The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-12

B. Cooper, famed throughout the entire
United States because of her untiring
zeal in works of charity, and hel
daughter, Miss Hattie Cooper, were
found dead in bed in the Cooper resi-
dence. 1902 Vallejo street, this morn
ing, both having been asphyxiated by
gas
All evidence tends to show that Miss
Cooper. who suffered from acute mel
ancholia, arose after her mother had
fallen asleep and with suicidal intent
| turned on the gas. When discovered
both bodies were rigid, death having
| occurred several hours before The
news of the tragedy, which spread with
great rapidity, caused one of the great
! est sensations that San Francisco has
| ever experienced.
Mrs. Cooper and her daughter have
! been prominently connected with all
charitable movements, not only in this
city, but the country at large. and the
distressing circumstances surrounding
their sudden taking off has caused the
most profound grief among all classes
of society. Only Mrs. Cooper's most
! intimate friends anticipated even the
! merest possibility of such a tragic
/ climax to the lady's worthy life Among
! those who were closest to the benevo-
! Hattles morbid nature mi-ht ulti-
mately develop more violent form of
! insanity.
HAD TRIED IT BEFORE.
Dr.. Sidney Worth, the Cooper's fam
lily physician, this evening made pub
lie the painfully sensational announce
ment that on two occasions within the
past few months Miss Cooper at
ter1nfed IN "a hay. ox,-,, life ba
of her mother by turning on the gas.
On both occasions Mrs. Cooper re-
strained her only after a struggle. Not
withstanding the danger to which she
was constantly subjected, the heroic
woman refused to be separated from
her daughter, remaining by her side
every hour for days and weeks at q
time. Last Monday Miss Cooper
seemed unusually depressed. Within
the hearing of the Chinese servant she
remarked to her mother: 4 am tired
of life, and 1 want to join father, and
l want you to go with me-" Mrs.
Coo9er had become accustomed to
hearing, such words from the invalid
and Oaid little attention to them. dis
missing the subject with a brief re-
proof to her daughter on the wicked
ness ot self-destruction The two
women retired at the usual hour This
morning when the Chinese servant
knocked at their door and ANNOUNCED
that breakfast was ready, he got no
response and opened the door, He was
almost overDOwered by the smell of
gas. He went to the bedside and shook
Mrs. Cooper and was Mortified to find
her body cold and rigid. He imme-
diately hurried out OF the house and
alarmed the neighbors. The house
rapidly filed with demonstration and
sOrroWing friends TO whom the awful
discovery came as heartrending
shock. The morgue officials were COM [
municated with and permission was /
obtained TO leave the bodies in the !
Cooper home until they were prepared /
for interment-
Thousands Of san Francisco's most /
prominent and respected citizens have /
passed through the doors of the Vallejo /
street residence TODAY and with tear /
dimmed eyes gazed upon all that was /
mortal Of the noble woman who sac /
rificed her entire life in unAagging eff /
forts 70 ameliOrate the condition of
her sex and smooth the pathway of
little children brought into the world
under adverse circumstances.
WAS 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
succumbed TO suicidal mania. From
that hour the unfortunate young wom-
an believed herself doomed and con-
stantly brooded on self-desructiOn. In
vain her mother reasoned with her and
70 nurse her back to lucid
ity, but 10 no purpose. Finding her ef-
forts in vain, the heroic woman calmly
,vrote her will and concealing her sor-
royF from all. save the family ply
slcian and perhaps three or four init
mate friends. she awaited the newt
able. The document in question bears
the da.e of October O. 1896. and be-
queaths all real and personal property
Of the testator to her two sisters, Mrs.
J. A. Skilton, IA Hancock street,
Brooklyn. and Mrs. Reese NJ. Rawlings,
East Lake, Tenn.
Mrs. Sarah 3. Cooper was born at
CazenoVia, New York state, 81 years
The Ineersoll family of which she
vas a member, and which includes the
amous Colonel Robert G.. Ingerson.
Irs. Cooper's cousin. is well known and
tightly respected in New York state. as
veil as in Ohio, where many of them
till reside.
Two sisters survive her. Mrs. Skill
on of Brooklyn, \. N, and Mrs. Rollins
f Eastlake, Tenn
4 REPRESENTATIVE WOMAN.
Mrs. Cooper's life has been one of
representative American woman of the
OLDEST type At Il years Of age. she
-as teaching a district school at
'azenovia, her native town. In 1852,
he graduated from the Cazenovia sem (
lary. and later went to Chattanooga, /
enn.. where she married Halsey Fen :
more Cooper. a member of an old
Jew York family. and a gentleman )
no was at that time publishing the a
chattanooga Advertiser, and his young O
life took the greatest pleasure in as
sting in awork for which she had g
2rly displayed a fondness. In fact, :,
arab Ingersoll began a journalistic 4
lreer (Which closed only with her life), :,
hen she was hut u years OF age. :.
In 1863 Mr. and Mrs. Cooper, with ;,
leir little daughter Hattie. removed to II
an Francisco. For a time fortune y
lvored them, but later Mr.. Cooper be- !.
anne broken in health through worry :,
sgarding business reveEses and on the =
h day Of December. II years ago, he :
led by his own hand. The shock TO !,
he widow and her daughter was g ter q
bic one. hut Mrs. Cooper's strong =
brit enabled her to rise above her =
DrrOws. and to give her life more than .
yer TO the service Of aiding those who "