The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1920-01-22
GODLEY'S FUNERAL rs HELD.
Services Attended by Many Acquaint
ances; Last Letter to His Wife
Is Published

rs TuU11SNCQo
Washington, N. c., Jan. 17.~
Churchill Cooley, who was electrocut4
ed Friday morning under conviction
of having committed a criminal as-
sault upon young girl of Smithfeld,
was buried here this morning, the fur
neral services being held at $50
o'clock. A large number of beautiful
floral offerings were placed upon the
coffin. Many of Godley's former
friends and acquaintances attended
the services. )
Mrs. Cooley was asked for a copy
of her husbands last letter: q
'I'm afraid l cannot let you have
it," she said to the newspaper man.
II believe that it is really. too sacred
to be put into print. I want to keep
it always. I am more firmly convinc-
ed than ever that Churchill was inno-
cent. am not giving up the fight be-
cause he is dead. I shall continue
making every effort to clear his name.
81 believe / will let you have it;
want those who have been so true to
me and Churchill to know that he is
innocent. I believe that this letter
will convince them. It should even
convince those who have. doubts as to
his innocence"
The letter follows in part, with a
few notifications of the language:
"Rosie, my own darling, loyal wife:
Cali earthly hope of my life being
spared NE has in every way been
taken from me. But my hope and
belief that God will save my soud
and even my life, perhaps-yet stim
is in my heart and brain and soul, be-
cause I have had such a cruel, merci-
less and rotten deal for my life. That,
though, is between them and God, for
He knows I now have no hatred in
my heart for anyone.
"God knows that l have confessed
my sin to, Him and to mankind, and
that I told the absolute truth. / ad-
nit that l was guilty of misconduct
with the girl, but that was all. | have
begged God for forgiveness for hat
moment of weakness on my part, and
! am truly repentant and sorry for it.
l also feel that He has forgiven me
for that and all my other sins. Last
night l prayer nearly all night long,
and tonight am doing the same. My
heart is very sad and broken tonight,
or rather. I should say, this morning,
for it is now after IL o'clock, and if
God permits this unjust sentence to
be carried out, then l only have ten
hours to live.
ooh, Rosie darling, devoted wife,
you have been so sweet and good to
me. May God always extend to you
His richest blessings in His every way
and bring us back to each other. Dear
Rosie, wife, you will often see dear old
mother and dad for me, won't you?
Always love me and know in your
heart that I thank God I was inno-
cent. Keep trying, and for her sake
and for mine, you will esta blish this
fact, for it is Gods own truth. All
preparations have been made for my
death, and I am dressed for it, so
you see my only hope is in God, as
even my death warrant has been filled
out. I am begging God in my every
prayer to send my innocence into Gov
ernor Bickett's heart for me, so that
he may right this wrong before it is
too late. beg God to forgive all who
have sinned against me in every way.
My heart is too full for me to write
more, so you will have to go by what
your heart teaches you I desire and
what I wish in the way of love and
happiness and all else for you.
Remember, 1 am innocent of the
crime charged. Always remember
that. And remember that love you
with all those three words can mean,
watching for you and over you
and that if God permits, am waiting,
through life. None has ever had a
dirtier deal than have had, but I
hope God will forgive them all. Ro-
sic, am innocent. Rosie, love you,
I love you, I love you. God pity me
and take me before daylight I love,
love, love you."