Andy Adams

Killings in Willisville
The deaths of Andy Adams, Will Cooper, Sam Piazza, and Albert Piazza

As a child I remember my grandfather, John Russell, telling me about the killings. My great-grandmother had been widowed in 1912 and offered room and board to help make ends meet. Andy Adams often took board with the family and my grandfather, who was about 12 at the time, remembered him fondly. He said he saw Andy that morning and Andy told him "John, you stay away from me. They're out to get me".

Andy Adams
(from my personal collection)

If anyone has a photo of
Will Cooper
I would like to get a copy and post on this site. Thanks!

If anyone has a photo of
Sam Piazza
I would like to get a copy and post on this site. Thanks!

If anyone has a photo of Albert Piazza
I would like to get a copy and post on this site. Thanks!

1914 Shooting Took 4 Willisville Lives
Friends Are Buried Side-By-Side

Information for this story was provided by Rex Franklin of Vergennes. It came by way of a letter to Franklin written in 1971 from Ezra Cooper, who at the time was living in California. Cooper was the brother of one of the subjects in this story.

By Jerry Willis

It is no secret that the early days of Willisville were rowdy. There was also an element of discrimination and distrust of the large Italian population which lived there. Reportedly the town was 80 percent Italian. Ezra Cooper lived there in 1914 and says "Willisville earned itself a hard name. There was gambling, drinking and fighting but it was seldom fatal. There was an element among the Italians--strictly hush hush. Several prominent Italians were invited for an evening walk and never returned, but no one would talk."
Cooper states that few of the fights were fatal, however, he has information about one fight which resulted in four deaths. It was on a Sunday evening in October 1914, according to Cooper. Jimmy Edwards and Big Bill Cooper (he was only 5 feet 10 inches tall) had been to church. Afterwards they decided to walk to the depot and watch the 10 p.m. train go through town.
Edwards smoked roll-your-own cigarettes and was out of paper so the two decided to walk downtown to get some. While walking they saw Andy Adams come out of an ice cream parlor. Edwards asked Adams if he had any cigarette papers and Adams said, "no, but I have some Camels." "No thanks." said Edwards. "I'll go

He
Stopped
To Get
Cigarette
Paper

to Pete's Place and get some"
Edwards kept walking and told Cooper he would be right back. Cooper yelled to Adams, "Jim is particular in what he smokes."
As Adams neared Main Street, Cooper noticed two men step out in front of Adams. One of them asked Adams for a cigarette paper. Adams said he had none. Then Adams yelled across the street to Cooper.
"Hey Bill." Adams yelled.
That is when the shooting began.
According to Ezra Cooper the two men who stepped out in front of Adams were brothers, Sam and Albert Piatt, two characters who were apparently somewhat feared and distrusted by the community.
Bill Cooper later said Sam Piatt grabbed Adams with Adams holding Sam Piatt between himself and Albert Piatt. Bill Cooper started across the street to help but Albert Piatt turned and shot him.
"The impact of the bullet turned me half-way around." Cooper reportedly said. "But I kept going and grabbed his (Albert's) gun hand. I held his gun hand up and he kept shooting downward at me and I forced him into

a window of a store building. By that time his gun was emptied. I couldn't see Andy (Adams)."
Cooper then collapsed.
At some point during the incident Sam Piatt reportedly shot Adams, but Adams in turn shot Sam in the head. Adams fled the scene and Sam Piatt lay dead at the scene.
Big Bill Cooper meanwhile, had been shot several times including a soon-to-be fatal wound in the stomach.
Albert Piatt was apparently arrested, but a group of people took him from police and killed him.
Cooper and Adams werer taken to a hospital in Murphysboro where they both died. Adams lived about 24 hours and Cooper lived about 52 hours. Ezra Cooper says his brother told him the full story of what happened while he was still conscious in the hospital.
What was the motive for the shooting of Adams? Cooper states that Adams and a man by the name of Harry Keller had "roughed up a bunch of Italians in a bar." Soon after, Adams recieved a letter signed with a small black handprint--"the black hand."
Cooper says the Piatt brothers were suspects in other killings. They were unemployed, he said, but were well dressed and spent a lot of money around town.
Cooper believes his brother was shot because he was a witness to the shooting of Adams.
Bill Cooper and Andy Adams are buried side by side at the Percy IOOF Cemetery. One headstone marks their grave.

