The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-02-28
local MArrn1sa

Who
assume the livery Of Heaven to serve he Devii n
On Thursday week last, man calling himself Jas
CowPEn, and protesting to be . member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, took lodgings 1t the
Broad street Hotel, In company with bis wife, .
Messrs. J. G. Blakey and Son, that he had ccrne
to this city to take Pastoral charge Of Clay streef
Chapel and that the Methodists would foot his bin
On Saturday last the Messrs Blakeyc called on Mr.
James NJ. Taylor, to collect their bin against the
1t, had warrant issued, which Mr. James p. Nv
Ter, the High Constable served Ia person. Mr.. Ty.
Ter calling at the hotel, found that Cowper was
absent, but 10 passing through the Capitol Square,
came upon him, in company with his lady, and re.
d as ' " 'pp''' 0e'0ls 'ne Mayor which l ne
MT. Tyler had two objects IN making tbi. reouest.
The first was, that he had seen and conversed with
Mr. RuFus READ, the uncle of Cowper's wife, who
was in search of his niece, and who he was yery
anxious should meet her-and the next was, to
give the Mayor an opportunity of hearing certif-
Gates read which were in possession Of Mr.. Read
relative to character of the vile hyprocrite who
under the guise OF q minister of the Gospel, had
won the affections of an innocent and unsuspecting
young lady, and dragged her from her home and
her friends to sacrifice her to his hellish purposes
On conducting Cowper and his lady to the City
Hail. MIR. Tyler invited them into the east room and
then sent for the Mayor. As soon as the Mayor
arrived, MIR. Rufus Read made his appearance,
when Mrs. Cowper threw herself into his arms,
and declared her willingness to accompany him
home having become satisfied that from all she had
seen and heard she had given her hand and heart
to q worthless, degraded and abandoned wretch,
whose only aim was her inevitable destruction.
I MIR. READ then produced a number of certificates
from gentlemen OF responsibility in the North, and
read them in the hearing of the accused Portions
Of these we lay before our readers
First then, is the certificate of CALVIN and NAN.
cY R. FLETCHER, the mother and father of Mrs.
CowPER, dated South Groton, Feb II. 1854:
we the undersigned, parents of MARTHA, now
the wife of J. w. CooPER-the said Cooper having
married her under a false name, and other decep-
tons of the basest character-wish to reclaim her
If possible we are, from recent facts which have
come to light since their marriage satisfied that her
lite is not safe in his possession. The above decep
tons the bearer, RUFUS READ brother, is fully
able to substantiate to any and ALL who NAV IN
their kindness assist him in restoring her to most
distressed family In doing, the subscribers viii
esteem 1t the greatest favor that can be done them
on earth.
(Signed) CALVIN FLETCHER.
The next letter, relative to this very worthy min.
lister of old Satan, is to Mr.. Rufus Read dated New
York, Feb. Is, 1854, and reads thus
Sir--ln compliance with your request, take this
opportunity to say to you, that agreeable to pro.
mise. will state what am acquainted with in re.
gard to the person calling himself JAMES CowpER;
when at Rockland Lake, as Pastor of the Metho.
dist <. Church, Out who now assumes the name of
JACOB WILSON COOPER, time will not permit me
to say one halt In the first place. the letter Won
have in your possession, purporting to be recon-
mendation from Rockland, is a base forgery. Cow
per, seems had forged letter Recommendation
of character with which to deceive Mr. Fletcher and
signed several names to it-among them that of Mr..
Day. The gentleman by the name of Day is my
brotherinlaw though not LEVY Day Gas signed on
the certifcate) The other person, Gas signed with
Mr.. Day) nor any such person, has never been
known in these parts. That bare-faced scoundrel
nIoIs
no one doubts that CowPER was guilty of breaking
open the desk of Mr.. WELLS {now dead) and rob-
bling him of 1877 in money, after which he left for
parts unknown. Mr.. w. had given him some $50 in
money, besides eight months board. His robbing
him was his thanks. Mr.. WELLS kept a vine.
yard and had made quantity of wine to which
CowPER had access, as he was believed honest
After he lett was informed by Mr. Wells that Cow
PER had made use OF quart day. had frequent
ly seen him myself appearing to be stupid as an
ass no doubt under the influence of the stimuIant.
have called at Mr.. Wells at midday, and found
him lounging in bed, and had to wait good length
of time before Mrs. Wells could succeed in getting
him to come down from his room.
know of several young ladies to whom CowPER
promised marriage, and of several more to whom
he was very DESTROYS of engaging himself In fact
believe, and others are of the same opinion, that
he proposed marriage to every girl with whom he
became acquainted. His motives were of such
devlish character that some married women did not
escape his rascality.
took him to be rascal from the first, by his no.
torious habit OF lying-and very much doubt that
he ever converses with any person without telling
falsehoods and those of the basest character |
saved one young lady the disgrace of farther &C.
quaintance with him. by informing her parents of
what knew of the scamp, this was some time be-
fore he was suspected by the publicly and felt it
my duty to write to "Groton," upon seeing letter
from the Congregational minister for fear he might
entrap some respectable lady, which it appears he
has done. Woe to the wife that accompanies such
degraded vagabond. Time will not permit
must close Much more might be said
Yours WIN. H. TAYLOR
Pretty tall ticks, those, to be giving such wor
thy gentleman as the Rev. Mr.. CowPER, whose only
aim is to do good to his fellows But hear what 9TH
ers say of him.
Prof H Madison of New York, in letter to Mr.,
J. Spauldng, says:
by an Englshman from Staten Island, who saw
him in New York pulpit, and said he knew him as
a man who was accused OF poisoning his wife in
England. (On being questioned as to the charge
by Prof NJ, CowPER said it was not him, but his
brother) He pretended to Prof. NJ that he had
So, 500 in bank in New York, which M. was salts
fed was not true, as he had told untruths on two
other occasions. Cowper is an Englishman, about
IS or 80 years old, of medium size, looks pretty
well and is tolerably genteel. Prot M. saws he
quotes considerable poetry in his preaching, and
breaches as if he had committed his sermons"
A letter from CALVIN FLETCHER to his son. dated
South Groton, January IT, 1884 thus speaks of this
wonderfully proper gentleman
COOPER, if that be his name, is as bad as any
man can be. The last heard of him, he was in
New York at the Northern Hotel He wrote back
for money to get away from there, and plead so
hard that some of his friends sent him six or seven
dollars, and probably he has gone before now. At.
ter he got to New York he wrote to me what he
called confession. He said his father was very
rich and died without will. He said he then
forged his fathers name to get his share, and was
found out by his brother, older than himself, who
heired every thing, according to the laws of Eng.
land and but for the interpositon of his sister his
brother would have had him punished That he
was afterwards forgiven by his brother--and that
he then came to this country and forged the neces
sary papers to get into the Methodist Conference
that he was very sorry for it, and hoped would
forgive him. Mr.. Fletcher concludes his
letter by saying, 81 think his name must be Cow.
per- No doubt he is the biggest scoundrel living and
running at large"
fThe next document worthy Of note, is certif-
cate given by r. d. CLEMENT, at Rockland Lake,
Mass, in which he says he knew JAMES CowPRR
whilst he was officiating preacher, and that his
whole conduct was one of falsehood and deception.
There 10 no manner of doubt that he purloined S37
from BENEDICT WELLs,--ihat he offered marriage
to number of females at that place-and that no
was absolutely engaged to marry two or more.]