simon Cooper :"
!: Cooper was placed in wagon with NJ
=McKagen, Of Sumter, and Mr.. Turbe-
vile, of Florence, and the party started
for town. The crowd Of nearly 100
nlen followed. There were mutterings Of
lynching, but the trouble did not termi-
nate until Green Swamp was reached.
two miles from Sumter. Then the mob
demanded Cooper's surrender, and
move was made on the wagon Deputy
Galliard and the two men with him tried
to :dissuade the mob and fought desper
ately to save Cooper. They were over
powered, however,and rope was thrown
around the negros neck. He was drag
ged: from the wagon to the roadside the
rope thrown over limb, and, with doz
en- raen at the other end, he swung into
the sir. Then volley was fired into the
suspended form, the bullets cutting the
rope and letting the body fall with
crash. The mob then dispersed. Sew
eral hours later the Coroner went to the
spot and empannelled u jury. After n
brief :deliberation, they returned YER
dict that Cooper came to his death at
the hands of a mob whose members are
unknown to the jury.