The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-24
COOPER D0NS A
CONVICT'S SUIT.
Sentenced to Is Months in
the New Jersey Peni=
tertiary and a Fine
of $4,000 and
Costs of Case.

Colonel Ezekiel 7. Cooper gentleman,
lawyer, editor and politician wears con-
vict's suit in the New Jersey penitentiary
at Trenton to-day.
He was sentenced by Judge Bradford
yesterday afternoon to do so for term of
eighteen months and to pay fec Of
&, 900.
arrived at the Federal building at 1877
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. He came
over IL custody Of Marshal Short and his
deputy.
Upon arrival he retired to Clerk Smiths
office with his counsel, Levi C. Bird, and q
number of his friends AT $40 the party
returned to the court room. There were
about l00persons present including promi-
nent politicians from Kent and New Cas-
tic counties. At 2.45 o'clock Judge Brad
ford entered the court room and after TAX.
ing his seat on the bench United Statos
District Attorney Lewis G. Vandegrift at
once announced the verdict which had
been reached by the jury In Mr. Coopers
case. Judge Bradford thereupon said:
Ezekiel Il, Cooper, YOU have been
found guilty by the verdict OF the jury in
manner and form as you stand indicted in
the forty-sixth count of that Indictment
of April last. Have you anything to say
why the Judgment of the law should not
be pronounced upon youT
Colonel Cooper, who had been standing
while the judge spoke, then took his seat,
giving way to his counsel, Mr.. Bird, who
said: 'In speaking for my client, there
are many reasons, reasons of mercy, that
might ask your Honor for lenency, now
when you are about to pass the entencs
Of the law. Your Honor will recall that in
this case the jury of twelve men selected
from the State were seventy-four hours in
reaching conclusion of any sort; that in
that seventy-four hours they had more
than once notified your Honor that it was
impossible for them to agree. Your Honor,
think, can reasonably infer that the jury
finally believed that they would be kept
there until they agreed one way or an
other. While not knowing definitely, l
have understood that those twelve men
stood about even, and stood SO for three
days, when it occurred to somebody in that
jury that they could convict him on one
count of the Indictment, conspiracy
COUNT that with conviction under that
count. under the law the imprisonment
could not exceed two years; and with that
in view, the jury recommended him to the
mercy Of your Honor. 1t Is that mercy
which now ask for him.
"Of all that has been said Of mercy, u
have found that Portals description in
the Merchant Of Venice was the most
appealing, when she says 'qu.lity of
mercy is not strained. And SO, with the
words of that dear lady, leave my client
and my friend in your Honors hands, re-
mindng you that one day we must all
look for mercy"
Judge Bradford thereupon pronounced
the sentence in the following words:
"The jury recommended you to the
mercy of the court, and the court will give
heed to that recommendation. Therefore
you do forfeit and pay 10 the United States
fine Of IS. .0o0 and the costs of this prose.
cution; and further, that you. Ezekiel I.
Cooper be imprisoned in the New Jersey
State Prison, at Trenton, N. j., for the
term of eighteen months, beginning on this
day and ending Oh the twenty-second day
of November, A. D. 1899; and you are now
committed to the custody of the United
States Marshal of the district Of Delaware,
In order that the foregoing sentence may
Re carried into execution"
Cooper's friends locked around him and
offered their sympathy TO him. Later in
the afternoon he was driven to the P. w.
& B. depot in company Of the Marshal
and left for Trenton N. j., whore he was
received later aud donned the striped
suit.