Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-11
EXTRAORDINARY BEHAVIOR.
"My Name Il Copps. ~ Hold Up
Your linndsl"

Alta, inSAlt Lake County, Ia a small
mining camp and has generally en-.
joyed the reputation Of being peace.
fll settlement, nothing OF consequences
occurring, ns rule, 10 disturb the
even tenor Of lts way. On Tuesday
evening, however, an affair happened
there which, for the time being, Great
Ell some little excitement among the
people, and reached IL culminatlon
this morning In Commissioner Green.
mans court
Thc complainant IN tho case was
Mrs. Ada NJ. Watson, n good. looking
and fsshionnbly attired lady about ~
years Of age, the defendant being one
Garrett Cops, man Of -sme 80 years,
aud employed NJ Waterman nj one
ofthe mines In Alta. The facts as de.
veloped In evidence were peculiar, hut
the commissioner, after hearing them,
did not experience much difficulty In
arriving ut a conclusion, and MI.
Copps now finds himself under bond
Of $1,000 10 keep the peace for period
Of ak months.
Mrs. Walton told horat0ry In n clear,
straightforward manner. In effect ID
was this. She said that while walking
along the highway near hor homo on
the evening Of the 9Th lust, tho de.
PENDANT, vino was some distance be-
ni,ralled out 10 her 10 halt. At this
time he was running and upon his
reaching her ehe turned round. As
they stood face 10 face Cops had six.
shooter (produced) In his hand.
Dispensing with all Formally.
hc thus Intro iuced himself: my
name Is Cops; hold up your hands!D
Tho lady was taken abaok at this
strange proceeding, being wholly I'M
nblo " account for tho mans conduct.
lie thrust tho revolver before hor two
OF three times, and she Inquired,
.Why,what IL the matter Mr.. Copps?"
To this came the answer, 'If you
were Mis-. Collins you would he dead
woman now. You would suck water
" you were herl" The defendant
was Wildly excited. Upon dis.
covering that he had made a mistake
he whined, ~ hope you will pardon
mo; thought II was Mn. CoilIns,D
they then went their respective ways.
shortly afterwards she saw her hu..
hand Mt the store AMI Informed him
o. what had Just tHnsplred. Mr..
watson was naturally very Indignant,
went 10 Cops aud demanded AN ex.
plsnstion. They went Into the office
In the store, nni Mrs. Watson accom-.
panied them. After some con.
ver-atlon Cops drew the re-
volyer on Mr. Watson, whose
wife stepped between them. Defendant
again became excited and cxclaltn-J,
step aside, or III shoot you both.D
He then told Mr.. Watson 70 get
his gun and defend himself. He re.
piled that he had no gun, and immod,.
ately Afterwards Cops laid down the
revolver, which Mr.. Watson picked IN
aud handed TO n Mr.. Jones, who was
present, TO take oare Of.
In crussexamlnatlOn by Mr.. Morse.
who dcicided, Mrs. Watson said the
defendant lived about n mile from her
husbands house. They had known
MIN about year, but had
never had the slightest trouble with
him. She knew " no reason for his
acting M he did beyond what he him.
self stated, Defendant told hor TINT
lac did not Intend 10 do her any harm,
begged her pardon, and said at the
store that Mrs. Collins (who also live,
nj Alta) had been trying 10 inlure him.
Evidence was also given by the
complaluanps husband aud Mr.. Jones.
The former said that when he took I'M
the revolver from the desk, the defend.
ant declared that unless ho gave il IN
he would Kill him. He had never he.
fore this time had an unkind word with
Cops. MI. Jones told the court that
when the defendant was sin liduorU
no was inclined To be very quasrelsome.
such appeared TO DO his condition on
this particular occasion. He considered
him dangerous man In tho com.
munity under such circumstances.
About two years ago he cut a man
named Pickett, aud had quarreled with
In answer 10 the court, both Mr.. and
Mrs. Watson said they felt afraid In
Of the deiendani's manner
aud threais.
Cops was sworn and testified In his
own behalf. He Ii evidently a very |
eSoitable individual, as proved by his |
volatility while on the stand. For six |
years, no said, he has resided In Alta,
aud declared that he never meant 10 |
Insult either the complainant or her
husband. lie entertained not the least |
lll-ireling toward them. "Mr. Watson
Il perfect gontleman,o he added,
and his wife IL perfect lady.n Mr..
when At the store, after he
iad "eXplalned himself" 10 that gen.
leman, gently slapped him first ON
me cheek and then on tho other, and |
Also Kept poking him In the ches, with |
MS finger illustrating the movement |
by geminl," continued Cops with |
'niphasls, ~ couldn't stand that, and |
hen lot up!n
Commissioners Grcenman delivered
bfief lecture on the evil practice OF |
'ome men drawing n revolver on the
nerest pretense, but man who would |
iolnt revolver at a woman, said Inc, |
vas not II, TO reside In n civilized |
lie condemned the dc. |
endanps conduct, required him TO |
urnlsh bond of 81 900 rs a guarantee |
nat he would keep the peace for the |
TEXT SIX months ut least, and |
kow ise ordered him to pay the costs. |
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