Smyrna times., 1898-05-11
COL. COOPER ON TRIAL.
First of the BOggs Case

wills in Kent county and one of the
most prominent democratic politicians
of Delaware, was placed on trial be-
fore Judge Bradford, in the Federal
Court, Wilmington, Thursday, charged
with aiding and abetting William N.
Boggs in the robbery of the first Ma
tional Bank of Dover.
Colonel Cooper is accused of assist
ing BOggs to secure $23, 900 of the
money taken. There is an additional
charge of conspiracy to defraud the
bank by drawing checks in favor of E.
G. Cuthbert & Co., stock brokers.
Cooper, the district attorney said,
drew these checks without having
money in bank to meet them and at
one time when large check was
drawn only 81 cents was on his ac-
count.
Boggs did not take the stand to-day
and the most interesting feature of the
day was an attempt of Mr.. Levi c.
Bird, counsel for Colonel Cooper, to
get an admission from Harry A. Rich
ardson, president of the looted bank,
that he himself had speculated in Bay
State Gas stock and had conferred
with Boggs about the matter
When the trial opened the court was
well filled, many persons from Kent
and Sussex counties being present.
Boggs, the defaulting teller, came
into the room shortly before the open
ing. Col. Cooper entered, accompa-
MED by his attorneys, Mr.. Bird and
United States Senator Gray. He sat
by his lawyers at their table and his
face bore evidence of worry and anx-
iety. The government was represen-
ted by District Attorney Vandegrift.
The first witness was Harry A. Rich
ardson, who was elected president of
the bank in 1896. Mr.. Richardson said
there had been a defalcation in the
bank of $107, 900, which had been very
disastrous. His first knowledge of it
was gained on June 1, 1897. He knew
of his own knowledge, he stated, that
some of the money taken by Boggs
had gone to others than Boggs. Boggs,
he said, had no right to loan the banks
money, without permission. To the
question whether Mr.. Richardson knew
from the examination of the books
that part of the money had been OBJ
tanned by Colonel Coopar. Senator
Gray objected and the court sustained
him.
On examination President Rich
ardson stated that he did not know
that Boggs had speculated in stocks,
nor had he been speculating with
Boggs in Bay State Gas Stock. He
denied that he had told Senator Ken
ney that he had made $4,000 out of
Bay State Gas stock, but admitted that
Mrs. Richardson had made some
money by speculating in Bay State
Gas.
Mr.. Richardson said that in May or
June, 1895, Boggs had told him that he
(Boggs) had invested several hundred
dollars in Bay State Gas and Mr..
Richardson had advised him to sell it
at once; that he had no right to hold
stock, Boggs informed him later that
he had sold the stock. Mr.. Richard
son said that he had the utmost faith
i'll BOggs; that he had not known that
he was a card player or race-track
follower, or had played faro at Glou-
cester or cards in Philadelphia.
Edward T. Ross, an expert account
ant, of Philadelphia, told how the
bank had been looted.
E. B. Page. who was in charge of
the Philadelphia office of E. H. Cuth-
bert & Co., swore that Colonel Cooper
was a customer of the office and that
the firm had sold him stock. Colonel
Cooper gave checks on the First Ma
tional Bank for the margins, and these
were deposited in the Philadelphia a
National Bank. He had seen Cooper
make out checks and sign them.
Examining the receipt book of E.
H. Cuthbert & Co., Page said that on
May Z, 1896, receipt had been given
Colonel Cooper for $3.50, which had
been afterward changed to $500.
Mr.. Bird declared there was no dis.
pute about the checks. Cooper did
not remember how many he had given
or whether he had given all the checks
alleged in the indictment. All that he
did was to sign the checks at the in
stance of Boggs.
Walter Morris, cashier of the Farm
ers' Bank, said that many checks hat
come in signed by Cooper. He sup
posed that Cooper was heavily specu
lating. He did not inform the FRS
National Bank officials of large checks
drawn by Cooper. He once asked il
: the First Bank if Cooper's checks wer,
good, and was told in the presence O.
Cashier Bateman that they were.