The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-24
the HEAVY SENTENCE
OF COL. {. ]. COOPER
Sent to the Newark Peniten-
tiary, New Jersey, for a
Period of Eighteen
Months.
FINE OF $4,000 AND COSTS OF PROSECUTION
The Scene That Attended the
Sentencing of the Prisoner
i'm Federal Court.
THOMAS $ CLARK NUMBER TWO ON THE LIST

"One"-Gol. Ezekiel 7. Cooper, con
victed of misapplying $1,000 of the:fnnds
of the First National Bank OF Dover te
his own use, was yesterday Afternoon
sentenced in the United States Court by
Judge Bradford.
At 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon
Cooper left the New Castle Jail in charge
of United States Marshal Short and
Deputy United States Marshal Clark.
A few minutes later they had arrived
in Wilmington and at 9 O'Clock Cooper,
with his guard, appeared at the Federal
building, where he was joined by one Of
his counsel, Levi c. Bird, Esq.
When he appeared in the court room
at .. Is o'clock that place OF justice was
packed with acrowd of..ia.st of interested RsI:
sons anxious to hear the fate of the con.
victed man.
The colonel took seat near his couE'
sci lust as Judge Bradford appeared and
took his place on the bench. lmmedi-
atelv behind Cooper was United States
Senator Richard Rollins kenney, Frank
lin Temple, Register of Wills James Lord,
Adjutant General Hart, John F. sauls.
bury, Amos Cole and Thomas S. Clark,
the latter becoming so nervous when
sentence was being pronounced that he
had to leave the court room.
The scene was an impressive one and a
fitting climax to one of the most sen-
sationaI trials that had ever taken place
in the State OF Delaware.
Alter Judge Bradford had taken his
seat United States District Attorney
Lewis C. Vandegrift arose, made a motion
that the court give judgment and SEN
tence the prisoner.
Judge Bradford called upon the de.
fendent to stand up, and stated that he
had been found guilty by jury OF his
peers to count No. 46 OF the Indictment,
the whole of which charged him with
aiding and abetting William n. Boggs in
teirauding the First National Bank Of
Dover out OF $50, 900, which was returned
against him by the Grand Jury on April
20, 1898. The court then asked Cooper
if he had anything to say why judgment
should not be pronounced against him.
Mr.. Bird arose and spoke in behalf OF
his client. During bis address Mr.. Bird
pleaded for mercy and stated that the
iurv had been out over "A horrs on the
case. More than once he said they had
informed the court they conrt not agree.
1t would be reasonable to infer, he said,
that by their verdict they did not think
a sentence of two years would be im-
posed, and they would not have agreed
upon verdict had they not been i'm
pressed with the belief that >they would
not be discharged until a verdict of some
kind had been decided upon.
Mr.. Bird concluded by quoting that
potion Of the "NIerchant OF Venice"
Portals plea to the Court.
Judge Bradford stated that the jury
had found the defendant guilty, and had
recommended him to the mercy of the
Court. He stated he would take heed of
the recommendation, and again ordered
Cooper, who had taken seat during his
counsei's plea, to stand up.
The Court then said: "Now, to wit,
this the 23rd day of May, 1898, the jury
having returned a verdict Of guilty under
the 46th count of this Indictment re-
turned against you, Ezekiel 7. Cooper, on
the Goth day Of April last, it is consid-
cred and adjudged by the Court now
here by virtue OF and pursuant to section
$40 OF the Revised Statutes United