Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-10-06
MURDERED WITH PENKNIFE
Sensational Tragedy In the
Isle of Man.
THE VICTIM A PRETTY WOMAN
Killed by Her Husband After
a Bitter Quarrel.


LONDON, Sept. 30.--The inhabitants
of the Isle of Man were recently thrown
into state of great excitement by Il
brutal mnrdercommit at Douglas the
principal town Of the island. Murder is
crime not often committed on the
island, this being the first case that has
occurred in seven years. The victim was
Mrs. Edith Anne Cooper, remarkably
pretty woman, about % years old She
and her husband, George Barker Cooper,
n merchant of Manchester, arrived in
Douglas in the latter part of August
and took rooms at the Regent Hotel.
They had been there but short time
when one night one Of the chamber
maids heard the couple quarrclling and
then she heard Il slight scream. The
chambermaid testified that she pecred
| through the i<eyholc in the door of the
room occupied by the Coopcrs, and saw
Mrs. Cooper, almost nude, lying on the
| il0Or. Cooper was kneeling beside her
with towel in his hand.
Cooper subsequently left the room
and notified the hotel people that his
wife was dead a constable was sum
moned, and when he entered the room he
saw Mrs, Cooper lying on the hoord dead,
The policeman saw that the woman had
been stabbed, and he asked Cooper who
had committed the crime. Cooper
replied that he did not know. He added
| that he had been to bank, and when
he returned he had found his wife in a
faint on the bed. He placed her on the
| floor anu poured some water on her,
but his efforts t. resuscitatc her were Of
no avail. He afterwards said that he
must 60 down stairs and get II drink,
but the policeman, whose suspicious
We're aroused, told him that he could
| not 80 out of the room. Cooper
exclaimed; 81 must 90" and made for
the door, but was stopped by another
officer who had arrived in the meantime.
Cooper was placed under arrest, and,
as he was led away in custody, nc eX 4
claimed "Oh, my God oh, my God
let me so back and kiss her before | am
| taken away"
The ccroners jury that examined
| into the case returned verdict of will
full murder against Cooper, and he was
held for trial The case has been pro,
ceciing for several days, and the court
room at Douglas has been crowded with
persons frOmall parts Of the island eager
TO hear the testimony.
Among the evidence introduced bv
the prosecution was tho npht.drpss
worn by Mrs. Cooper at the time of her
death. One Of the sleeves had been
torn out. A knife, with which, it was
claimed, the stabbing had been done,
was also put in evidence
The constable who was first sum
mOned testified that the sheets, pillows
and bolster on the bed wero smcarcd
| with blood nearest the side where Mrs.
Cooper lay on the floor. The cuffs Of
the shirt which cooper was wearing at
the time had blood on them. There
was blood, too on the wardrobe floor,
| and an attempt had apparently been
made to wash away the stains, for some
| towels and hankerchicfs aud portion
OF the deceascd's undergarments seemed
To have been used TO wipe the floor A
| garment found under the bed had been
used as mop.
| Under the ManX law, person ac.
cusca of capital crime can be sworn
in his own defence, and to-day Cooper
| was placed in the witness box. A most
decided sensation was caused when he
confessed that he had had Il quarrel
with his wife, and that he had killed
her BY stabbing her with % penknife.
lie said lie did not intend to kill her,
but had stabbed her in the heat of passion,
The murdered woman was Cuoper's
second wife and they had only been
married year About 10 years ago
| Cooper was charged at the Chester
Assllcs with shooting at his first wife
intending to kill her. The charge arose
| out Of an intrigue in which lie had been
engaged with woman named Ditch.
field.
He was acquitted and subsequently,
his wife secured u divorce from him and
married again. On the day following
her marriage Cooper married tht
woman whose murder he has nov con,
fessed.
Mrs. Coopcr's maiden name was also
| Cooper, though she was no relation IL
nef husband. She was the daughter OF
MT. William Cooper, gentleman of in.
dependent means, residing at the Oaks
shirley. She was highly accomplished
and was educated at q private school al
shirley. she was q great fayorite and had
u very pleasant disposition. For some
reason mat has not been explained she
| look an engagement as a harlnaid at the
Central Hotel, in Douglas, and here ii is
believed She first made the Acquaintance
Oh Cooper, Cooper wasa frequent visitor
To Douglas, where he was well-knowD
and well connected. She soon gaVc vi
hcr place in the hotel and went TO reside
| Win relatives in London. About Is
months ago she returned to Shirley and
| remained at home until her marriage
WIN the man who will row, in all prob,
ability, be hanged for killing her.
Cooper is considerably over 80 years
Oh lie Is gentlcmanly looking indi.
vldual lie claimed that his wife was
drank at the time of the murder, but
TINS statement was refuted by several
witnesses from the hotel, who saw hel
: 81 E.L.llI l.r,E..L.. M.