The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-31
NO ONE TO SHROUD
BODY OFW. D. COKER
Suicides Coffin Knocked Over
BY a Runaway
Horse.
Special TO The Timcs-Disratch)

A3s Especial to Ine EIlmcS-DlSEatCn.) aHs
GLOUCESTER G.. H., VA, october co.
The funeral of r. e. Grcssitt, who was
murdered In King and Queen on Saturday.
by w. ID. Cocker, after the latter had
cut the throuts of his wife and two little
daughters, took place from shackelford's
chapel to-day ut IL o'clock. The widow
and little daughters of the murdered man
and large concoursc OF neighbors We're
present.
The funeral Of Mrs Cocker. the two
beautiful little children and the homi-
eide, suicide, infanticide, uxorcide. took.
place yesterday In the Roy buryinE
grounds OF Greenwood farm. where the
coker family lives. Late Saturday eve
Ming friends and nclghbors ir.thered at
the Greenwood farm to shroud the bodiea
of the mother and two. little daughters
and laid themsall on the same bed.
coker's body, unattended by friend or
foe, was put on lounge in the same
room with clothes. all covered with mud,
dust and blood He had washed his
hands and those Of his wife and children
before killing himself. After the bodies
were prepared for burial the neghbors
left the house and locked the doors dur
ing the long hours of the night, the
gruesome place, save for the presence
49,
derer was empty.
In the morning, a large crowd had
gathered, people coming from West Point,
Middlescx. Gloucester and King and
Queen to attend the funeral.
THE services were held III the family
! graveyard, which is not far from the
house and were conducted by Rev. v.
Waugh, pastor OF the Baptist Church,
of West Point. by request Of Mrs. Dud-
ley. sister OF Mrs Cocker. The mother
and daughters were first INFERRED
During the services the coffined body of
| Coker lying on a stand near the door of
| his house was, Knocked TO 1.-The ground
| by runaway horse and a. handle broken
| from. the casket. Some persons remain
Ing in the yard lifted thctbody from the.
! ground. The children were buried be-.
tween their parents.
Mrs, Cocker was daughter OF the gall;
| liant Lieutenant Roy, OF the Confederate
| army, andt came OF a we'll known family.
| She was a beautiful woman In appear
! ance and character. She married Cocker, a
| South Carolinian, knowing nothing of his
| ontecetlents Greenwood. the scene of
| the tragedy, is n farm Of 500 acres, and,
| came to Mrs. Cocker by inheritance. Orig
| jnal house was burned down and the
| small framehouse occupied by the family
| was built by Mr.. Coker BY reason OF
| Mr.. Coker's habits, the fine old place has
| gone down. 1t Is fenceless and the out
buildings are falling to ruins. q few
| cattle roam the once well farmed fields.
| and were apparently the only source o
! revenue to the family. Many surmises
| are rife in regard to the motive OF the
| crime. Most probable Is that the poor
| man with his mind bcfoggcd with cheap,
| la
mortified at the state he brought his once
happy family to in his beWlldered and
forlorn state Of mind, his one idea was
to nut them out OF their trouble. Mrs.
Cocker lost twin babies few months old
last year. The babies died within twenty
minutes Of each other Time may show
why Cocker killed Gressitt
In The midst of so much tragedy 1t Is a
relief to turn to something brighter. The
officers who went to arrest Cocker Sat
urday were wary IN their approach 10
the house, knowing that Cocker had a
Winchester rifle and pistol, ana that
he was n crack shot. They surrounded
the house, hut were careful to keep be-.
hind trees. After a while one man said
they must go IN and took UP All old door
and held it before him as he advanced
VIcnrine Cokcr's rifle go OFF they waited
a while, fearing that he meant further
mischief. They found Cocker dead sit
fling in chair with the butt of his rifle
between his feet. his left hand grasplng
tho barrel and a piece OF lightWood.
witch he had uacd to push the Higger
IN the right hand, Mr.. Walker Cocker, OF
Hartsvil,e, S. C., brother to w D, Cocker,
and a nephew, came to Greenwood ms
morning, They are tonight In West Point
and will leave for Richmond In the morn
ing.