Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-18
MAS II MURDER +?
A PLAUSIBLE THEORY OF THE CAUSE
OF Co0PER's DEATH.
Assaulted by Chinese on the Day Before
He Died-Something that De-
serves Inquiry.

Coroner Clark yesterday held an inquest
on the body of Rhoderick Dhu Cooper, who
was found dead in his bed on Tuesday an
hour after he was seen alive and well, but
under the influence of liquor. The jury
found a verdict in accordance with the
terms of the autopsy, namely, that de-
ceased came to his death from the effects OF
alcoholism.
Owing to the fact that Cooper had been
drinking hard for some days prior to his
death, the public generally accepted the
theory that his death resulted from alco-
holism, but there were not a few-espe-
cially among those who were familiar with
his habits, and who knew him to be a
young man of unusually robust constitu-
tion-who were 10th to believe that his
death resulted from the effects of drink.
One saloon-keeper, who has been famil-
lar with Cooper's habits, told RECORD
UNION reporter on Wednesday that, while
the autopsy may have shown deranged
condition of deceased's stomach and kid
neys, he did not believe that the results
were due to alcoholism, for he had seldom
known Cooper to drink liquor, his GUS
tomary beverage being beer. Still, there
was no other apparent cause of death, and
the theory that Cooper's over-indulgence
in drink was responsible for his sudden
taking off was accepted generally.
But there have been later developments
that throw different light on the subject,
and it may yet be developed that the I'M
fortunate young man owed his death to
violence. 1t seems that on the evening of
the day preceding that of his death Cooper
was assaulted by some Cinnamon in the
alley between Second and Third, and ]
streets, and received a severe beating with
one of the hickory poles used by the Chinese
for carrying baskets. He was not only
beaten on the head, but those who wit
messed the affair say he was severely and
repeatedly jabbed in the stomach with the
end of the pole. Cooper was somewhat
under the influence of liquor at the time,
and was accompanied by one Tom Gun
ningham, who was too drunk to be of any
assistance to him.
1t is a well-known fact that a severe
blow or punch in the region of the stomach
is often attended with fatal results, and
long and heavy pole in the hands of a stall
wart Chinaman is a very dangerous imple-
ment of warfare, especially when used in
man. 1t behooves the police authorities,
the District Attorney and Grand Jury to
give their attention to this matter and sift
it to the bottom. There are several persons
who witnessed the assault upon Cooper on
the day before his death, and their full
statements should be had. This seems by
all means the more plausible cause of the
unfortunate young mans death. The con-
tusions on the head and other parts of the
body of the deceased, mentioned by DR..
White in the report of his autopsy, were
no doubt the result of blows received in
the assault upon him by the Cinnamon.
About the strangest thing in connection
with the affair is the fact that the par
ties who witnessed the assault upon Cooper
withheld from the Coroner and surgeon
making the autopsy the facts known to
them.
1t is understood that the relatives of de-
ceased learned of his death before sailing
from New York for Europe, as they had in
tended doing, and that they will return
here at once.