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

whose testimony resulted in his convic-
ton for murder; trembling and al
most on the verge of breaking down,
Ashley Cooke went into the presence
OF his Maker this morning.
Scarcely noticing what was done,
but with firm set lips and much great
er nerve than his companion showed,
Tom Lauderdale dropped at the same
time to eternity.
Over in the courthouse, about one
hundred yards from the scene of the
execution, the aged mother and sister
OF Cooke listened with hlanched cheeks
and pallid lips for the fateful moment
when it should be announced that the
law had been vindieated and the man
upon whom they had expended so
much love and anxiety had paid the
final penalty for his crime.
All laone, the wife whom he had
sworn to love and protect and then
deserted, unwilling to be present and
administer the last comforts to the
man whose name she bore, with his
little children far away from the
scene, Lauderdale also passed into the
great beyond.
The venerable mother of Ashley
Cooke had begged for permission to
accompany her youngest child to the
scaffold, where she might for the last
time comfort and aid him as she had
done many times in the long tempes-
tuous years of his life. When, out of
pity for her, this privilege was denied.
she went as far as she could, and sat
with straining eyes, which many
hoA b.
the last final drama which should
snuff out the life of her son.
Waited for His Last Words.
She had exacted from those who re-
fused her permission to visit the scat
fold, solemn pledge to repeat to her,
to treasure as precious boon through
the remaining years of her broken life,
the last words of her youngest born.
She had prayed hard and in faith
for the salvation of his SOUL and she
believed firmly that he would leave as
last word the message that he ex-
pected his soul to go to his Maker, and
had obtained forgiveness for his sins.
But alas, for the blind faith of a
mother. Ashley Cookies last words,
coupled with profanity so foul as to be
unprintable, were:
I will die brave to the last. Eleven
thousand dollars reward for those who
sent me 7tothis DEATH"
1t took eleven minutes for life to
become extinct in the body of Cooke,
and thirteen minutes for it to leave
that of Lauderdale
The crowds gathered faster and fast
er as time Of execution approached,
and by the time it took place some six
or seven thousand people were scatter
ed on all sides of the Jail where a van
tage point could be obtained.
At 10 o'clock the Delta Guards and a
large force of deputy sheriffs were
mustered at the courthouse heavily
armed, and stationed about the jail
The night previous the wire between
Cleveland and Greenville was cut. 1t
was reported that the friends of the
condemned men would attempt a res
cue. Up to late hour this morning
Cooke firmly believed he would be res
cued, and so proclaimed to those who
talked with him, but the large show of
force by the authorities rendered it i'm
possible even if it had been contem-
plated
At 1O:S0 reporter called on the
condemned men in their cells.
Told of His Escapades.
Cooke was engaged in telling shoot
ing affairs Of his career to a crowd of
deputies present. To the reporter he
said that he had not killed Wray, but
that Blackburn had done so that he
had never killed man except in self
defense; that he was game and would
not show the white feather; that he
was having a good time and expected
to enjoy himself in hell as well as
anywhere else, especially as it was hot
as the place he expected to go, in
Greenville, in the summer time
At that time he was talking inces-
sanity telling with bravado of his
prowess with his pistol and how he
had the whole town of Senatobia |
afraid of him.
Frequently he would take a drink of |
LIQUOR and then execute double shuf- |
fles laughing at those who were look |
ing solemn and telling them that he |
would be glad to withdraw from his
engagement, but that the governor
would not allow him to send his re-
grets.
LauderdaIe Said Little.
I,auderdale said he had nothing to |
say, except he would die game, and |
would see lots of his prosecutors in
hell He also drank heavily, and paced |
his cage like wild animal.
Cooke never ceased talking for q mo- |
ment from the time the reporter enter
ed until his body shot downwards |
through space. He held to the bars of |
the cage, drinking heavily, both Of |
water and of wine, and when he laugh |
ed he was like some one insane.
Condemned Mems Friends.
Those of the relatives of Cooke who
were in the vicinity were Mrs. E. J.
Darlington of Memphis, sister, and
Mrs. Cooke, his aged mother, of Sena-
tobia. His brother, Rennie Cooke, and /
brother-in-law, E. ]. Darlington, re-
fused to be present.
Mrs. Cooke and Mrs. Darlington. ac-
companied by friends, asked permis-
sion to view the execution, but were
refused.
]. T. Lauderdale, brother; 7. r.
OVERLY, a cousin, and w. T. Wooten, a
nephew, all Of Shelby, Miss, came to
see Lauderdale, but were refused per-
mission to enter the jail, and, with the
relatives of Cooke, viewed the scene
from the sheriff's office.
At 11:10 Sheriff w. q. Hunt and a
force Of deputies entered the jail.
Sending each Of the condemned men to
his cell from the cage corridor, the
sheriff then read the death warrants to
them. Cooke then took a drink OF