Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1902-07-26

wine and laughingly remarked that he
was ready for anything.
Cookies Awful Jocosoness.
AS Deputy Sheriff Miller approached
him he said in response to the dep
uty's admonition to keep up his nerve,
Il am not afraid. / am as game a
man as ever lived" He then danced
about the floor, and said, when his
hands were pinioned behind him: Il
would just as leave die now as any
other day" He also asked Mr.. Miller
to button his coat, as his hands were
otherwise engaged. Seeing a friend
outside of the cell he remarked:
Hello, boy, shake hands with me.
am going down the line"
Undertakes nerve deserted him
temporarily as his hands were being
tied behind him, and as he was led out
on the landing to commence the death
march he became sick.
The March to the GaIlows.
AS they started down the stairs
Cooke asked for drink of wine, which
was given him. Lauderdale also asked
for one, but was refused for fear that
it would again make him sick.
AS they came out of the cage it was
apparent to all present that both men
were very deeply intoxicated. Cookies
eyes had a peculiar glitter, and he
talked with his usual volubility
Just as they started to go downstairs
Cooke turned to several about him and
said:
Goodbye boys; I'll be in hell in a
few minutes"
Later he said: Wen be in hell in
time for dinner"
Lauderdale turned to friend among
the deputies and said:
Come here, Jack, and tell me good
bye Just tell 'em that you saw me-"
Both men were very pale, but Cooke
was trembling and his voice was very
shaky.
Lauderdale was more subdued, less
drunk, and appeared more to appre-
ciate the solemnity of the occasion.
At the bottom of the stairs there was
a delay Of about three minutes, but
finally the door was opened and the
crowd commenced the ascent of the
steep stairs to the scaffold platform.
Cooke came first, a deputy on each
side, and cursing constantly.
After them followed Lauderdale be-
tween two deputies, walking quietly
and saying nothing.
On tAe scaffffold Cooke spoke as fol-
lows:
Il offer reward of $1,000 each for
the eleven men who have sworn my
life away. There is $1,000 in bank
now for that purpose. l am here on
perjured testimnoy. Some of you in
the crowd shoot right now and earn
that money. Don't be cowards-shoot.
Oh, you are a lot of towards. The
money is in the bank for you. There
was never braver man that lived
than me. am being hung out of re-
venge But we want revenge on them
and that revenge is worth S11 900.
Shoot and earn it. l am brave. l Will
die game. l want revenge. Speak up,
Lauderdale; don't be coward"
Lauderdale's Last Words.
Just then Lauderdale noticed a re-
porter with his notebook, and, turn
ing on him, maze the only remark he
had made during the time he was on
the scaffold, and the last he uttered on
earth: Write down the truth. If you
tell lie on me I win turn over In
my grave and 'h'ant' you"
AS the black cap was being adjusted
on Cooke, he said:
II don't want that cap on; want to
die game, but it was put on him in
spite of his protest.
By this time Cookies lips were trem-
bling, his knees were quaking, and
there was perceptible tremor in his
voice. 1t was apparent that moment
or two longer and he would utterly
break down.
Lauderdale seemed to gain strength
as the time of his doom approached,
and when Cooke accused him of being
a coward he stretched out his hand
and asked physician to feel his pulse.
The latter felt both. That of Lauder
dale was perfectly steady, while that
of Cookies was beating rapidly.
The Trap Sprung.
Just then, at 1880 exactly, the trap
was sprung by Sheriff Hunt, and the |
two men shot downward.
The scaffold was SO arranged that |
the populace could not see the figures |
ebLICl tuC lldQ was bpTuuSy DuL from !
the jail, where the newspaper men
stood, everything was plainly dis
cerniDle.
The body of Cooke turned rapidly
around couple of times, and then
hung lifeless. His pulse disappeared
for moment after the drop, but again
asserted itself, and it was not for
eleven minutes that his life was pro-
nouneed extinct.
After the fall Lauderdales body
spun around a score of times, but
finally stopped. About three minutes
thereafter he drew up his legs convul-
sively three or four times, and it took
thirteen minutes for life to leave his
body.
The neck of each man was broken by /
the fall
The physicians were DR.. NJ. o. Shiv-
ers, A. G. Payne and Emmett Smythe.
At 11:25 the bodies were cut down
and turned over to Sumner brothers,
undertakers, who prepared them for
burial.
Disposition of Bodies.
That Of Lauderdale was shipped to-
night to Shelby, where it will be bur-
led tomorrow by his relatives. The
body of Cooke was shipped to Mem
phis, where he will be buried today.