The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1902-07-26
wine and ~laughingly remarked that he
was ready for anything.


Cookies Awful Jocoseness.
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. l
am going down the line"
Lauderdale's 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 a drink of wine, which
was given him. Lauderdale also asked
for one, but was refused for fear that
1t would again make him sick.
AS they anne out Of the cage it was
apparent to all present that both men
WV WY uCOPi ihtoAitotCh. SOShC .
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 a 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 raj 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 al 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 Tie scaffffold Cooke spoke as fol-
lows:
81 offer a reward Of $1,000 each for
the eleven men who have sworn my
life away. There Is $11 1000 in bank
now for that purpose. | am here on
perjured testimony. 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 a drawer man that lived
than me. l am being hung out of re-
venge. But we want revenge on them
and that revenge is worth 81, 900.
Shoot and earn it. l am brave. I will
die game. l want revenge. Speak up.
Lauderdale; don't be a coward"
Lauderdaic'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 a lie on me | will turn owe in
my grave and 'h'ant' you"
AS the black cap was being adjusted
on Cooke, he said:
81 don't want that cap on; | want to
die game" but 1t was put on him In
spite of his protest.
BY this time Cookies lips were trem-
bling, his knees were quaking, and
there was a perceptible tremor in his
voice. 1t was apparent that a moment
or two longer and he would utterly
break down.
Lauderdale seemed to gain strength
nc tLa ttp,1 90 hta AAnpn anprnaaha I
and when Cooke accused him of beins
a coward he stretched out his hant
and asked a physician to feel his pulse
The latter felt both. That of Lauder
dale was perfectly steady, while tina
Of Cookies was beating rapidly.
The Trap Sprung.
Just then, at 1880 exactly, the traI
was sprung by Sheriff Hunt, and tn,
two men shot downward.
The scaffoid was so arranged tina
, the %populace could not see the figure
after the trap was sprung, but from
the Jail, where the newspaper mel
stood, everything was plainly dis
cerniDle.
. The body of Cooke turned rapid.
around a coupe of times, and thel
hung l~ifeless. His pulse disappeare,
for a moment after the drop, but agail
asserted itself, and it was not TO
|, eleven minutes that his life was pro
l nounced extinct.
, After the fall Undertakes bod
l spun around a score of times, bu
finally stopped. About three minute
thereafter he drew up his legs convul
sively three or four times, and it too
. thirteen minutes for life to leave hi
. body.
| The neck of each man was broken b
the fall.
The physicians were DR.. M. o. Shi,
ers. A. G. Payne and Emmett Smyth'
At 11:25 the bodies were cut dow
and turned over to Sumner brother
undertakers, who prepared them &c
burial.
Disposition of Bodies.
= That of Lauderdale was shipped tt
night to Shelby, where 1t will be bul
: led tomorrow by his relatives. I'll
J. body of Cooke was shipped to Men
phis, where he will be buried today.
At the announcement at the coui
!. house, where the sad group was wal
q ing the news Of the inevitable, Mr.