Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-07-26
The GOVERNOR WEPT,
But Refused to Interfere in the
Case Of Cooke and Lau-
derdale.

made here today in one final and pow
erful appeal to Gov. Longino.
AS was expected, this effort proved
unsuccessful, but before giving up the
fight the delegation that waited upon
the governor subjected him to one of
the most narrowing ordeals that it can
ever be the lot of governor to en-
dure, and during the greater part of
the time Gov. Longino sat with tears
coursing down his cheeks and the
muscles of his face working with
emotion.
There were twelve or fifteen gentle.
men in the party, W. G. Cooke, broth.
er to Ashley, being one of them and
leading spokesman. Mrs. Cooke and
her daughter, Mrs. Darlington, did not
arrive, but remained in Greenville.
Two Grounds for Appeal.
There were two grounds relied upon
by the delegation to move the governor
to clemency. One was the assertion
of his insanity and the other was the
assertion of his innocence of the. death
of Wray. In support of this last con.
tention the delegation produced an
affidavit made by Thomas Lauderdale
who is also condemned to die with
Cooke, in which instrument Lauder.
dale asserts tnat Cooke tried to prevent
the killing of Wray and did not shoot,
and that Wray was killed by Black.
burn. The affidavit in full is as fol.
lows:
Lauderdale's Afidavit.
State of Mississippi, County of Wash
ington.
l, Thomas Lauderdale, who was
jointly tried and convicted with Ashley
Cooke for the murder of one Wray, in
Washington county, Mississippi, and
now under sentence of death, being
first duly sworn, state as follows:
That the said Ashley Cooke, at the
time of the killing of the said Wray,
did not shoot at the said Wray or
anyone else; that the said Ashley
Cooke tried to prevent the difficulty
in which Wray was killed, and at no
time did he try to provoke or renew
the difficulty with the said Wray, but
tried to prevent any trouble; that the
testimony of one Bussey, stating that
the said Cooke ordered the man Wray
to be shot, is untrue, and that the said
Bussey was not in the car at the time
Of the killing; that one VIII Blackburn
and each fired one shot, and that the
said Wray was killed by Blackburn.
This affidavit is made freely and vol
UNFAIRLY on my part and without any
expectation, as far as am concerned,
of receiving any benefits therefrom,
but in the interest of truth and justice.
THOMAS LAUDERDALE.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this, the goth day of July, A. D., 1902.
(Seal) J. H. ROBB,
Notary Public.
Governors Fierce Ordeal.
The governor heard arguments from
W. G. Cooke, Senator T. L. Cooper,
Hon. R. E. L. Morgan, Col. James
Moore and others, and then he deliv.
cred his final decision, going over all
the features of the case summing up
the evidence and closing with expires.
sions of the deepest sympathy for the
mother and sister and brother and the
relatives of Cooke. The governor said
that he had given two weeks of study
to the case and to hearing statements
and reading letters and petitions, and
that he had found absolutely nothing
to justify his interference with the
judgment of the courts. He said that
he felt that to interfere would be
violation of his sworn duty as gov
ernor of the State.
Renewed Pleading.
When the governor concluded the
petitioners would not take his decision
as final, but for fully an hour longer
they cross-fired him with questions and |
arguments and appeals, urging at least |
a brief respite in order that they might |
adduee further testimony. The gov
ernor sat patiently through 1t all, his |
face showing the pain he endured in |
being compelled to refuse over and |
over again to stop the execution of the
death sentence, but it seemed that the |
petitioners would never desist. FL |
nally, at nearly 2 o'clock, w. G. Cooke |
began to give way to the intense emo
tion that he had been restraining, and |
this seemed to suggest to the others
that it was time to end the narrowing |
scene. They accordingly withdrew
from the office and Gov. Longino re-
mained for some time alone before
leaving for dinner.
Every possible effort will be made to
get Mrs. Cooke and Mrs. Darlington
to leave Greenville tonight, but some
doubt is expressed If they will be in
duced to do SO.
Women Pray for Their Souls
The local circle of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union held a
meeting yesterday evening at which
fervent prayers were offered for the
salvation of the souls of Cooke and
Lauderdale, who are under sentence
to die on the gallows tomorrow at
Greenville, Miss. The prayers were
led by Mrs. Hebron. No petition was
sent up for the commuation of their
sentences or to save them from death,
but only for the salvation of their
souls and for their full repentance of
the crime for which they are to suffer.
CACr IN HEYcc UAxyY0n