The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-23
Two Murderefs Of Engineer
WTay Are UshGIed Into
Eternity
nGO To HE'LL" HIS ADIEU
TO GREENVILLE PEOPLE
Says He Has Left 1000 On Deposit
to Be Paid to Persons Who VIII
Kill the Men Who Con-
victed Him.

Greenvile, Mirs., July 22.-with curses
On his lips and with the expressed wish
that the people of Greenville might perish
in the fires OF he'll, Ashley Cocke died here
today. With him. but silently. Thomas
Lauderdale also met his God. Both were
hanged from the same ganows for the
murder of Engineer wray. The trigger
was snapped at 11:27. AT u;4r Cooke was
pronounced dead. At 11:43 the pulse of
Lauderdale ceased to beat Both bodies
were cut down ten minutes later and
TUNED over to their respective families
Cooke died boasting that ne would be in
hell within a few minutes, and cursing
everything and everybody He said that
these who had planned his murder would
meet their end, and that $1,000 had been
deposited in bank. $1,000 OF which would be
paid for the death of each of the eleven
men who prosecuted him.
Over 5000 people witnessed the execu-
ticn, but it was not attended by any sort
of demonstration. The necks of both men
were broken. All through the night the
two men slept soundly They were
aroused at o'clock and ate little break
fast.
Relations Refused Admission.
Admission was refused to the Jail even
to the relatives. Mrs. M. ]. Cooke and
Mrs. E. j. Carringtcn both petitioned
Sheriff Hunt for permission to accompany
the condemned son and brother to the
scaffold. but their prayer was denied, and
they remained in the sherins office until
Cooke declined to talk religion, although
he was earnestly importuned by several
slergymen to make some profession of
Christianity. During their last hours both
men were abusive to those about them,
and used much profanity. Lauderdale ex-
pressed a desire to nave his children grow
UP an6 avenge his death, and he asked
that they be instructed that it was his
last wish to have them kill the men who
were responsible for mis- death. As the
hour Cor the execution grew near the
crowd increased. The courthouse yard
was a solid mass of humanity and roofs
of nearby buildings, vacant lots ard any
elevation attainable contained crowds of
spectators. AT 1:05 both men were pin
ioned ind the death warrant was read to
each. The readirg was received in silence
Ceeke yelled through The window to the
crowd: Damn you; don't be inpatient
we are coming"
Would Soon Be In Hell.
Just before mounting the scaffold Cooke
looked about him with smile and said
Il am going to be murdered and | will
be in hell in a few minutes" The party
then mounted the scaffold and Cooke
shouted: Il am killed for nothing, but l
am the bravest man in the state of Miss
issippi. There is $1,000 waiting for some
one who will kill the eleven men who
made this plot. They have murdered me-
but revenge. revenge, revenge" He stop
ped, the moose was placed about his neck
Get it right" he said.
Turning to the crowd, he again said:
Its all a plot to kill me- Damn you
all, damn everybody l going to die
like man." The black caps were plac-
ed over their heads. 'Are you both
ready?' asked the sheriff Yes" yelled
Cooke through the folds of black Damn
You people of Greenvlle. go to hell all
of you.' The trap was then sprung and
the two men dropped into space.
The Crime.
The crime for which the men paid the
death penalty on the gallows was com
mitted on a Yazoo and Mississippi VAL
ley train about o'clock on the morning
of December 80, 1901 between the towns
of Leland and Elizabeth in Washington
county Ashley Cooke, Tom Lauderdale
VIII Blackburn and G. M. Phipps. resid-
ing i'll Bolivar county, boarded the north
bound passenger train at o'clock In the
morning for the purpose of returning to
their home at Shelby. G.. M. 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 fell against Wray. who was asleep
on seat in the coach. Wray asked
Phipps what he meant and the latter re-
nlia0 that (NraVl fha
coach. Wray. having fully awoke. real
lied that the men were drinking and
told them that it was all right and that
he would leave the car.
As Wray started to walk out Black
burn said to Cooke:
What shall we do with that fellow?
He says he has done nothing but is will
ing to apologize"
II vote to kill him." replied Cooke.
Phipps at this time sank into a seat
and was not with his companions.
RiddIed With Bullets.
Cooke, Lauderdale and Blackburn then
began shooting at Wray as the latter
was trying to leave the coach Wray
was riddled with bullets and fell dead in
the aisle of the car.
While Conductor Mclaughlin, who had
stopped the train, was looking for Of
fcers to assist him in the arrest of the
three men, the trio got off the car and
went TO the engine ana forced the en-
gineer to uncoupie from the train and
proceed Immediately to Shelby. and the
engineer obeyed the instructions at the
point of a gun.
At Shelby Cooke, Lauderdale and
Blackburn were arrested and brought to
Greenville on a special train, every pre-
caution being taken to prevent a lynch
ing which was threatened by many cit
liens. The men were indicted for murder
In the first degree. Cooke and Lauder
dale essayed to be tried together and
after one Of the most bitter legal battles
in the history of the country they were
convicted and sentenced to be hanged
ON March 21. 1902. 4,otice of an appeal
was filed, which stayed the execution.
Later blackburn was tried and found
guilty He was sentenced to Imprisonment