The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-02-06

the reader, respecting the employment
OF Jones, the coming Of the petldlar,
and the conversation overheard by
Cooper between the two men, showing
that they were old acquaintance and
ASSOCIATES IN SOME DREADFUL CRIME.
The words, "we strangled the old
wretch, seemed To bear directly on the
killing of Cooper, showing that the men
: mad already perpetrated similar crime.
Mrs. Cooper also remembered that Jones
had once helped her husband to put Il
new lock on the oaken chest, although
the money was not visible and never II.
ferrcd Ia.
Still II WAS natural to suppose that
Jones would not believe that 80 strong Il
box with secure lock was required
merely for the sake Of keeping few old
fashioned garments which lay on the top
of the contents, AMI We're alone visible to
Jones.
\ careful description of the two men
was obtained, and officers were sent for
to Leeds To go i'll pursuit Of them. At q
public house just outside of Pontefract,
IN the way to the great North road, the
officers heard tidings Of them. They
were there when man brought the news
"i C"opcr's murder, but almost immedi-
ately quilted the place and went up by
the castle toward the country.
The same night the officers were upon
their track, hut had to give up the search
and seek shelter i'll farm house till next
day. Early in the morning they arose
just II dawn and heard connection out
side. Hastily dressing, they went out
ami found the farmer and his man in Il
state at great alarm and astonishment.
One of the men said that on going into
the barn they found q man lying on the
straw with n broken leg. The officers
slw the man who said that his name was
Strong, and that he belonged to Castle
ford; that he was formerly i'll the employ
OF Cooper, but enlisted, and had Just
been discharged; and that he had saved
some money, and WAS on his way to his
former home when night came on, and
liz SOUGHT SHELTER IN THE BARN.
He said that he was reused ont of his
sleep by two men whom he described.
and who were evidently Jones and the
peddlcr; that they questioned him rs to
who he WAS, and then attempted IT, rob
him; that he had struggle and was
thrown, and that his leg was broken. He
said that rs he lay half insensiblc the
tvs" men rihel his pockets, took from
him I'LL he had and lecampel.
The constable Of Castleford, who was
with the two officers from Leeds, recog-
nized Strong, and bore out his statement
AZ to having been in Coopcr's employ
and enlisted. The man was removed to
the house and medical aid procured.
Then the officers returned to their pur-
suit of Jones and the peddler, and finally
got wind of them i'll coppice skirtiug
the road. They ut first offered resist
mce, but were captured and secured.
On Jones WAS found over Fl, 100 i'll Bank
of England notes, the sum which was
missing from Cooper's strong box. They
were conveyed to Castlcford and commit
TED by coroner for the willful murder
of John Cooper. They were then re-
moved to Wakefield on July 2lst, to
await their trial.
They denied any knowledge OF the
murder of Cooper, and Jones said that
Cooper wits aware of his departure M he
informed him Of his intention before
they retired on the night Of the murder,
and received from him the amount OF
money due Ia him, for which he wrote II
receipt. This receipt was actually found
i'll the money drawer in Coopcr's bar
room.
The story told by the two Of what hap
pened after they quilted Cnstleford was
singular. 1t WA about o'clock in the
morning when they left the premises Of
Cooper. They observed light in his
bedroom, and remarked that the old man
was awake. just then the light was rx-
tinguished, and the next instant the
window, which was in old-fnshioned lat
ticc, opening down the middle, was
thrown open.
FIGURE or WOMAN
emerged. The person dropped to the
ground, scaled the fence close by, and
disappeared. Jones said to his compan-
ion that he supposed Cooper had taken
advantage Of his wife's absence to receive
one OF his lady friends, though he never
Thought he was II man of that sort. The
pcddlcr, i'll reply, said she was II nimble
girl to climb the fence as she did. The
two went on to POntefract, and remained
there in public-housc until late in the
day.
On hearing of the murder of Cooper
they were astOunded, and saw ut once
that suspicion might rest on them. They
resolved, therefore, to quit the neighbor-
hood M speedily as possible. They took
refuge i'll the barn at the place where the
officers stayed, and while i'll the act Of
going to sleep were aroused by the entry
Of n third person. This man struck
match, and, shading it carefully from out
side view, took out Il package of bank
notes and counted them. The impress
sion seized both Jones and the peddler
that this man must be the murderer Of
Cooper. They resolved simultaneously
to get the money, and, waiting an oppor-
tumity, they sprang on him. He resisted
and his leg was broken by fall which
the long-armcd pedilcr gave him. Then
the two men gathered up the money and
quilted the place. They were in doubt
as to what course to follow; but ut
length, being short Of funds, resolved TO
appropriate the money and go to Lon
don.
In confederation of this strange story,
Il calico dress was found thrust into
drain in field adjoining Cooper's, and
this dress was identified by Mrs. Meek
as one which she missed from the line in
her yard the very day after tile murder.
Az to the man Strong, he stuck to his
original story, but n remarkable fact came
to light. He swore that the two men
robbed him of all his savings, which IN
entry in his pocket book showed were f27
los. In leathern bag found in his jack
ct pocket that precise sum was discover
ed, and though he tried to explain this it
was signal failure. Strong was indicted,
tried for Cooper's murder, and convicted
of the crime. Before his execution he
admitted that his sentence was just. He
said Ills visit TO Cooper WAS friendly, but
on reaching the house he found it closed.
There was
LIGHT IN CoOPER's ROOM,
and climbing to the window which was
easy Of access, he peered through and
saw the old man over his strong boxes
counting his notes. The itlea seized
Strong to get the money. He climbed
the fence aud walked about in the ad-
joining field, considering what he should
do. Seeing gown tapping in the high
wind, the disguise was suggested. He
procured tho dress, donned it, and, after
the light in Cooper's room had been ex-
tinguished for a reasonable time, mount
ed to the window and entered. Cooper
slept heavily, and Strong, using cotton
kerchief which lay Mt the sleeping man =
pillow, strangled him after n terrible
struggle. Then he took the money and
departed.
Though Jones and the peddler were