The Washington times., 1925-01-22
CONTINUED from First Page.)

-Peake to come on and get him. He
10 said to have told Preacher Rob-
erts to Ego light on the singing.
Preacher Roberts claims that after
he had read to him from the Gospel
of ST. John, Copeland knelt and made
short prayer, at the conclusion of
which he announced: 81 have made
my peace with God and am ready
TO die"
1t did not take Copeland more than
a minute to walk the length Of the
death chamber and firmly ascend
the stairs of the scaffold. With
tightening rapidity the hangman and
his assistants applied the moose and
dropped him into eternity.
Physicians say that the drop broke
Copeland's neck and he suffered no
pain, although he twitched for several
minutes and was not cut down until
forty-five minutes after he was
hanged.
No relatives paid visit to Cope
land in his final hours, although he
IS said to have had a number in
washington and wife somewhere.
Hated to Do Harm.
Skinner contends that Copeland
told him that the eight men ne
killed prior to those in washington
were in the State of Texas ana
South Carolina as wen as ILLINOIS.
He said that after he killed the col
ored policeman in Chicago he re-
solved to lead better life, but that
the fear >of the bluecoats always
haunted him. He said he did not
/. kill because he liked to kill, for he
hated to harm anyone But he
always felt the police had it in for
him, and it was up to him to shoot
his way to freedom.
Guarded By Two Men.
Fearing that Copeland might
make good his threat and attempt
to bull his way to liberty as he
instead OF one man In the death cell
last night.
with the hanging Of Copeland,
the fffty-eighth man who has paid
the death penalty on the scaffold
at the District Jail. made famous
through its use for the execution
OF Giteau, slayer OF President
Garfield, the mode of hanging
murderers in the District goes into
the discard.
It lis expected that President
Coolidge this afternoon viii sign
the bill which has passed both the
Senate and House providing for
the eIectrocution OF first degree
murderers and others sentenced to
death in the future.
Wife Ignores Prisoner.
, No relatives or friends Of Cope
land outside of the professional
spiritual advisors paid him visit
at the Jail either yesterday or this
morning.
1t is said that he has a wife,
but she had not visited him at the
District Jail since he has been in
the death cell.
After a FESTIVE night. Copeland
awoke this morning and talked to
his guard.
A little after Z o'clock q bOuntifuI
breakfast consisting of beefsteak,
mashed potatoes, hot bread, cakes,
and coffee was brought to him.
SCI don't want bite to eat" Cope
land said, putting his hand up in
protest. 81 don't even want any
coffee"
Cried as Thomas Died.
1t was said at the jail today that
the only time that Copeland has evil
denced any emotion since he was
sentenced to be hanged was after
Ralph Thomas, colored, was taken
from his cell in death row last
Thursday to pay the extreme
penalty.
It was on May 81, 1918, Copeland
shot and killed Policeman John A.
Conrad and Deputy Sheriff L. II.
McParlan, Indian Head, Nd, when
they sought to serve him with "A
warrant for grand larceny at his
home, 76 street northeast.
He escaped and was located later
In the day in house at 400 Car
rollburg place southwest, where he
held q squad of police at bay FOR
hours and shot and killed Police
Lieutenant David L. Dunnigan.
Death Row Is Vacant.
Critically wounded. he lowered
betwesn life and death in Gallfnger
Hospital for two months, but re-
coverSd. April 81, 1919. he sawed
the bars of his cell and escaped. A
four-year man hunt ended in his
capture in Akron, Ohio.
After Copeland was led to the
gallows it was observed that for
the first time since the summer Of
1919 the death row at the District
jail was vacant.