The above article appeared in the County Journal Newspaper.
Jerry Willis kindly gave permission for me to reprint it on the internet.

Below are newspaper articles written at the time of the shootings

Killing in Willisville
A race riot between Italians and Americans is feared at Willisville, a mining town north of Ava, as the result of the lynching of Albert Piazzia, a poolroom owner, who shot Andrew Adams in an attempted hold-up. The cause of the trouble seems to be of several years duration. A man by the name of Will Cooper is wounded in addition to Andrew Adams and they both were sent to hospital at Murphysboro that night. Reports are that Cooper and some Italians had trouble a few years ago & Cooper has felt that he has been in danger ever since that time. Cooper was accosted by Piazzia and his brother, Sunday night and he called to Adams, who was passing by for assistance and then the feud started. [From the "Daily Free Press" October 13, 1914]

Inquest fails to identify memebers of mob who killed Piazza at Willisville
Percy, Illinois, October 14 - Willisville is quiet and there is no excitement here. Coroner Devine assisted by State Attorney Riess, held an inquest and no evidence could be found identifying any of the masked crowd who lynched Albert Piazza. The jury returned a verdict that Piazza came to his death on October 12, 1914 by bullet wounds he suffered from a mob of unknown persons, after being taken from the officers about one mile south of Percy. The body of Piazza was taken to Willisville, where it will be buried today. His brother, Sam Piazza, who was killed in the fight Sunday night, was buried there yesterday. The body of Andy Adams, who died in the Murphysboro Hospital was brought to Willisville. There is considerable excitement in Willisville and several deputies have been sworn in to keep the peace. Cooper, the other fellow wounded in the feud Sunday night is improving at the hospital at Murphsboro and is expected to get well. The Italians are leaving Willisville and going to Murphysboro by lots as they are fearful of the Americans at that place. They are leaving their families behind and will send for them when they get work. Piazza's body was buried today with over a hundred bullet holes in it. Even his shoes were perforated with bullets. He was shot while in the buggy and after the officers were ordered out. He was still handcuffed and the officers were taking him to Percy preparatory in lodging him the jail at Pinckneyville. [from the "Daily Free Press" October 14, 1914]

Cooper Fourth Victim
Will Cooper died at 2:45 this morning, the fourth victim of the battle at Willisville, Sunday between himself and Adams and the two Piazza brothers. The bullet which struck Cooper is thought to have been poisoned. At the undertaking firm of Roberts and Sons it was learned that all post mortem indications point to a loaded bullet. The body turning black as it does in case of such death. It was found that Cooper did not even posses a pocket knife at the time of the trouble and though he was a powerful man in stature was unable to cope with the armed Italians. Cooper was shot in the left side in a spot not far from that in which Adams was struck. He had lived in Willisville for sometime, was about 25 years of age and unmarried. The corpse was taken up on No. 2 of the M. & O. Wednesday afternoon for internment. [from the "Daily Free Press" October 15, 1914]

Murdrer at Willisville
Sunday night the Village of Willisville, not to be outdone by the big powers in Europe, had a little war of their own. One man was killed and one was seriously wounded. One of which it is thought will die. The fight occurred about 9:00 Sunday night. Albert Piazza aged about 23 and his brother Sam, aged about 19 fought Andrew Adams and Will Cooper. Sam Piazza was killed. His brother was placed under arrest after the fight. Cooper and Adams were placed on the Mobile and Ohio accommodation and were taken to Murphysboro Hospital. Andrew died Monday night. Monday officers arrested Albert Piazza, placed him in a buggy and started to Percy to take a train for Pinckneyville to place him in jail. When near Percy they were halted by a body of men, the prisioner was taken over from the officers and literally shot to pieces. It is said over 100 bullets were fired into his body. Excitement is high at Willisville and a race riot is feared. [from the "Illinois Herald" October 15, 1914]