The New York herald., 1871-12-18
QUICK TRIAL OF A MURDERER.
The Prisoner Found Guilty in Five Hours-His
Confession Of tho Crime.

Confession Of tho Crime.
From the Cleveland (Ohio) Herald, Dec. le.l
The shortest trial for murder that was ever held
Y Cuyaeo6a county, took place on Friday. John
convicted, the whole proceedings from the COM
s e ne bn s ss Tssr %a
believed that the iury would not be out long, and
Ss sts ruS Se the %
formed that they mad agreed upon verdict. The
Judge and counsel were notified, the unhappy pris-
Richard Dewey the ioremen. handed the verdict %
first degree, as charged in the indictment.n The
Jury were discharged, the prisoner again taken TO
the solemn scene was over.
THE PRISONERS WIFE.
Before the retirement OF the jury Mr.. A: 7. sade
said It was but simple justice to the wife OF the pr1s
oner, against whom suspicious OF compile ty IN the
crime might be held In the minds OF some TO state
no knowledge or or participation In the crime what
ever. He had every reason TO believe that she was
an Tue
during the whole Of the terrible ordeal, her eyes
often sunused with tears, her tace evincIng the
~sp''' ~ co; CONFESSION no OF COOPER
Below we give verbatim copy OF the confession
OF Cooper, as it was taken from nm by + il. Bird
IN the County Jal on the day alter his arrest
After giving few circumstances connected with
About my sixteenth year enlisted in rhe army
and went. from Camp Delaware; was IN the army
two years and O hall; was Aon0rably discharged
Months @ had failing out % with my s moSer aRe' and
turned; was home at ina. time about a W year. being
SICK most Of the time. NY health getting better,
seven me months. Ny uncle dying. tnen we went sVai and
took charge Of his farm; remained on the farm two
years and four months, during tine time got ac-
fr,Iai yvlfn a n RI " nam n n Eav-
man, and married her. My mother was very much
offended with me, and would not allow my wife to
marrying her. did not heed her advice; married
her and left home, that being about months ago;
with a man By the name OF Denham, carriage
PALMER; he owned farm; worked Tor his sons
days. then hired ont down near the fair grounds,
myself and wife, both at Iaylors Hotel. Remained
with Mr.. Taylor about two weeks. came back to
Oeveand, was around TO wn two days. then shipped
lakes and back, being gone about two weeks. Aiter
returning to cleveland hired out with branch or
them five ana three-quarter days Alter that
worked at various places from three to four days
time-in ZACH NV wherever y; % could procure work up
my home again. ! made preparations for SO doing
Talked 1t over with my wife, she thinking they
mind and said We would 80 TO Xenia. We packed
our trunk. Had everything ready for starring on
Tuesday morning. Was up 10 SWINGS place Monday
evening. Nothing Of any Importance passed be.
tween us.
On Iueeday morning. nrst tnlng, myself and wife
went IN o hack, took our trunks; after getting to
the depot went 70 get my trunks checked. They
wouldn't check them without buying my tickets. 1
my vile TO remain In the sitting room or waiting
roQm until went up town and got some money
depot and started up towD. After coming up town
went up to Swlng's and asked MIN Tor some
moDny telling him ] hadn't enough 10 buy my
tickets with. He told me had none TO spare. We
then commenced talking about different tnings had
no quarrel Or hard words whatever. picked up
fhe ,r
Swing asked me what wanted 10 start home for
when you knew you hadn't money enough to pay
money now and then for days work.
and there was no work to get aud could
thought would borrow some from him until /
could get home, then would return IL. then laid
@ ano s aa VSa Wa " 1 Il Ss
He told me. Forget now what time lie said; 1t was
some little before noon While talking to him saw
On me head looked ana s aeo
are you going to murder meSn or something to that
falling. put my hand INTO his pocket and TOOK out
his pOcketbook. He then seemed To be coming to,
/ again TOOK the hammer and struck MIN three or
four times, forget which; then went 10 the door
and locked IT, fearing some might come in; then
went back and dragged him INTO the back room,
looked through MS things, but found nothing anJ
value. only his watch and pocKetoook, winch con-
tained SIS; washed and wiped my hands ana came
back into the shop, took the key and put in the
lock, unlocked the door ana came out on lne street.
Before going iurtner will correct myself by stating
about the SoIdeflng iron, ana now tle marks came
on the wall. Alter dragging him into the room he
kind o. come 10, or seemed 10, While was washing
my HANDS, ] then looked around and saw he was
getting up. then got another hammer ana struck
him on the neck once Or twice. He fell back as if
ne was dying then got the soldering iron and
stuck il into his mouth for lear he might come to
ana give the alarm. Tue marks on the wall came
from his attempting 10 get up. tnen finished
looked In hts desk Tor money, but found none; ncn
looked out OF the window up and down the street,
to see any one was coming, but saw
no one; then locked tie door ana cane
out OH the street, as before mentioned. Al
Ter coming TO the depot my vile asked
me where had been so long. told her tnat had
been up town 10 get some money from man that
owed Inc. she said she did not beileve that was
wnat went for. l told her yes, 1t was; then pro-
ceeded to buy my tickets an get my trunks checked
for Xenia. After arriving at Xenla pawned the
watch for some furniture. took the furniture out in
the country, nIred out with a larmer anu intended
10 90 to housekeeping. Was arrested az his place
hard words win swing. lie always used me well.
know not what tempted me TO klll him, unless 1t
was because could not bear 10 my wife In trou.
bic. For myself cared nothing but the thought OF not
having anything aiead for her TO live ON drove me
TO desperation. Thinking the OLD man had consider
able money-that, and the position my vile
was placed In, tempted me TO do the
dred. Asking OF all, who read my confession, not
to Judge too harshly there other charges or
pciohs 10 the effect that have committed other
crimes OF similar nature TO this. But, God Is
fellow man IN my lie: this is the first time l ever
was In jail; was never arrested before this; when
went uD TO SWINGS had no thought OF killing him,
only wanted TO borrow some money. | asked hrn
for So or 50. If he had OF given 1t TO me | would
not have killed him; did not have my mind made
up TO Kill him i've minutes before i committed
OF the deed. ASKING all to forgive me for my igno-
rance In breaking the laws OF both God ana man,
asking an interest In the prayers OF Gods chosen
ones lor my welfare, am, humbiy ana truly,