Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1896-12-15
ASPHYXIATED.
Mrs. s.. II. Cooper and Daughter
Found Dead in San Francisco.
UNDOUBTEDLY A CASE OF SUICIDE,
Room In Which Their Bodies Lay Full
, Of Gas-Both We're Prominent In
/ Religious and Social Circles
"A Sad Story.

"a Sau story
Sen Francisco, Dec. 12.-Mrs, Sarah
II. Cooper and her daughter, Harriet
Cooper, We're found dead in their home
In this city Friday morning with the
gas turned on and every evidence Of
suicide. In her will, written Thursday,
Mrs. Cooper requests that the bodies of
herself and daughter be not taken to the
morgue. The Coopers have lived entire
ly alone except for Chinese cook, who
had been in their employ for 20 years.
he has not yet been found. 1t is eX-
pected he can throw some light on the
tragedy. The room in which the bodies
were found was full Of escaping gas
which the physicians said had undoubt-
edly caused asphyxiation. 1t is said
that on several prior occasions Harriet
Cooper had tried to take her life, but
this time the mother seems to have
Joined the daughtersin the effort to end
their lives. 1t is said Mr.. Cooper also
ended his own life.
Was Prominent Woman.
Mrs. Cooper was president of the Kin
dergarten association and her daughter
was deputy superintendent. Mrs.
Cooper had lived here 80 years and was
widely known as an educator, philan-
thropist and writer. She was president
of the Women's Press association,
president of the Women's Suffrage
association, and prominent as an
officer of the Women's Christian
Temperance union. For many years
she taught the largest Bible class
In the city in the First Congregational
church, her class numbering several
hundred adults. She was also assistant
pastor of the church under the pas
torate Of Rev. DIR. c. o. Brown.
When the scandal concerning DR..
Brown was first talked about Mrs.
Cooper stood by her pastor and ex-
pressed confidence in him. Later de-
Selopments caused her to change her
mind, and she and her daughter be-
came his most prominent opponents
and accusers after Mrs. Davidson. Much
bitterness i'll church circles was engen-
lered by Mrs. Cooper's statements on
the witness stand at the church trial.
Miss Cooper was even more pronounced
than her mother in opposition to DR..
Brown. This action estranged many
old friends, and the suicide of mother
and daughter is ascribed to the brood
ing over GOODNESS and snubs from former
friends.
Mrs. Cooper was supersensitive and of
late had been much worried over the
: illness of her daughter, who was SUI
fering from nervous prostration caused
by the outcome of the church troubles.
No woman on the Pacific coast had
been SO prominent for generation as
Mrs. Cooper, who had often preached
In Congregational pulpits and had been
engaged in all departments of Chris
tian work. She formerly resided in New
Orleans, and acted as nurse during the
war. Her husband and her other chill
dren died in New Orleans. Her tragic
end has caused an immense sensation in
this city.
Had Tried It Before.
! Oh. Sidney Worth, the Coopers' family
physician, has made public the pain
fully sensational announcement that
On two occasions within the past few
months Miss Cooper attempted to take
her own life and that of her mother by
turning on the gas. On both occasions
Mrs. Cooper restrained her only after a
struggle. Notwithstanding the danger
to which she was constantly subjected,
the heroic woman refused to be sepa-
rated from her daughter, remaining by
her side every hour for days and weeks
at time.
Insanity Hereditary.
Some months ago Miss Cooper be-
came acquainted with the fact that in
sanity was hereditary in her fathers
family, several members of which had
euccumbed to suicidal mania. From
that hour the unfortunate young WON
an believed herself doomed and con.
stantly brooded on self-destruction. In
vain her mother reasoned with her and
Attempted to nurse her back to lucidity
but to no purpose.
Finding her efforts in vain, the heroic
woman calmly wrote her will, and, con
cealing her sorrow from all save the
family physician and perhaps three OIL
four intimate friends, she awaited the
inevitable. The document in question
bears the date of October 0, 1896, an6
bequeaths all real. and personal prop
erty of the testator to her two sisters
Mrs. j. A. Skilton, No. 444 Hancocl
street, Brooklyn, N. Y, and Mrs. Rees
NJ. Rawlings, East Lake, Tenn.
Died by His Own Hand.
I. : In 1869 Mr.. and Mrs. Cooper, with thei
little daughter Hattie, came from Chat
tanooga. Tenn, to San Francisco. Fo
time fortune favored them, but late
Mr.. Cooper became broken in healtl
+ through worry regarding business re
:, verses, and on the 9th of December
u years ago, he died by his own hant
The shock to the widow and her daugl
ter was terrible one, but Mrs. Cooper
strong spirit enabled her to rise aboy
her sorrows and to give her life MOI
than ever to the service of aiding thos
who needed her help.
Col. Ingersolps Tribute.
Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper was born q
Cazenovia, N. Y, 61 years ago. The Il
gersoll family, of which she was men
Der, and which includes the famor
Col. Robert G. Ingersoll, Mrs. Cooper
cousin, is well known and highly r
spected in New York state, as well as
Ohio, where many of them still resd
Perhaps no more fitting obituary
Mrs. Cooper could be written than TIL;
penned by that noted agnostic, Col L
Dersoll. Presenting Mrs, Cooper with