Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-10-27

fOtger's CAteers
A Washington correspondent has the
following letter In the New York
Graphic;
William II. Cooper ohe Of the Cooper
brothers just now attracting so much of
Of the attention of the detectives ON no
count Of forgeries committed, had quite
a romantic career in this city during the
years Immediately following the war.
By means Of forged letters he obtained
from Secretary Welles an appointment
in the Navy Department, and soon be-
came quite lion in society. He repre-
sented himself to be scion of the
British nobility, who, through a freak
and desire to SEQ varied phases of life,
had temporarily left England, and for
reasons OF his own, plausibly put, desired
to enter the Civil Service OF the United
States. He affected dainty style of
dress and mode Of life which, together
with handsome person and ingratiating
manners, soon made him favorite
amcng ladies in the most fashionable
circles. He did not hesitate TO pay more
than one Washington lady OF high con.
nections serious attentions and engage
her hand in marriage, and would con.
time the bctrothal until fuch time IA he
saw ut to break it of, or until he found
that no Improvement in his finances
would result from the marriage. know
Of one Of these instances where no one
connected with the lady's family sup.
posed until after the dcnOucment which
followed his marriage with the niece of
Mr.. Defrees, then, rs now, the Public
Printer, TINT Mr.. Cooper was guilty of
aught worse than the iickleness of
young and pleasure. loving nature. BE.
fore his marriage to Miss Mothershead,
Mr.. Defreess niece, the detectives were
shadowing him on account of forgeries
committed against government and those
employing them knew OF the intended
marriage, yet took no step to save M in
nocent girl from the misery aud disgrace
of uniting herself to a villain. The mar
riage took place with her uncle's con.
sent, he, of course, knowing no reason
to oppose it, and the couple started on
their bridal trip, intending to reach
Philadelphia before night and remain
there few days. The detectives fol-
lowed the carriage containing the bride
and groom to the depot and left the city
on the same train with them, but made
no attempt to arrest the forger until the
train was crossing at Havre dc Grace,
and he left his bride for few moments.
Then he was informed OF the charges
against Inn and shown the warrant for
his arrest. He implored permission to
take his bride to Philadelphia and see
her comfortably settled ut the Cont
mental Hotel before the arrest was pub
licly made, and his wishes were re-
spected. The officers of the law remained |
in the car with him until reaching
Philadelphia, and kept him in sight
until he and his wife were shown to
private room in the hotel. There he left
her, merely saying that he wished
to speak to friend in the
hot'l, and she never saw him again.
Ter lonely hours of watching for the
return OF her bridegroom and the over
whelming misery which came upon her
when she could not choose, but believe
herself to be deserted bride, need not
be depicted. A telegram brought
her uncle to her next day and then they
both knew the truth-that Cooper was a
base scoundrel and hud been placed in
prison to await trial for forgery. The
bride returned with her uncle to Wash
ington and was soon legally divorced,
while Cooper was sentenced to five years
in the penitentiary.
All this occurred about eleven wears
ago. The lady has for some time been
happily married to another; and the
same can truly be said Of yet one more
who was once the fancee of the fascinat-
ing Cooper.
One of the peculiarities of the lady
killer was the business-hke and methodi-
cal treatment of all the love letters he
received from fair ladies'. After his ar
rest, when the papers at the Navy
Department were seized, the biIlets-
dour of more than one who had been
betrothed to him were found neatly
folded and filed away as if they were
business documents, Endorsed after this
fashion: "Bess, June TO-" "Dear little
Bess; how much she loves me |" The
latter sentence would be placed under the
ruled lines usually headed "Remarks
on filed papers. I am glad to say that
Secretary Welles was able to restore to
some of the ladies their letters and screen
them from further publicity.