The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-08-01
WEEDS in New York Saturday and
Sails for Europe With
His Bride.
HE SURPRISES MANY FRIENDS
Re Had Kept His Plans to Himself and
Merely Sends Brief Message
From the East.

Congressman henry "A. cooper, OI
Racine, Chairman of the Insular At
fairs committee of the House, and one
of the most conspicuous members of
the Wisconsin delegation in Congress,
gave his friends here a complete sur
prise in a brief te1egraphic message
today saying that he was married in
New York Saturday and that he and
his bride had sailed for Europe, where
they would spend their honeymoon and
would remain for several weeks.
Not one of Mr.. Cooper's friends here
or in Racine, so far as could be
learned, had been taken into his con-
fidence. Even his law partners, it is
said, had been given no intimation of
the Congressman intentions. Mr..
Cooper did not say in his brief mes
sage who his bride was, and no one
here was willing to make a guess for
publication, although one of his
friends did say that he believed he
knew. AS he was not certain, he de-
clined too mention the 1ady's name.
Others guessed that the bride was an
accomplished widow to whom Mr..
Cooper had paid much attention. Mr..
Cooper did not even explain just where
he had been married or by whom, and
correspondents in New York could
find no trace of him at any of the New
York hotels. 1t is supposed, therefore,
that he sailed with his bride Saturday,
as his dispatch indicated.
Mr.. Cooper left Racine on July 20,
saying he would spend a few days at
the Buffalo exposition, and might go
to New York city. He told his law
partners that he would return in a few
weeks. He gave no intimation of the
interesting event he evidently had in
contemplation, and the announcement
OF his marriage will be a complete sur
prise to his acquaintanCesch here, as it
was to the few friends who heard of it
today.
Henry Allen Cooper, or HAL" Coop
err, as he is Familiarity called by his
constituents, is the senior member of
the law firm of Cooper, Nelson, Sim
mons & Walker. He was the only
bachelor member of the Badger de1ega-
ii On, and, although at times there have
been reports that he was to marry
we11-known lady of Racine, they have
proved to be only reports, and his
friends came to look upon him as a
confirmed bachelor.
Mr.. Cooper has held many public
offices. He first came into prominent
notice in 1887, when he was elected
State senator. In 1898 he was candi-
date Of the, Republicans of the first
district for congress and was elected
by large ma jority. He has retained
his seat in that body and at the last
election had plurality of "A 900 votes,
his opponent being Gilbert T. Hodge.
In Congress his reputation has steadily
grown and, as chairman of the insular
affairs committee of the house, he has
had an importan part in shaping leg
is1ature for Our possessions. Sew
era1 months ago hevisited Porto Rico
and Cuba to inform himself as to the
condition of the islanders.
In the famousspost Office fight a few
years ago, Mr., Cooper, by appointing
Jackson l. Case as postmaster, Incurred
the enmity of the Racine Daily Jour-
nal, the editor of which was an aspir-
ant for the Office. An effort was made
to turn the delegates from Mr.. Cooper
at the next convention without success.
He had too strong hold on the regard
on the people of this county and other
parts of the district, and there are few
men in Racine who are more popular,
and his honesty and ability in public
life have won for him the esteem and
affection of his constituents.