The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-20
4 E.fTIfERS CRIME.
The Trial or stephen Cooper for the Murder
OF his Dcmcnted Son.

PoUGHKEEPsIE, March 19.-The trial of
stephen Cooper. for the murder Of his son. WIS
begun in the Circuit Court in this city this
morning. Justice Joseph /. Barnard presiding.
The jury having been cmpanelled aud sworn,
the District Attorney opened tho case ,,or the
people, and t.,en the eoult '~, '~- n recess until
2PM.
At the afternoon session tho court room was
thronged. A number OF witnesses were called
for the prosecution but did not respond. and
the District Attorney went out to look for them.
He soon returned with the first witness. Henry
White. who testified as follows:
came dow the road AMI SAID to me- - have shot that
ycun5 fellow up ihcrr &C. &C. 1p amt see see hiin am soins
SON lay The son -.. putting lis hand On his stomach
"Ye. S c AZ The " %oanl se. 6td to he q ke ~,
groin aud the blood Wa, running down the path. The
boy di'' " about hall an hour Before he died the
Edsar benny testified The DAY OF tho murder the pri.
onsr came % my h"ase and wanted ne to come ont
went o1i AMI ne prisoner snii I've shot youus
snSss Won oeiy .lo to .osrs oh v, ,c e iD"s
his over and a II ihe n ."n nS ISs i1r
old man told me that he came to si'e himself up
Other Witnesses testified to the same oireot.
VIM. J. Thorn opened tho case for the de-
f'n '". telling the jury ihey would have II sharp
issue before them, either a case of ust liable
Thc rst waols Mu % caled for the Geienri 'Tr Was
ihe prisoner stephen Cooper lie testified as
ioll9ws;
Am G2 years Of agc. Reside Mt Dover. AMI
hay" lived there since was nine years Old.
hnvr two kris living. This boy was % years
Old last June. He lived at his grandlathcrs. II
mile on Two years ago last spring went be-
fore Squire Tompkins and complained against
him for ptchin. on mo with a caur. II"
went 10 pick on some white peonys that
belonged 20 his gran .motAcr when witness
lninrirrri and the boy struck him on the
heat with the cane, making several cut% The hos
WI ht aud stronger tlan After the ifll. before the
Justice. tho boy was about % he committed 10
lail when ngfcoi that H IN" 10y would swrAr
before IHwikins that he would hereafter keep
a"ay from me. would let him CO. The boy
k'lt away e atl that hut later "n wAii i'd Ia.
trouble with him while olApping wood IN the
woods. during which " Young Steve raised
aXe 10 NE. and | had 90 fly Tor my lie. The
sunday before he shot he struck me. lie also
sirucA my wife sni mother The latter Is ~
years Of axe, worry feeble and unable in get here
tree VIII IN she boy approached todd Inn to 90 away
tn" boy replied that he would stamp by liver out went
IN the house and the boy followed ana chnchcd
me. anl threw the floor GOT up
aud hid m the cellar and pretty soon the women told ne
The hoy lai gone then came out AMI got my gun,
been loaded time. and fred II N and loaded 1t
again with pigeon shot was then >ttiuS DO" IN The door
sAw yunu. stove coming cur-ing and swearing that he
~ the ,Hino uMc he pulled un his coat warned HIM
not To- come IN. The hoy replied I'm split your brains
out and th.n made ior with piece ot thu two i.St
kept coming and thinking to scare him. nred on one
barrel not at nrst inienins o Int him. ana the boy fell
ami gave himself up thought the boy meant ~ Kill me,
ami Was AFRAID Of my life