The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-19
COOPER THE FORGERR.
Interesting incidents in His Career.
An Entertaining Statement Regarding
Him BY New Orleans
Gentleman.

In the papers OF this country OF the career rs d
forger OF William Rlnggold Codhr. who has re-
Gently created sensation In Il ION by for
gerry for large amount on dlynn. Mills & Co.,
bankers In that city. make mention OF the fact
that he was at ono time In this city. and that he
was for awhile a resilient OF Columbus. MISS
| A reporter OF tho DEMOCRAT was yesterday
fortunate In meeting with d gentleman. one we'll
known In New Orleans. who was personally aud
| intimately acquainted with Cooper. and from
him the following
INTERESTING SKETCH
| Of the celebrated forger was obtained.
The gentleman said:
Cooper was one Of tho finest looking mon I
ssM hesh build tn esoT
well prODOrtioned, his appearance would not
Indicate that hs possessed the strength he did.
regular: he had black curly hair and brown
eyes. 50 dark that they might be mistaken for
black He was polished and genial In his man
ing mn Introduction. which impressed most ia
vorably the person who met him for the first
time: His manner was at all times fascinating
! and he could draw anyone to him. He was we'll
rend and although his education was superb
cial. he manifested considerable tact Ia the dis
NET hin him s about SIX yaas so In ooum
bus Miss. where he was residing at the time.
This was after he had married Mrs. Hill, a lady
| community and much esteemed by the people
Of the town.
was then connected with tho KnIckerbooker
Life Insurance Company. and my visit to
Columbus WIS for the transaction of Its bust
| ness. / found that | could not remain long
enough to complete the business. and / ap-
ject to tho approval OF It's representation in
this city. The appointment WAS approved aud
three months contract was entered Into with
him.
His transactions with tho company wers
always straight and honest. and the business
entrusted to him wis iuana ged with consider
abe ability, and ho gHve The greatest satisfAc-
tiun. shortly after had given him his ap-
nontment no visited the city with his wits: and
that is the first time SO far % have any knowI-
edge. that he was eyor Ia New Orleans. u was
during tho Mard Cirrus festivities md as mad
t.ken. great fancy ~ him. aud considered
him In every respect n gsntIeman. l showed
him many cOurtesles ana gave hin number
Of lntroductonB.
III came to my Office one day. bringing with
ono OF the iron clade then in tho river and IN
troduced him TO mo. | mention the eircum-
stanoe now ~ o prelude TO an incident which
followed,
COOPER RETURNED TO COLUMBUS.
and Iaaw no more Of him until last December
will be three years ago. He came into my Office
and said he had broken UP la Columbus. and
said he was cnsting about for something to do.
He had prepared the way for his coming by
letter written some time previous to me, stating
that his business had been wrecked and he was
uined man Itappears that the first hus-
band OF tho lady he made his wife In Columbus
had left her bridge. from the tolls OF which an
income Of from $1,000 TO $500 yen was real zod.
Tho county had forced him into selling to the
bridge by threatening TO build auother along
side Of 1t and permit free passhae The money
ho received for the bridge he invested In u mill
and lost.
After be had stated his circumstances to mo /
invited him to stop at my house. and no ae-
oepted the invitation and rematned with me
about week. Ono day ne told me he intended
n va n % 1 o'clock
Mobile. He said that he Was considerably In
debt. and although hi intended TO pay every
therefore did not want his ultimate destination
known. He then said he was
GOING TO STRIKE OUT FOR CALIFORNIA,
and asked me for q letter of Introduction. /
gave him general letter Of recon mendaiion.
He agreed to meet mo In time to accompany
him to the train and sec him off, but rs he
be- h 6s s a
much surprised on reachtug nv house In tho
evening, to learn that he had gone. He left tpe
Mobile train. and have always thought, and
even now have no doubt. that he went away By
the Jackson Road.
A week or two after his departure / received
Q letter from Albert Ramsey Of Coiumbus. en-
closing cipping from Mobile paper contain
Ing an account Of Cooper's arrest for the Tor.
gerry there Ramsey said he Informed me OF
the transac' ion ut the request OF Cooper.
Several days after the receipt OF this got
COMMUNICATION FROM COOPER,
dated from community Of Shakers In Ken
lucky, where he had N brother. His ett"r en-
closed tho recommend dalton had given him.
He said: " have written TO you. Al to toll
you all about my matters, and you know moro
about me now than you did when you gave
me the letter. ! return It. but II with your
knowledge you can reissue 1t. promise to try
and live up to IT, and be the man you repre-
scented me to be"
answered him that could not reissue It.
that his offense WAS too Dremedtated and too
ccoliy carried OUT. and henceforth he must re-
gard me HI q stranger.
| never heard any more from him. Some
time after met the Daymaeter to whom he had
introduced me. and spoke OF the Mobile affair
The paymaster then informed me OF the gov
ernment forGeriee, and said that he had accept
ed the introduction at Gooper's hands and kept
quiet as to his part because he had told him he
was leading new life and begged him to for
get his previous record.
The paymaster also informed me that
Cooper's first wife. Miss Defrees had obtained
a divorce Immediately after his conviction on
the government forgeries. ..Z
never heard OF Cooper again until hts trans
actions In San Francisco We're made public.
TIE GOVERNORS OPINION.
The following circular addressed to the as