From the Richmond Sentinel, 9/26/1864, p. 1

KILLED BY A FALL FROM A WINDOW. - About one o'clock Saturday night, Mr. Jas. W. Cooke, of Greensville county, Va., was killed by a fall from a fifth story window of the Spotswood House to the pavement on Main street. Deceased arrived in Richmond on the 8th instant and put up in the Spotswood. About 12 o'clock Saturday night he came into the hotel, and taking his key, went to his room in the 5th story, overlooking Main street. An hour afterwards he was heard to fall on the pavement by two of the city watchmen, who hastened to him and raised him up just as he breathed his last. When found he was lying on his face with his legs crushed under him. It was subsequently ascertained that on going into his room he had locked the door on the inside. He is supposed to have taken a seat in the window, the weather being warm, and then fallen asleep and tumbled out. Deceased was a son-in-law of the late Hon. Jno. Y. Mason, and leaves a widow and six children. He was a man of wealth and distinguished for his charity.

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