The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-23
Wanted to Die Before IL O'Clock in
Order to Eat Dinner In Hades, but
Were Forty Minutes Late.
BIG CROWD OF SPECTATORS
DOUBLE EXECUTION WITNESSED BY
SIX THOUSAND PERSONS.
Cooke BIasphemOus to the End-Money
Left Behind to Kill All the
Jurors, He Said.

GREENVILLE. Miss, July 22.-with
curses on his lips. with eyes bloodshot and
with the expressed wish that the people of
Greenville perish in the fires of hell, Ashley
Cooke died here to-day With him, but
silently, Tom Lauderdale also met his end.
Both were hanged from the same gallows
and the swing of a double trap sent both
men to their doom. The fatal trigger was
snapped at 11:27 this morning. At 11:f
Cooke was pronounced dead. At 11:43 the
pulse of Lauderdale ceased to beat. Both
bodies were cut down ten minutes later and
turned over to their respective families.
Yesterday Cooke announced that he hoped
lauderdale and himself would be hanged
before II o'clock in order that they might
eat dinner in hell, but il was forty minutes
after that hour before his wish was graf
ihed. Cooke died boasting that he would
be in hell in a few minutes and damning
everything and everybody. He said that
those who had planned his murder would
meet their end and that $11.O 600 had been de-
posted in bank, $1,000 of which would be
paid for the death of each of the eleven
men who prosecuted him. The execution
was witnessed by 5000 people.
This morning before the time for the ex-
ecution both men appeared defiant, Cooke
while both cursed continually After the
death warrant had been read to the men in
their cells, Cooke yelled through the win
dow TO the great crowd which gathered
outside to witness the execution: -"
you, don't be impatient: we are coming"
When the sheriff and the doomed men
mounted the scaffold, Cooke began TO be-
rate those about him, and, turning to the
crowd, said: Its all a plot to kill me;
- you all, - everybody. I'm going
to die like man. L am killed for nothing
a act ~, h..
Mississippi. There is $11, 900 waiting for any
enc who will kill the eleven who made this
plot. / will be revenged for every one of
this eleven will be killed and no questions
will be asked. They have murdered me- but
revenge. revenge! revenger Before he
could say more the black caps were ad-
Justed.
Are you both ready?" asked the sheriff
Yes" yelled Cooke through the folds of
black. - you people of Greenvile! Go
tc hell all of you!" The trap was sprung
and the men dropped into space
The crime for which they died was COM
mitted on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley
Railroad on the morning of Dec. 80 1901
near Elizabeth Ashley Cooke Tom Ian
boarded the north-bound passenger train at
o clock in the morning for the purpose Of
returning TO their home at Shelby. G. NJ.
Wray, an engineer, was a passenger on the
car entered by Cooke and his party Cooke
and his three companions were all more or
less under the influence of liquor. Phipps
a
seat. Wray asked Phipps what he meant
and the reply came from Cooke that it
meant that he (Wray) must leave the
coach. Wray, having fully awoke. realized
that the men were drinking and told them
that il was all right and that he would
leave the car. As Wray started to walk
out Blackburn said to Cooke. What shall
we do with that fellow? He says he has
done nothing but Is willing 10 apologize"
II vote TO kill him, replied Cooke
Cooke. Lauderdale and Blackburn then
began shooting at Wray as the latter was
trying TO leave the coach. Wray was rid
died with bullets and fell dead in the aisle
CT the car.
Cooke and Lauderdale were tried to-
gether. convicted and sentenced TO be
hanged March 2l. 1902. An appeal was
taken which stayed the execution The Su-
preme Court reviewed the case OF Cooke
and Lauderdale. affirming the decision OF
the lower court and fixing Tuesday, July
%. as the day for the execution. An effort
by influential relatives and friends of the
condemned men 10 have the death sentence
commuted 70 life Imprisonment proved In
erfectual Governor Longino refusing 10 in
terfere Blackburn was given a life SEN
tence. his previous character having been
proven exceptionally good.