The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-06-12
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tsad, as.d CD vsqrs -lrsess ~ RE wensj-bs Mry-
dsrtr: tr:-Yessefday mornjags = nv nlsates bs-
fore O'Clock, the nsigobo1heOd Of asiA and
erese Of murder, which proceeded from small
BRICK building on 18th stTsek Two doors south
OF Broad, owned by Edwasa q. Cooper, aad
occupied. the ground esOf ~ Mrs.. Charles
sT, his wise, his son, aesd Sheen years, asd .
young lady. and the third. or attic, BY Louis
BrixzilSro and family. -. *
hearing the repeated cries ef npsc er, "~mur-
der," hastened 70 asceFtntn the eause OF tho
alarm, and learned that EDWAkD r. COOPxn
bad attacked and horribly mutilafed with =
hAtchet his wife MARY Ann COOPxR, and had
also made an effort 10 strike down his son
DORRELL S. CO0PRe, aged fifteen years, who
saw his father strike his mother with the
bAchet. and eadeavoSod 20 F0stsAin him.
When We visited the 4esne yesterday morn
Ing. we found the bed on which Mrs Cooper
was lying, literally red red. the sheets being
a. completely saturated ~ II they had been
dipped in tub Of blood. On the floor were
the passage vas marked In various places, and
on the walls aud alonl the PassSse and up the
steps leading TO Mr.. Arixziaro's apartments
were marks Of blood. = il poured from . ves-
press OF bloody fingers, as il some one, bleed
Ing from every artery, had passed along, pour
ing out LIES vital hoid at every step. La the
attic, sensible and patient, laid Mrs. Cooper,
pale as death, with two terribie gashes on or
near ner left temple. anotheI Dear the right
fourth on the hack Of the Head, and slight
abrasion near the nose. DIR. Knox had visited
her, and dressed her horrid wounds, and
friends had assembled around her. with the
nope OF being able to render her some assist
Ance. - W
-ar
From the friends and relatives Of Mrs Coop.
er We gathered the following facts, concern.
ing this brutal attempt ut assassination
Cooper owned the house in which he lived,
but has only been able ~ hold II by the un tir-
ing industry and perseverance Of his wife,
who has labored night and day with her needle
for long. long years, to support her family, he
navlnk MADE no enort to earn any lhing for
Ten years, until within the past six weeks,
which ne mas spent at Work. Since the COM
mencement OF the i'm provements u ON 25th street,
cooper has been anxious to sell his house, but
his wife has persistently refused to give up
her right in il. On Thursday last he had pre-
pared u reiinq quishInsn. to the property, and
demanded Of Mrs. Cooper to sign II. She re.
fused 10 comply with his demand, and he then
told her, in menacinx manner, that she
would suffer by her course. The next after
aoon. wien he returned home, he told his
wife tina; she could have the property-that IL
VAS hers-that he would annoy her no more
| about it-but thar they would 60 to work and
| eudeavor TO live comfortably and happy tue
remainder Of their days. o. Saturday after
moon, when Cooper returned from has work,
ne dressed himself in his best suit, and left
home. On his return he gave his wife $5u Of
his wages. aud seemed to be more pleasant
than usual. On Sunday morning he arose at
the usual time, and during the day attended
divine worship at the third Presby ytefi3n
church, twice or three times. After service
that night he returned home, telling his
wife that he had been to church, aud asking
ner to prepare him supper, which she did
de then seated himself in his chamber, and
after singing aud praying, opened his Bible to
read At the usual hour Mrs Cooper retired
10 her bed, and her son to his, which was Il
.ruckle. bed, drawn out from under that Of
his mothers, and on which his father and
himself usually slept. Mrs. Cooper lay
awake until late hour, noticing her hus.
baud who seemed to ba deyoutly engaged
over his Bible, when she fell asleep. About
halt paste O'Clock, when all in the house were
| soundly asleep, Cooper laid aside his Bible and
| quietly going into rear room, armed him
seif with sharp hatchet, and returning,
| stealthily approached the bedside Of his sleep
| ing wife, and gave her violent blow near the
temple. The lick partially aroused the Sleep
| tug woman, and she gave scream, which
| awOko her son O0rrelI in time to see the mur.
| derous weapon again descend upon his me.
| theirs head. The lad immediately sprang 10
| his fest and caught at the arm OF his father,
| whom seeing the ha.chet raised over hin, and
l the blood spOuting from his mothers head, he
| screamed murder" at the top Of his voice, and
ran up the steps to BrizzilarO's room, pursu.
by has father, VINO made q blow AT him, anu
| who would have murdered him but tor hear
ing the door TO BIS room open.
| Supposing that he had flushed his Wife
| Cooper walked to his front door, stood a few
| seconds, and then started down 25.h street
| turning into Grace. aud soon disappeared.
Mrs Cooper, Notwithstanding her wounds
| sprang from her bed as soon the mUnst tel
| was gone, and with the blood gushing from
every cut, found her way into the passage
aud up the flight Of steps into Brizxilar0',
i SUh hat fol mn fho bod ~
hausted state.
A. soon as word could be conveyed to th
| station house, the police were apprised Of tn
attempted murder and the escape Of the as
l sassin, and search in all directions were mad
for him. About IL O'Clock, as Capt. Wilkin
! sou was passing mp Broad street, he discover
ed Cooper, and taking him into custody, hat
him locked up in the first station honse. 7o
| There seems to be no doubt in the minds o
those who know the accused, that his inten
| ton was to murder his wife and son in thei
sleep, 60 that he could get entire possession 0
| mis- property, and then to leave the premise
| steaIthly. aud produce the impression, il h.
| could, that the deed had been perpetl a ted b,
| some one else. In searching for the murderou
natchet, which was found all covered Will
blood, paper Of white substance, believed Ii
| De arsenic, was found in q window in tn
| chamber, evidently showing that he had deter
| mined upon the destruction of some one. q
Ten or twelve years ago Cooper was tried fo
shooting al, with intent TO Kill, thr late Russe
! Dudley, OF this city, and, If we mistake not
| served six months 10 Jail tor the offence. o.
| that occasion it was said that he burned tn
feet Of his wife with the hot lead with whic
he was moulding bullets to take The life Of Bill
K. He was not man Of in temperate habit Is
but was naturally high tempered, revengefu
and unforgiviDg Some have said that hs wa
| not entirely rational at times. aud II may b
that he will put in lae ple4 OF insanity Whe
| arragned for attempting to murder his Ow
| wife aud child, the former Of whom has sup
! ported MIN in iDdclsuce for ten years, wit
| the fruits OF her needle.
Mrs. Cooper, il is thought, cannot possibl
survive her wounds.