Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-02-04

| Wuo1e uc SlePG, odiel SOopoi Let1icu 10
his own room.
When Mrs Cooper returned it was
past o'clock. The house, greatly to
her surprise, was closed, but ON going to
the rear she found the back door on the
latch. As she was about to enter, VIM.
Meek, neighbor, called to her from the
window adjoining:
"What's the matter, Mistress" he
said, "that John has not opened house
by this time?'
Mrs. Cooper was in such state of fear
and trepidation that she could hardly
answer, and Meek observing this climbed
the fence and joined her. Then she
briefly told him that she had been away
all night at her brothers on business,
and was
AFRAID SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED.
Meek entered the house with her.
Everything appeared as it had been left
over night, but on going to the small
room occupied by Jones, they found that
it was empty, and the bed showed signs
of not having been slept upon. This,
for reasons known to the reader, excited
Mrs. Cooper's fears greatly, and, accom-
panied by Meek, she went up stairs to
her husbands bedroom. John Cooper
lay on the bed undressed, and dead
When the authorities came to inquire
into the case, it had been found that
Cooper had been strangled with a hand
kerchief, which lay twisted upon the
floor A strong oaken chest, which
usually lay under the bed, had been
was missing large sum of money which
4I,a 1o1 Gov
that when their unfortunate son and only
child-who, as may be already inferred,
had broken the laws and been transported
across the seas-returned from his long
Imprisonment, provision might be made
for his future comfort.
Before the coroner Mrs. Cooper re-
lated the facts already in possession of
the reader, respecting the employment
of Jones, the coming of the peddlar,
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
had already perpetrated similar crime.
Mrs. Cooper also remembered that Jones
had once helped her husband to put
new lock on the oaken chest, although
the money was not visible and never re-
ferred to.
Still it was natural to suppose that
Jones would not believe that so strong q
box with secure lock was required
merely for the sake of keeping a few old
fashioned garments which lay on the top
of the contents, and were alone visible to
Jones'
A careful description of the two men
was obtained, and officers were sent for
to Leeds to go in pursuit of them. At a
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
of Cooper'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, but had to give up the search
and seek shelter in farm house till next
day. Early in the morning they arose
just at dawn and heard a commotion out
side Hastily dressing, they went out
and found the farmer and his man in a
state of great alarm and astonishment.
One of the men said that on going into
the barn they found man lying on the
straw with a broken leg. The officers
saw the man who said that his name was
Strong, and that he belonged to Castle
ford; that he was formerly in 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
He said that he was reused out of his
sleep by two men whom he described,
and who were evidently Jones and the
peddler; that they questioned him as to
who he was, and then attempted to rob
him; that he had struggle and was
thrown, and that his leg was broken. He
said that as he lay half insensible the
two men rihed his pockets, took from
him all he had and decamped.
The constable of Castleford, who was
with the two officers from Leeds, recog-
nized Strong, and bore out his statement
as to having been in Cooper'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 in coppice skirting
the road. They at first offered resist
ance, but were captured and secured.
On Jones was found over 81, 100 in Bank
of England notes, the sum which was
missing from Cooper's strong box. They
were conveyed to Castleford and commit
ted by a coroner for the willful murder
of John Cooper. They were then re-
moved to Wakefield on July Dist, to
await their trial.
They denied any knowledge of the
murder of Cooper, and Jones said that
Cooper was aware of his departure as he
informed him of his intention before
they retired on the night of the murder,
and received from him the amount of
money due to him, for which he wrote
receipt. This receipt was actually found
in the money drawer in Cooper's bar
room.
The story told by the two of what hap
! Dened otter they omitted Castlefnrd WAS