Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-03-16

rs IT MURDER ?
Assailants are Jailed-The Maurice River
Township Beating Case Terminates
In The Death of the Victim.


In The Death of the Victim.
Monday afternoon, shortly after one
O'Clock, George Cooper died at the County
Aims House. 1t was the result of the
affair down in Halherton last February
when the poor fellow was horribly beaten
by men named Mason and Camp, and
driven from bis rough, little shanty home
out into a horrible blizzard that was
sweeping over the country.
The PIONEER gave the horrible par
ticulars of the affair, and people mar
veled that the brutal assaiants were not
arrested. The assault, it will be remem-
bered, was committed on the ed day of
February last, and the next day, lilly
clad, bruised and bleeding, he was dis
covered wandering aimlessy about the
Manumuskin station by Freeholder
Harry Lore.
He was given some attention by DR.. j.
Howard Willets, and Constable Whilden
Reeves brought the poor fellow to the
Aims House. A day after he had been in
the institution he showed signs of mental
trouble. and the following day was a raw
ing maniac. He could not be controlled
in the house and was confined in the
asylum. Then it was noticed that his
nervous system. shattered and broken,
gave way entirely, and he sank rapidly
and died Monday, as stated,
County Physician Diament says that
when Cooper was brought to the Aims
House, his head was cut badly bruised
aud his hands and ankles were horribly
bruised and swollen. There was a seri-
Gus shock to his nervous system, and lie
was mentally depressed. He also COM
planned OF serious pain about his breast.
Monday afternoon, as soon as the
County Physician learned of the death of
Cooper, he placed the matter in the hands
of Coroner P. j. Davis for investigation.
The Coroner commenced an investi-
CATION of the case Immediately after the
death of Cooper. He visited Port
Elizabeth and going before Esquire
Harris, lodged complaint against Elias
Mason. John Camp, Mrs. Mason and Mrs.
Cooper, the latter being Cooper's wife.
The Squire issued warrants for the
arrests of these persons and they were
placed in the hands of Constable Whildin
Reeves to serve. Tuesday morning the
Constable arrested the quartette and
brought them to the county Jail. The
men are held on the charge of murder.
Cooper's assailants were known at the
time of the brutal and murderous assault
on him on the night of the 22d of Febru.
ary last, but nothing was done with them,
although Cooper was in dangerous con-
dition. No one seemed to want to have
Mason or Camp arrested, but all knew
they were men who bore an unsavory
reputation, and last night those cognizant
of the fact of Cooper's death were gratified
of their arrests.
The assault on Cooper was made in
Cooper's house house at HalDerton about
four miles below Port Elizabeth. It was
made when Cooper had returned from
Port Elizabeth with some medicine for a
sick child. The men seemed determined
to give Cooper a beating as during his
absence one of them got the other to come
to the house and wait for his return. One
of them attacked Cooper, but was no
match for him when the other brute as
sisted his pal, and the two together inflict-
ed wounds which caused the unfortunate
mans death. Coroner Davis will hold an