New-York tribune., 1890-05-05
THE ROMANCE OF HOOPER
A "PENNY-DREADFuL TALE TO RELIEVE
THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRATS.
ITS AUTHOR RECITEs IT IN GOOD STYLE BEFORE
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE AT LITTLE
RoCK-THE STORY, THOUGH GIVEN IN .
GREAT DETAIL, FAILS TO PUT
HOOPER WHERE HE COULD
HAVE SHOT J. NJ. CLAYTON.
-"r TELEGRAPH TO THE TKIBUNE.J


Committee of Jared Safer, of Jcffersonville, Ind
lis pntative father The story told by Safer un-
doubtedly has many elements of truth 1t may
even he believed that its author means TO be
truthful on the witness-stand, but at the same
time he makes some violent demands upon the
credulity Of his audience when he thinks that
among other things they will believe: First. that
man bcdrdden for three years can suddenly un-
dertake Journey of some 3, 900 miles without the
fact attracting universal attention in the neigh
borhood in which he and his family have lived
so long
Second. that man who, upon Mr. Satcr's own
showing, is so poor that he is put ont Of house
oy It's landlord for non-pavmcnt OF rent and has
10 appeal to the charity Of friends should of II
sudden obtain money enough to get here, to under
take costly journey and commit murder under
circumstances which. likewise, require some out
lay OF money, considerable certainly in the case
OF stranger in a strange country.
Ihifd, that man capable of harboring revenge
for twenty years without giving any outward
sign Of his feelings until near the close of that
period. should suddenly announce 10 a friend of
only two years standing not only his intention 10
commit the crime Of murder. but after having
committed the deed should return 70 this same
friend and innocently eNcaim in tragic tones I
am Jack the Ripper which was tantamount 10
saying 8" killed j. VI. Clayton
Fourth, that Safer himself, after making the
discovery of the alleged identity between his
friend and the murderer Of j. VI. Clayton. should
make only one weak effort toward securing the
arrest Of the alleged murderer in the course Of
nearly two months. These are the things which
Mr.. safer asks 'he committee and the public 10
believe and it is these things upon which the
Vel al cIo
inndge and his friends are probably the only
guardians, IS based. That Mr. Satcr saw and
knew Hooper. that he lived in tie same
house with him. that hr heard him express threats
AGAINST Clayton. and that he was the Hooper
whose father had been murdered by an Arkansas
mob many years ago, is undoubtedly truc II
is probable. TOO. that the widow Of Hooper i'm
icstifying the other day that size did not know
such man as Safer was not telling the truth
but il requires a pretty long stretch of the
Imagination 10 place any faith In the converse
ions Of Hooper and Safer such rs tie latter says
took place between them. The whole story. in
short. Is one Of that character which illustrates
forciblv the danger of half truth
Jared Safer appeared before tho committee late
this afternoon. His coming was expected. as
counsel for Mr.. Brcckinrldgc had instructed some
one I'm Jcifcrsonville by telegraph 10 furnish him
with railroad ticket. without which. Safer had
Informed tie committee that be- would not come.
He entered the room I'm company with Governor
Eacb. They had met for the first time a few
minutes before. He is man about five feet six
inches IN height, and of light build. Ne has
brown hair q musiachc of the same color and
gray eyes He wore rather shabby suit Of
c!otley Altogether. hr gives the impression
- a prosperous mechanic or wcll-todo shopl,ccpcr
IN country town He was permitted 10 tell
hls story in his own way. practically without
interruption until near the last. and hc gave il
unhcsitatingly and in a voice that could easily be
lrard in the TcmotoSt part Of the room. From
hs narrative il was learned that me- is forty
seven years Of age. has wife and three chlldnrn.
al of whom reside in Icf,rso1yilic. Ind He
Is a salesman for a carpet house I'm politics he
is. according to hs statement. neither a Demo
crat nor % Republican. and Yet he says he is not
Nlugwump. lie voted for Grover Cleveland. and
for twelve years supported 'hc Grccnback party.
lie is a member Of the Episcopal Church.
lie lived IN Jcfcrsonvillc from lS71 10
1856 when lie came 10 Little Rock but
after "A sN months stay here started for Los
Angeles. in California where hc arrived on Feb
ruary 10. 1857. Two years later he returned
10 Icfcrsonyillc, reaching his former home on
May - Of that year, residing there ever since.
Us an evidence Of his having lived in Little Rock,
hc gave "a number OF names of respectable cit-
lcns ~ we'll the place OF his residence There
was other testimony, similar in character. but
simply preliminary 70 the main story. In June,
$50. he was living ar no i30 NInin-st., III East
Los Angeles Thomas Hooper lived in Hancock
81, nearby. The children of the two families
apparently knew each other and played together
long before the grOwn-up members Of the TWO
households became acquainted. One summer
evening Nater met Hooper hauling n load OF brick
with his team. He was then returning hom"
His son was driving another team. Both s'"PpeW
and began conversation. Hooper complained
about working for 81 day. which, for himself
nd his team hc thought not enough Safer |
hen remembered that hc had a load OF aprlcotS +
which he desired Hooper 10 deliver, ana Il" |
is<cd him 10 do IT, Hooper consented. ms was |
her the 9TH or 9th Of July. Satcrs memory, |
i may be remarked in passing, for dates ana |
lctails is something phenomenal. The hanlinV |
sas done OH July I. or <, but there was more
lanling of "a similar kind To be DONE and u was
lone by Hooper in the four succeeding weeks, III
act until the fruit season closed
In November Safer met Mr.. and MIS-. Hooper
near their house The former was about To de-
liver some fruit for canning purposes. The de-
There can De little question that she is the woman
who testified the other day. Engaging the couple
II conversation hc learned that the lloopes "cre
II great distress. under threats of being turned
,ut Of their house for nonpaymcnt Of rent safer
acted as the generous friend and offered 'h'ih
quarters at his place. The offer was acoeP'eu'
This was a few days before the Presidential elec-
ion in 1888 Hooper and his family rchlH'"
With the Saters until the week before Chrlslh's'
Inc evening, IA week or ten days after the lresi-
cnta election Safer came home from MS uaS
york. which then the collection OF pIils ior
merchants Hooper was seated on TIE pore" d"
ront of the house. They sat together Tor soine
ime Hooper telling Of the old days III ARKANSAS
lniil he got quite mellow and likewise co"' lie
omplained OF it's being chilly and desired 10 20
inside the house. They did 50 and had a soo'
hrec hours talk. Hooper told how he had p'''
aised in Plummcrvillc how he had left III hihe-
cen years before. how he had never pceh p'cN