James W. Cole Born in 1860 in South Carolina, to Joshua Cole (Abt. 1825-????) & Rebecca (Abt. 1930-????). He lived in the Bismarck, ND area for about 7 years. He was crushing on Sopronia Ford age 14, but she did not reciprocate the same feelings for him. He shot her with a revolver.
James W. Cole Bismarck - March 1899
Cole, described as a burly African-American and a "well known" resident of Bismarck, in late 1898 was deeply infatuated with 14-year-old Sophronia Ford, a "tall and rather comely" black schoolgirl. Unfortunately, Miss Ford failed to reciprocate his affections with the result that on the morning of December 12th he shot her to death as she walked north on 6th Street toward the North Ward school (the present site of the Will-Moore School). Leaving several love letters next to the body, Cole marched directly to the Burleigh County jail and surrendered to the authorities.
With Cole's tacit approval the case against him proceeded with unseemly alacrity and barely three days after the crime was committed, Judge Walter Winchester pronounced the death sentence. The execution was carried out on an enclosed scaffold built next to the county courthouse and reached through an office window. Shortly after daybreak on March 24, 1899, Sheriff H. A. Bogue and several deputies lead Cole to the platform and carried out the sentence.
By custom, condemned criminals of that day were apparently accorded the right to invite certain of their friends or acquaintances to view the execution. Such invitations to the hanging of both Cole and Hans Thorpe, are known to exist; Cole's message is accompanied by a jail cell photograph.
(Source ndcourts.gov)
He was tried at the Burleigh County Courthouse in Bismarck, ND.
I found the following newspaper articles:
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81810122/james-w-cole/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81810394/james-w-cole/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81810437/james-w-cole/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81822449/james-w-cole/
COLE IS HANGED.
J. W. Cole, the negro who shot and killed Saphronia Ford on the twelfth of December last, this morning expiated his crime on the gallows. The execution was in every way successful – probably none was ever more so. There was not a hitch of any kind, and the neck of the condemned man was broken by the fall, so that death was instantaneous. In ten minutes from the time Cole left the room in which he had passed the night his lifeless body was lowered form the gallows and placed in its coffin for burial. He could have suffered no pain, and was probably never conscious after the drop fell.
Cole was brave to the last. At no time after he started for the gallows did he betray any signs of weakness. He stood on the scaffold apparently as cool as any man in the assemblage that witnessed the execution and made his final address and bade farewell to those about him. He spoke clearly and distinctly, and without effort. His address was connected and coherent and worthy of one of greater education or ability. His pose was firm and not until all arrangements had been completed, the black cap drawn down over his face, his limbs strapped together and the word given for the release of the trap, did his limbs give signs of giving away. Then there was a slight swaying of the body, and relaxation of the limbs as though the will which had controlled him nearly to the end was giving way. Then the lever was released, the trap fell, there was a heavy thud as the body reached the end of the rope, and the sentence of the law had been carried out.
This is a portion of a newspaper article in the Bismarck Weekly Tribune, March 31, 1899, Page 5. Much more is written about the last day of his life.
COLE BURIED.
The remains of J. W. Cole, the negro who was hanged at the court house yesterday morning for murder, were yesterday afternoon taken from the undertaking rooms to the potter’s field and buried. The interment took place about the middle of the afternoon and the being who awakened yesterday morning in the prime of life and health slept last night beneath the earth in the burial ground. Jim had no relative or friends, and there was no solitary mourner as the remains were lowered into the earth. The work of tearing down the enclosure and removing the scaffold was begun at once. Sheriff Bogue is glad the ordeal is over and anxious to have removed the appurtenances of the legal tragedy.
The Bismarck Weekly Tribune, March 31, 1899, Page 3.
On the 24 of March 1899 James was hung at the courthouse on the gallows. It took 3 1/2 minutes before his heart stopped. He was immediately buried as no friends or relatives were there to claim his body. Below is the link to his Find A Grave Memorial.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/170911267/james-w-cole
James had 2 bothers Arthur & Robert Cole
Gravesite Details Saphronia Ford, the young girl James Cole murdered, is also buried in this cemetery.
Her Memorial is here:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58024252/saphronia-ford
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