Connecticut western news., 1876-11-10
A Terrible Murder.

In the jail at Poughkeepsie is an ignorant mountaineer named Stephen Cooper, aged 65 years, who is charged with the most ter ty. in this state. He was not legally com. mitted until last Saturday afternoon. He was resident of locality in the town of Doren. known as ''Cooperstown," and was the head of family, composed of his wife and her mother, the latter 8s years of age, and son stephen Cooper, jr., aged about 2s. The family supported themselves by doing odd jobs for the farmers and by pick ing berries in their season. Some time ago the son Stephen became partly insane, and was at times abusive to members of of the household. and in other ways was very annoying and troublesome. Last spring he violently assaulted man named Buell.. prominent citizen. and was arrest ed and sentenced to the Albany penitentia- " for three months, from which place he wss released some time in August .ast. He had had several qusrrels with his father, and on Monday had another, the result of
 
 his door step.
 The father was not arrested for the crime, the victim being buried day or two afterwards without even post mortem ex- animation being made. On Friday Coro- ner Richard Bayly of this city proceeded to the scene of the murder, had the body ex- humed, made post mortem examination, and held coroner's inquest, and the fol. lowing evidence was taken: Mary Barnes Cooper, the wife of Stephen Cooper. fath. CT of the murdered man, testified that her son came to the house on Sunday some thing did not suit him, ,snd he struck her on the head. Her husband told him to go out, and then clinched with hlm. The boy then went out, and her husband told him not to come back or he would shoot him. The boy said, Me won't hurt you, but 1 have no home to go to- The boy came back on Monday and asked if she had fixed bis clothes, as he was going to meeting. Hel husband was taxing down ladder at the Q time. and he came where the boy was anc said: 'D-n you, you musn't go in there if you do I'll take the gun and blow you through oh mo- said the boy. I'm no going in.' The witness said Leave hin alone, Stephen; he has come for me to fl, him some clothes.' The husband turned and went into the house, and his mothe said don't take the gun down: don't d, a0,' and she asked witness in. Little Ste phen as he was called, followed her int the house. Just as they got into the hous the two men clinched. and the two wome parted them. Little Stephen then left an went down to Daniel Cooper's. While b was thus gone, Stephen Cooper, tn father took down the gun and sat in th door way; he then swore he would shoe the boy. He sad, Cd d-n him, wor have hlm around I'll blow him through witness begged him not to, for if he al they could not live together and he woul be hung. He took the gun and fired it o and his mother said l am 30 glad you fire 1t off He said he was afraid it would nt ehoot him, and that he was going to los 1t again, which he did. He watched fc him to come back. and told just how fl he cou d shoot him. Alter 8 while he ga the boy coming and said, Here he come d-n him, now I'll shoot him The wi ness begged him not to, but when the bo was about SIX feet of the father fired an shot him. The boy said Oh, dear fathe you have shot me- and asked him to con and see him. The father said, ed d. 5ou, you ought to have died years ago.
 am glad you arc shot,