The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-23
WITH FIERY CURSES
,sm.EY COOKE SWUNG HIS WAY
INTO ETERNITY.
DIED DAMMING EVERYBODY
ME WAS CONVICTED OF MURDER
OF ENGINEER WRAY.

During the PreIiminaries for the
execution the Profanity and Bias
nbemy of Murderer Cooke Was
something Picturesque and Blood
CurdIing, but the Drop Fell on
Time and tiie Taking of Life Was
of the Law.
Greenville Miss, July 22.-With
curses on his lips, with eyes bloodshot
and with the expressed wish that the
of hell, Ashley Cooke died here to-day
With him, but silently, Tom Lauder
dale also met his end. Both were con-
yicted of the murder of Engineer G. M.
Wray and 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 11:41 Cooke was pro-
nounced dead. At 11:43 the pulse of
Iauderdale ceased to beat Both
later and turned over to their respec-
tive families.
Cooke died boasting that he would
be in hell in few minutes and
damning everything and everybody.
He said that those who had planned
his murder would meet their end and
that $11, 1000 had been deposited in
bank, $1,000 of which would be paid
for the death of each of the eleven
men who prosecuted him. The exc
cution was witnessed by 5000 people.
This morning before the time for
the execution both men appeared de-
FAINT, Cooke especially being very
abusive to everyone around him,
while both cursed continually After
the death warrant had been read to
the men in their cells, Cooke yelled
through the window to the great crowd
which had gathered outside to witness
the execution:
Damn you, don't be impatient, we
are cOmingi"
When the sheriff and the doomed
men mounted the scaffold Cooke again
began to berate those about him. and
turning to the crowds said:
Its all plot to kill me; damn you
all; damn everybody. I'm going to die
like a man. l am killed for nothing,
but am the bravest man in the state
=. of Mssissippi. There is $ff, 600 waiting
for anyone who viii Kill the eleven
men who made this plot. 1 will be re-
venged, for everyone of this eleven will
be killed and no questions will be ask
ed They have murdered me, but re-
Venge, revenge. revengei"
Before he could say any more the
black caps were adjusted.
Are you both ready?" asked the
Sheriff
Yes, yelled Cooke through the
folds of black Damn you, people of
Greenyille go to hell, all of you!"
The trap was sprung and the men
cropped into space.
The crime for which Cooke and
Lauderdale paid the death penalty was
committed on railroad train Dec 80,
1901. With them were Will Blackburn
and G. NJ. Phipps. All were intoxi-
Gated. 6. NJ. Wray, an engineer, was
also passenger and was asleep when
the drunken quartette entered. They
ordered Wray to leave the car, and
as Wray, realizing their condition,
started to do so, Cooke Lauderdale
and Blackburn opened fire on him. He
was riddled with bullets and fell dead.
Inc murder created great excitement
Blackburn, helped by his previous good
Character, escaped with life sentence.
Cooke and Lauderdale fought their
cases to the Supreme Court and power
lul influence was brought on Gov
Longino to commute the death SEN
tence TO life Imprisonment The Gov
n int