The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-13

tain supply of ammuoition. DarRan told
Mr. Burkett to send some one to town At once
for men to come and take Cooper. mes
senger was dispatched Immediately and be-
fore day light ;be house was surrounded by
ten or fifteen men. Cooper was on guard and
at the first attempt to approach the house
opened FIRE with his Winchester through an
improvised poet hole between the logs All
Of Jake Dargan's family had meanwhile fed
from the house leaving Cooper in possession.
SBOOTING AT LONG RANGE.
The men on guard sent to town for re-en-
forcements and more ammunition, aud before
ten o'clock there was a crowd of
fifty or more men, armed with rifles
and shot guns posted in the woods
in front of the house and behind neighbor-
ipg negro houses. None were nearer than
two bundred and fifty to three hundred yards
from the house, as none cared to venture
across the open field that separated them from
the stables and small outtuildin2s surround
ing the house in which Cooper was entrench-
el Cooper kept up sharp FIRE in the direc-
ton of the different members of the pessee,
who returned it in hope of reaching him by
shooting between the logs After time
a few men circled around and approached the
house under cover of the small buildings and
opened FIRE on the windows, the shutters of
which were soon riddled The crowd closed
in on all sides then, aud after shoot
ing through the house few times
CALLING FOR FARLEY
Cooper began calling out for some ooe to
come to the door as be wanted to talk to him
BE evidently saw Mr. C W. Stansll through
the cracks between the logs for be called to
him by pane asking him to come to the door
Mr. Stancill refused to DO 80 and told Cooper
to come out and give up. Cooper asked if he
would be killed. He was told to leave his
rife and pistols in the house, take off his
coat and vest and come ont with his hands
over his head and be would not be harmed
He frst refused with the most fearful oaths
to take off his clothes declaring he would
rather die and go hell than do it. He kept
up torrent Of ity, and threats, but
6aually agreed to- { out after be was told
ALLOWED FIVE MINUTES.
that be would be allowed Eve minutes in
which to surrender, and that unless be did
50 the house would be blown up. One dyna-
mite cartridge was exploded under the corne.
of the bouse without doing material Injury.
he SURRENDERED.
Cooper came out of the back door, hands
above his bead and without his rife. He
was at once surrounded and several Ten be.
gan to look for rope With which TO tie bin.
Cooper made two or three attempts to drop
his hands, but each time was ordered to bold
them rp unless be wanted to be killed.
Turning on those who ordered him 70 keep
bis hands up, be cursed them u the most
COURTED DEATH WITH THREATS AND
CURSES.
outrageous terms. One man said to him,
''Don't you curse me- Cooper ran to-
wards him, dropping his hands at the same
moment, saying: "G-d id you -
- I'll kill you ~ Just at the same mo-
ment he was shot in the head with pistol,
and as he reeled another person shot him in
the side of the head with shot gun which
was loaded With buckshot. He fell without
q groan. There was an indignant outcry
from nejority of the crowd against the
killing of an unarred man. When Cooper
was searched, however, pistol was found in
one pocket of bis trousers and razor in an
other
In small satcEel, which be wore slung
across his shoulder, "a quart of whiskey and
a few cartridges were found. In the house
was found bis rife and half bottle of whis-
key. On the floor we're many empty car
trdges, and the windows of the house were
riddled. On the outside the logs were filled
With rife bullets. Cooper had protected
himself by keeping close to the large brick
fireplace and shooting through small hole
between the logs just where they joined the
chimney.
Cooper did not die at once, 80 wagon
was secured in which he was placed and the
crowd started with aim to town, although it
was clearly evident that he could live but a
very short time.
HUNG AND SHOT.
When the crowd reached Green Swamp
bridge, ,be passion got control of a majority
of them aud they took Cooper from the
wagon, dying though be was, put plow
line around his neck and hanged him to
road side tree. They then riddled bis body
with bullets and buckshot. After cutting
him down, they left his body by the road side.
Just after the euraged crowd had finished
the bloody, but not brave execution of