The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-10-08 00:00:00

FRANCE AND MADAGASCAR.

A Reufer's message save : The Malagasy Foreign
Minister has been banished for 20 years. The French
Resident at Antananarivo has hauled ciown his flag,
and there is a rupture of diplomatic r&-ions. The
French, under an escort, will take the ri- td to Tama-
tave. The cause of the rupture was the exequatars
of the American an British Consuls.

A later despatch adds: The French Resident has
now left the capital.

E you seen the wife of poor Augustus? a gen-
tleman asked Jerrold, referring to a friend.—No;
what's the matter? said Jerrold.—Why, I can assure
you she's a complete wrelf p hen T
_.—T suppose re„
plied Jerrold, he'll 1)1 the jolly-host to put off /row
her!

liolham Police station. So far as can be at present
ascertained the prisoner bad no motive whatever for
the crime. When questioned by the parish clerk on
Sunday morning, he said he first thought of doing it
on the previous day. The murdered clergyman had
a grown-up family, one of his sons being a doctor in
London. Cooper comes from Tunbridge Wells, but
nothing is known of his family in this neighbourhood.
He was not popular in the parish, and there are
rumours that he has shown symptoms of insanity'
Mr. Farley had lately advertised for another curate.
Another account adds: The curate was credited
with High Church proclivities, whereas the vicar was
an Evangelical clergyman. There does not, however,
seem to have been say quarrel or dispute between the
two, and tbere was never any reason to suppose that
any ill-feeling existed between them. On the contrary
he circumstances seem to show that very friendly rela-
tions existed between Mr. Cooper and M. and Mrs,
Farley. Upon opening the bedroom door Mrs. Farley
says that it was with difficulty that she prevented the
curate from forcing•his way in, and having succeeded in
closing the door she turned the key, exclaiming to her
husband as she did so, "Why he is mad. Mr. Cooper
cal led out I want to come in and see the vicar." Mr.
earley replied, " Ob, poor fellow, open the door and
see what be wants." Mrs. Farley accordingly opened
the door again, and Mr. Cooper walked into the room.
He made no remark, but went right into the room by
the foot of the bed, past the crib on which Mrs. Far-
ley had been sleeping, and then to the side of the
vi-car's hed. All this time he had the candlestick in
his right band. Nothing was observed in his left, but
that he had a razor there can be no doubt. He
approached the bedside and quietly pat out his left
hand in tha direction of the vicar's ~.arocit. Mr. Far-

by exclaimed "What do you mean? What do you
mean " The curate laughed, turned round, and
walked quietly out of the room. Before he reached
the door Mr. Farley exclai n3ed in a feeble voice, "He's
cut my throat." Mrs. Farley at first believed that
her husband was in a delirium, and as she could see
no blood, she replied, "Oh, nonsense." She,
however, followed the curate to his room, and
while going there she heard Mr. Farley call
"Frank," the coachman, twice by name. She went
up to Cooper, and in as firm a voice as she could
command said to him, "What have you got in your
hand? Give it to me." He replied, "I have got
nothing," a' d even then she could not see that be had
any weapon. She then went back to her husband's
room, and found Mr. Farley lying on the floor with
blood ruAing from his throat. Stricken with horror,
she ran back to the curate's room, and said to Cooper,
‘•Come and help me. You don't know what you
havo done" Cooper made no reply, and she ran back
to her hu43and and tried to staunch the blood.
Meanwhile she despatched the groom for a doctor,
but long before he arrived Mr. Farley expired.

Mrs. Parley. I don't mind about it. People will
A VICAR MURDERED BY HIS
talk.
CURATE. The Coroner (to Mr. Suby): If you think it neces-
About midnight on Saturday a shocking tragedy sary to as the questions.
occurred at Cretingharn, a village about six miles Mrs. Farley: Mr. Farley did not believe anything
(la m Fret/011)0)am, Suffo'h—the vicar of the parish, of the sort.
the Rev. William Mey wort Farley, was murdered by Mr. Juby : I have a good deal to ask, if you have
his curate, the Rev. Arthur Edgar Gilbert Cooper. time.
For some time past the vicar, vytio was 73 years of The Coroner: We have come here to inquire into
age, had been in bad health, and about twelve months the Cause of death.
ago he engaged the curate mentioned to take entire Mrs. Ferley : Ask any question you please. lam
charge of the parochial work. The latter lived at the quite willing to answer any questions.
vicarage with Mr. and Mrs. Farley, the only other in Mr. Juhy : You say you had suspicions, and took the
mates of the house being a groom and a maid servant, razor case from Mr. Cooper's room ?—Yes. I have
On Saturday %Ir. Farley kept his bed all day, and the frequently had to take my husband's razor for the
curate also complained of being unwell, stating that he Same thwg.
had beet, unable to sleep. There was nothing in his Have you ever seen Mr. Farley strike Mr. Cooper?
cot duct, however, to arouse su.picions, and about ten —Never.
o'clock at. night he read prayers as usual. Two hours Nor yet strike at him f —No. Mr. Farley used to
later when the vicar and his wife had fallen asleep, get little fits sometimes, and get angry about nothing,
the curate knocked at the bedroom door. Mrs. Farley but we never took much notice of it. He was an
was aroused, and in reply to her question Cooper said
he wanted to see the vicar. The curate was wearing
dres-ing-gown only. and he opened the door witb
the intention of entering the room. Mrs. Farley
pushed him out and locked the door, but Mr. Farley
called out to her " Poor fellow, let him in and see
what he wants." The door was then opened. The
curate came in and walked round to the side of the
bed where Mr. Farley was lying. Very few words
are reported to have passed between them, Cooper
simply saying "What do you mean,' and the
vicar laughing in reply. Again ordered out by Mrs.
Farley the curate went away, and the vicar then
called out, "He has cut my throat !.' Directly after-
wards the unfortunate clergyman, who was a very
stout man, rolled heavily on to the floor, and there
died within a few minutes, the throat having been
cut from ear to ear. In the meantime Cooper had
gone to his own bedroom, which adjoined the vicar's,
and was heard moaning and sighing. Mrs. Farley's
cries arous,ed the groom, who got up and went for
Dr. Jones, of Prainlingham, without knowing what
had actually happened. While be was away Cooper
dressed himself in his usual clerical attire, and
left the house. News of the tragedy reached the
village policeman, and he took cnarge of the pre-
mises. About five o'clock in the morning the curate
knocked at the front door, which was opened by the
officer. He said that he wanted to go upstairs,
and the policeman allowed him to do so; but, of
course, took him into custody, and never lost sight of
him afterwards. Later on he wit* removed to Frain.

