The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-03-12
R. W. COBB ELECTROCUTED.
Wrote a Confession to Governor CPaf0
Saying Some Of the Testimony Was
Wrong But He Was Guilty.

We take the following report Of
the electrocution Of R. W. Cobb
from the Raleigh Daily Times of
Friday, the 9th:
promptly at 1920 this morning
eighteen hundred volts of electric
current were switcht d into the body
of R. W. Cobb as he sat strapped in
the death chair at the States Pris-
on, and in about six seconds the in
visible force was turned off and it
was all over; the young white man
who killed Thomas Shaw for his
money was pronounced dead; he
paid the penalty for murder in the
first degree.
Before going to his death this
morning the condemned man placed
in the hands Of Rev. w. McC. White,
pastor Of the Presbyterian church
here, letter to Governor Craig, in
which he confessed that he had shot
Mr. Shaw, but said that he had not
intended to kill him.
Cobb made no statement what
ever in the death chamber. He did
not show any signs Of breaking down
and appeared composed. DR.. White,
who has visii ed him frequently dur
lhg the past eight CT ten days as his
spiritual adviser, aid not accompany
him to the chair. Some time ego
he made profession Of religion and
told DR.. White that he was not
afraid to die and that he ha1 hope
for his soul.
Warden Sale had invited forty
persons to the electrocution, and
about thirty-five Of these were pres
ent. In addition there were the Of
iicials, making the total in the room
about forty. The physicians on
hand were DR.. Jas r Rogers. the
prison physician, Drs. T. M. Jordan,
j. W. MCGEE, Joel Whitaker, R. S.
NcGeachy.
The body was turned over to the
Brown undertaking establishment,
and under the State law, if not claim
ed by relatives within thirty-s!x
hours, vii: be giver r. r. ? s g. @ :. :
anatomical board to be used in the
advance of science.
The young mans mother and
financee We're here this week to see
him and left on Wednesday for theil
homes in Norfolk, Va. The mothe.
stated while here that she did nol
| intend to claim the boCy.'
THE CONFESSION.
Wednesday, March 4, 1914.
Hon. Governor Locke Craig,
Raleigh, N c.
l, R. W. Cobb. do confess to the
killing Of Mr.. Thomas Shaw on the
ight Of May 3, 1912. Henry Cur
xin and my self left Rosemary, N c.,
at 8:20 p. m, May 3, 1913. for the
pu, pose Of rcbbing Mr.. Thomas
o1aW, we arrived at his store some
time later, l don't know the time,
,~e went to the back Of store and
.tayed there until a few minutes be
fore it Was closed. Mr.. Shaw's lit.
tie boy said, Il believe l will go tc
the house" His father said, "Wal'
on minute and we will both CO.
Gurkin and I left the back of the
store then, and went to the dwell.
ing Tor between the two dwellings,
Mr.. Sbaw's old and new home tc
consult as to the best way to hold
him up. Gurkin said it would not
do for him to do it, for Mr.. Shaw
knew him and would recognize his
voice, so it was decided that / should
do the holding up and Gurkin was tc
come up behind him and search him
S for his money. Gurkin gave me hi
f, revolver, l not having one. ther
| concealed myself in an angle of the
/. porch of the new house. Gurkir
S some place about the old one. Pret
ty soon Mr.. Shaw and his son came
4 up from the store. | waited unit
S they were in 10 or Is feet of me be-
e fore | stepped out Of the shadow OF
2 the porch. told him to hold up his
r hands, he stopped, and then came
. toward me again, and said, "StoI
. your foolishness," l told him to stop
but he continued to advance, remov
l ing his hand from his pocket,
thought saw the gieam of steel OF
some weapon. 1t frightened me
: and in frenzy Of fear l shot. Ihae
: no idea of killing Mr.. Shaw. l sho1
at his legs, but the gun being {
: cheap liver Johnson" jumped an6
:. causing the bullet to strike morta
spot.
at once ran from the scene, b,
the lane which leads to the road, ant
r down the road to the place wher'
r we had concealed the bicycles. Cur
: kin, by running across field, ar
rived at them first, and was gon,