Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-07-13

VINO nave Deen telegraphed FOR, are ex-
pected to arrive this afternoon and re-
move the body at once.
NEWS VAS 4 SURPRISE HERE.
Colonel Cooper bad Many Friends who
Mourn HIS Death - The Announcement
Entirely Unexpected.
The news of the death OF Col. Ezekiel
T. Cooper in the Trenton penitentiary
came as distinct shock to his many
friends throughout this State. That
the colonel had many friends, there is
not the slightest doubt, and to them
his geniality and good fellowship con-
tinue a pleasant memory, although
narred by the facts Of his unhappy
downfall.
On May Goth. 1897, william N.
Boggs. the paying teller of the First
National Bank of Dover, disappeared,
leaving a shortage of 100000. On
February 18th, 1898, Boggs returned
and surrendered to the Federal authori-
ties, and on the same day Ezekiel Il.
Cooper and three others were arrested
Boggs, and were placed under bail.
Cooper gave $40, 600 bail. On April
10th he was indicted by the grand jury,
and on May 9th placed on trial. He
was defended by Levi g. Bird and
Senator George Gray. According to
the testimony, much of the dealing
between Boggs and Cooper was on ac-
count Of Bay State Gas stock. The
case went to the jury on Judge Brad
ford's charge on May 14th, which was
| Saturday. On the following day the
Jury asked to he discharged, saying
that it could not agree. The request
was refused. On Tuesday afternoon
the Jury came into court with verdict
OF guilty on one count charging con-
spiracy with Boggs to defraud the
bank, and recommended Cooper to the
mercy of the court.
Col. Cooper had started for Milford
before the Jury came in. At Dover
he heard Of the verdict. The next
morning he returned to Wilmington.
Later when the question Of taking a
writ of error was discussed, Mr.. Bird
and Senator Gray offered to continue
in his behalf without fee, and his
friends were willing to pay the costs,
but Col. Cooper decided to take the
| sentence of the court. On May 23d, he
was sentenced by Judge Bradford to IS
months Imprisonment at Trenton peni-
Tertiary, and to pay fine of 5000.
At the prison he was assigned to work
| in the store room. Since his incarcera-
tion he had numerous visitors from
this State.
EFFORTS FOR PARDON.
Some time ago an effort was begun to
secure his pardon at the hands of Presi-
dent Mckinley Many letters were
written in that behalf and large
number of persons throughout the
State joined in petition for the
pardon. The papers and petition were
sent to District Attorney Lewis @.
Vandegrift and by him referred to
Judge Edward q. Bradford. Under
the rules of the Department of Justice,
an application for pardon must be
recommended by the attorney who
prosecuted, or by the judge who sat in
the case, before it can be sent to the
President. Col. Cooper had written to
Mr.. Vandegrift asking for his favorable
consideration, but Mr.. Vandegrift
replied to him that he thought the
sentence just, and as the offence was
| a misdemeanor and not felony, the
colonel would not lose his citizenship,
and he would not, under all the cir
cumstances, recommend PARDON.
Judge Bradford did not recommend
the application for pardon, and hence
| the matter did not reach the President.
The news as to how the efforts for
pardon stood was conveyed to Col.
Cooper last week, and he was sadly
affected by it.
Chief Warden Charles Bowers of New
Castle Jail was at the Trenton prison
| yesterday. Upon his return, he said
that Col. Cooper had been i'll several
Il t,Ta 49,. L.
stomach trouble. He was, in fact, so
i'll that his friends in Dover had been
notified.
SOLD COL. cooPER's PROPERTY.
At Dover, Tuesday, Sheriff Wharton
sold all the lands of Col. Cooper. Most
of the property was subject to claims
and the prices realized were rather
small. No. l, a building lot on Brad
ford street, Dover, sold to United States
Senator Kepuey, attorney, for $3.50.
No. 2. adjoining, to Joseph Burchenal,
for SOL. No. 3, another lot, containing
1880 square feet OF land on Bradford
street, to Joseph Burohenal, for S73.
No. A, a lot containing 1880 square
feet, to Mr.. Burchenal, for $685. No.
5 was the Central Law building in
Dover, in which Col. Cooper had half
interest. This was purchased by Frankss
lin Temple for $3.50. No. 6 was Col.
Cooper's home farm on the Willow
Grove road. 1t contained 100 acres,
but brought only $500 to j. Fletcher
Cooper. No. was another farm on the
Willow Grove road, but containing 800
acres. This was also purchased by Mr..
Cooper for $3.50. No. 8 was 40-acre
farm near Mudd Mill, and was bought
by j. Fletcher Cooper for S24s.