The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-11-03
Gm Nlesserwer.
THE JOKER


We published yesterday morning an
account Of the horrible murder or rath-
er murders and suicide by w. d.
Coker of King and Queen county, Vir-
ginia. That report was CHASTITY enough,
but from the Florence Times of Mon
day We gather some additional facIs
which make the affair much more =
rible One can hardly believe that a
man could murder his wife and Two
children and after laying out the bodies
lie down beside them and sleep uatil
the time arrived TO renew his bloody
work. 1t cannot be possible that this
man vas in his right min0 when he
committed these fearful deeds. We do
not take to the insanity dodge in ordi-
nary cases of murder, but in this one
We cannot understand how it could be
otherwise than inat the nan Coker
Eas insane. How a sane man, nc maj
ter what his prcyocation to take life
could act as did Coker on the night be-
fore killing DR.. Gressett is beyond
comprehension. His surely were the
deeds of a fearfully diseased mind.
What should be done with such a nan
as this? Lock him up in an asylum
and run the risk of his escape any dry,
20 5e followed by the repetition of the
hir,dy acts? Hang him as a protoc-
ton 10 society against a repetition of
his insane action, though he is not sc.
countable for his conduct? The for
1ncr would be the more humane course
If co.'s idering only the unfortun tie
man. tie latter the safest if looking to
the protection of society and the pres
ervation of innocent human life.
Tie Florence Times says of this man
and his crime:
When the officers reached the Coker
home they found his dead body sit
ting upright in a chair. His gun was
lying across his knees. The bullet had
entered the neck and ranged upward
into the brain. The wife and children
had been shot. killed and laid Dat and
coins placed over their eyes. Coker
left a note in which he said he killed
his family to save them from dis
grace. He named Gressett and his
brother as the cause of his trouble.
The murder was committed at 2
o'clock and the bodies arranged on
the bed. Afterward he lay down be-
side them and slept till day. when he
entered the GreSSett home.
w. d. Cocker was born n grew up
near Timmonsville; what education he
had was derived from the schools
there. and he was we'll known and es-
teemed by that whole community. His
father. the late j. M. Cocker. Sr.. was a
large and successful farmer of I'M
blemished reputation and the strictest
integrity. At his death his son. w. D.
Cocker. who was at that time his Oldest
unmarried son. took charge of the
large farming interests left by his
father. and for several years managed
them very satisfactorily and success
fully. About ten years ago he mar
ried Miss Rob Roy. whom he met N
this town. while on a visit to her near
Immediately he sold out to his young
er brother his interest in his father 8
estate. and removed TO Virginia. Where
he has since lived. The reasons for the
fearful tragedy are not known. The
first intimation came in a telegram 10
his brother. w. T. Cocker and be and
Robert. his other brother. left IN TT =
morning train for the scene of the
bloody occurrences. The dead ma I
was always highly respected. He was
intelligent. upright. high spirited. was
not a drinking man. but was regarded
by some as peculiar. and with al. al
most unduly morbid sense Of personal
honor. His family connection in this
and the n~eighboring county of Darling
ton Is large. extending to nearly oil
the leading families.
Mrs. Coke was previous t. Kerl
marriage. Miss Robbie Roy. She was
a daughter of Lieutenant Robert Roy
and a cousin of Mrs. A. J. Nontasue,
wife of Virginia's governor. She was
q beautiful m