The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1886-02-25
TooELE UTAH, Feb. II, 1886.
Dear Standard:

Dleu OF Olt SamY Is Lne nedu
line Of an DER true tale contained in
yesterdays Tribune (Salt Lake.) Such
stories are not uncommon. Below, !
give the readers of the STANDARD an
almost verbatim copy of the Tribune
account. Any of our readers who
doubt it will be given full proof of
its genuineness and authenticity. Let
every American and over of the Flag,
remember that the people of the
United States permit such outrages
and protectthe same.
JAMES D. GILLIAN.
Hannah Cooper, the legal wife of
Fred A Cooper, died at West Jordan
Monday Feb. 1st, 1885, The death
bed scene was one Of the saddest ever
witnessed, and could it be pictured
fully to the American people, they
would rise in their might and wipe
out polygamy which caused this poor
woman to die heart-broken.
Twenty-Five years ago she and
Cooper were married and lived happy
although they were poor and worked
hard. 1t all ended however in three
years when Cooper decided to take
another wife.
Hannah his first wife was a quiet
kind wife aud mother, and always
bore her sorrows uncomplainingly.
The second Mrs. C. is described as a
"Course and Domineering Woman" "
devoid Of refinement and who has for
twenty-five years done all in her
power to make the real wife unhappy.
Ever since that fatal day, Mrs. c. No.
1, has been dying of broken heart.
yet uttered never word until she lay
upon her death-bed
Sixteen years ago, Cooper took a
third wife, "a widow with several chill
dren. This widow had a farm on
which she still resides. Hannah
Cooper's father left her farm which
she and Cooper occupied Some years
ago Cooper purchased farm for his
second wife, giving mortgages to Sc
cure deferred payments. That mort
gage becoming due, he sold the farm
belonging to his legal wife to clear
the bebt on the farm for No. 2. AS
damnble as this may seem it is only in
keeping with the common practice in
Utah. The first wife always has to
give way to the interest Of the second,
third or last one. 1t was so with
Cooper, who always looked after the
interests of the second and third wives
while he ignored the happiness and
comfort OF Hannah and her eight
children. While No Q has her farm
Of 120 acres, a nice brick house,
stables and stock, the first wife and
her children were left without these
and now that the mother is gone, her
six smaller children are left penniless,
and at the tender mercies Of their in
dulgent (?) father. The old home has
been sold, you remember, three weeks
ago, Mrs. Hannah C. gave birth to
child. 1t was about the time that
Cooper was arrested for unlawful CO.
habition under the Edmunds Law,
and from which. arrest he is nov
under bonds. At the time of his ar
rest, Mrs. C. was urging him to plead
guilty, promise to obey the laws in
the future, and live in peace with her
and her children, and he made her be-
lieve he would do so.
Note. Judge Zane always let's the
offenders under Indictment for unlaw-
full cohabitation off with fine only, if
they do as Mrs C. urged her husband
to do. J. D. G..
Mrs. Cooper was so low that the Off
GERS arranged for her husband S return
to her at once, so soon as he could
plead to the indictments. He had
been gone but few moments when
the third wife came rushing into the
room Of the dying wife and cried out
that Mr.. Cooper had decided to go to
the Penitentiary and meekly suffer
for his religion. Under the circum-
stance the woman could not haye done
a more cruel thing, and it had it's de-
sired effect. The real wife sank under
the shock. 1t killed her, though she
fingered several days. Her children
we're constantly at her bedside, and
The now apparently repentant hus-
band was there also. Mrs. Cooper, all
through her married life, was in the
1abit, whenever anything unpleasant
came up, where she had sacrifice to
make, to say Il suppose it is for the
oest." This spirit followed her down
% near her death. But while loving
Ter husband as none but pure wo-
nan can, she could not help feeling a
Ieep concern for her children, and
,egged and pleaded with him to remain
nd care for them, and not to take
hem to the house of the second wife.
Both the second and third wives
we're so repulsive to Mrs. Cooper, that
he ordered that neither of them
hould be allowed to come into her
DOM. It is no fancy sketch to say
hat while debarred from the
these two women were ,
own stairs fattering themselves how j
hey would be the stepmothers of the |
and that when the change t
the symptoms once gave some hope