impetuous man.
Of course you know that scandal and report have
been very busy, and it is very natural and right that
ynu should have an opportunity of explaining your-
self ?—Mr. Farley did not believe all the little gossip.
The Coroner: A.s I understand your reply, it is
this: There had never been any impropriety between
yourself and Mr. Cooper.
Witness (indignantly): Good gracious Certainly
not.
Mr. Juby : Did you ever go between Mr. Cooper and
Mr. Farley ?—I don't know that I did.
If anybody said you did, that is wrong?—Yes, I
should think so. Mr. Cooper once took Mr. Farley
by the shoulders and told him he ought to behave
better.
What was the cause of the animus in the mind of
Mr. Farley ?—I used to tell him he WM jealous, but
he said he was not.
Was Ur. Farley, in plain terms, jealous of you?—
No, he had too much sense.
Then what did he mean by saying, when you and
Mr. Cooper went out together, "There go the two
courters ?"—I never heard him say that. I do not
believe he said it.
The Coroner: I do not see what this has to do
with it.
Mr. Juba: Did you and Mr. Cooper ever kiss each
other?—Witness (indignantly): No. If I did I do
not think it would be wrong.
Mr. Goocher. another juror. protested against these
questions being put to the witness, but Mr. Juby per-
sisted, and the witness said: I treated Mr. Cooper as
my younger brother. I know he was very strange at
times, but he was quite like a boy, and I managed him
well. Mr. Farley was not jealous of us. He was rather
glad when Mr. Cooper came back, BO that he and I
could go out for walks together.
Mr. ;ruby: You mean to tell the jar) you never
kissed Mr. Cooper ?—No, and if I did I should not

mind.
Do you mean to say you never did?
Mrs. Farley rising on her feet, glanced with great
indignation at Mr. Juby, and their turned towards the
door.

Mr. Juby : Stop, please.
Mrs. Farley (stopping) : If I had kissed html should
not look upon it as a sin. There would be no harm in
it. lam a motherly person, and have been accus-
tomed to young fellows all my life.
Bow was it that you objected to Mr. Cooper asso-
ciating with other females ?—Because it was not good
for him.
The prisoner (rising in a flushed and excited state):
I don't think you need talk of that matter very much,
if I may be allowed to speak.
Mrs. Farley, who bad apparently been unconscious
of the prisoner's presence, screamed out, exclaiming:
"Oh, poor boy and went into hysterics.
Tbe examination of the witness shortly afterwards
Concluded.
The doctor next described the character of the
wound, and the police gave evidence of the arrest.
Francis Bilney, groom to the deceased, spoke of
going for the doctor, the prisoner being then in his
room moaning loudly. He was then cross-examined.
A Juror: Have you known of Mrs. Farley going to
Mr. Cooper's room in the morning trfore he was up?
—Witness (after some hesitation;: Yes.
11413 she stayed there long?—No.
Did you know Annie Eadie ?—Yes.
Has she talked to you about Mrs. Farley being in
Mr. Cooper's room ?—Witness hesitated.
The Coroner: Answer.
Witnels : She has told me Mrs. Farley has been
there. Teat is all I know.
But you know yourself she had been there ?—Yes.
Wm. Emerson. parish clerk, stated that he saw Mr.
Cooper on Saturday, when he told him he bad not
felt very well. Askul if be had seen Mr. Cooper and
Mrs. F.lrley much together, he replied "No ; only
coming to and going from church together.
The jury, afrer a short consultation, returned a
verdict of "Wilful murder" against the prisoner.
On his name being entered on the presentment as
Arthur "Edgar" Gilbert-Cooper, be corrected the
ooroner with the remark, "Edward, if you please."
On being informed that the verdict was one of wilful
murder, he remarked, "I can only say it was not
wilful.
The Coroner recommended him to say nothing at
all now.
The prisoner was then removed in custody.

Approaching Division of Profits.
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INSTITUTION LIFE A
FOR MSSUTURAALNCE.
FOUNDED 1833. FUNDS. .£4,280,000.
DIVISION OP PROFITS, 20 NOV., 1887, 4
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_ AGENTS WANTED ‘vD ERE NOT EIEVICE,iF,NTED.

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