Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-01-13

every QlreCGlOn. lQe pussc IT,
turned the fire in hope that he
might be shot between the Logs of
the house.
Sheriff Pierson had meanwhile
reached the scene. He saw that
the negro, ''eing armed as he was,
could hold his men at bay, and if
they made any movement within
range they would be shot down, so
he returned to the city to secure
bullet proof shields and kerosene
preparatory to burning the hut.
The crowd after firing through
the house few times he ard Coop
ar calling for a parley. He called
for C. w. Stansill, whom he EVIL
IDENTIFY saw. Mr.. Stansill called
Cooper and asked if he knew who
he was talking to. Cooper an
swered, YES" and asked Mr.. Stan
sill to come up to the house and
have talk with him. Mr.. Stap-
sill refused to do so, but told
Cooper he had better come ont
and give up. Cooper asked if be
would be- killed. He was told that
if he would take off his clothes
and come out with his hands over
his head he would not be hurt. He
at first refused with the most hor-
rible oaths aud swore he would
"die and go t. hell rather t;aan do
it."
Exactly why Cooper did it no
ono will ever know, but leaving his
rife inside the house, he, after
short time, opened the door and
walked ont into the yard. He had
not divested himself of his cloth
ing lie WAS Immediately covered
by tho men with shotguns and
rifles. Mr.. Stansill walked up to
him. lie wore a pair of checked
trousers, ali overall jacket over a
neat white shirt and had Il silk
handkerchief around his neck.
! Mr. Stansill took him by the arm.
About that time the mem ers Of
the posse close about him and
began TO crowd pretty close. All
in a moment the negro flew into
perfect passion. He made several
attemplsto draw his pistol, bnt
peremptory orders to raise his
hand prevented that. Then his
person was searched, the murderer
raving and cursing violently all
the time. a loaded pistol and two
razors, one clotted with human
blood, were taken from him. He
cursed one of the posse very vlo-
| lently. This man told Cooper not
to curse him. He instantly be-
came more violent thea orai. jed
iLg aside and hurling forth more
dreadful oaths he started at the
man, exclaiming: "G-d-n you,
1 will kill you" Alb nut that time
the deputy sheriff struck him on
the head with the barrel of his
rifle. 1t seemed to have no effect
upon him. In a few seconds great
excitement prevailing, some one
shot him i'll the head with pistol.
This did not seem to hurt him
either. The men appeared to be
greatly wrought up, The man who
shot him said the negro had mar
rowly miss ed him during the
morning about twenty-five times.
Some of the posse condemned this
act and there was general confu-
sion, during which another man
took deliberate aim with q rifle
and shot the murderer in the back
of the head, the bullet coming out
of the right cheek between the
teeth and making a very ugly
wound. The negro fell to the
ground without groan AMI was to
all appearances dead.
About this time the crowd
around the posse began to- cry
"burn him." "lyncE him. "burn
him." and so OH. Some one in the
crowd got trace chain and at
tempted to put it around his neck.
He forced his way up aud was
about to accomplish his purpose,
while the negro cursed everybq$ -
This was prevented by Depus
Sheriff Gaillard, Messrs. H. L.
Scarborough and L. l. Parrott of
the sheriff's posses and several
others who begged the men not to
do that.
Then the posse decided to carry
the wounded fiend on to Sumter. A
one-horse wagon was secured and
an improvised body was made.
Cooper was seized by his hands and
feet and pitched into the wagon on
his face.
On reoching a small branch in
what is known as the Green swamp
the men who were accompanying
the officers declared that they
would not carry the negro any
further and some attempted to
shoot him. Still he showed no
fear. Deputy Gaillard knocked
the guns up and exclaimed: "For
Gods sake men, don't do this" In
less time than it takes to tell it,
several men seized the deputy
sheriff and held him. The time of
the wounded murderer had come.
The officer were powerless to do
anything, Some pleaded, "Ilang
him, but don't hoot him." In the
meantime, the wagon had been cut
loose from the surrey, which was
driver ahead. There were about