Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-29
INSTANTLY KILLED
ALLEGED DELIBERATE MURDER
NEAR MUIRKIRK, MD.
Thornton Cooper, Colored, Charged
With Shooting Harry Warner,
Colored, at Church Picnic.

| the head and instantly killed Saturday
night at a picnic given at the hall OF the
Sons and Daughters of Abraham and Re-
becca, near Muirkirk, Prince Georges
county, Nd. Thornton Cooper. also colored
who is alleged to have committed the
crime, disappeared shortly after the fatal
shooting occurred. 1t was not until about
II o'clock yesterday morning that the local
police knew Of the murder, at which time
Commemorative Attorney Levin tele-
phoned Maj. Sylvester and asked that a de-
tective be sent out to Prince Georges
county to assist in the investigation. De-
tective Father was detailed on the case,
and he went to the scene of the crime &C
companied by Star reporter.
An entertainment and dance given at the
hall was expected to net a neat sum for the
benefit of the Queens Chapel Methodist
Church, which is only short distance from
the hall. More than a hundred guests at
tended the affair, and 1t soon became APP
parent that liquor was being INDUCED in to
a considerable extent. There was row on
the grounds in front of the hall early in the
evening. and a young man who had appar-
enty been roughly handled appeared at the
store near the station and told Magistrate
H. r. Jones Of his experience. His face was
covered with blood. and he had received
number of bruises about his body in audi
ton to the cuts about his face.
Harry Warner, the victim, was married
three weeks ago. and his wife accompanied
him to the church benefit. He lived at
Rossvile, about two miles from the scene
of the tragedy. Thornton Cooper, the &C
cused man, was employed at Charles Heit-
muller's truck garden near Chillum. Cen
eral and Joseph Morgan. who also work for
Mr.. Heitmuller, went with Cooper to Abra
ham Hall Saturday night, reaching there
about 8 o'clock. Seated on the lawn were
many men and women who were enjoying
Ice cream and cake and other refreshments,
"a q
the light fantastic At the time the three
men from Brookland reached the hall, it is
stated, some of the men there showed plain
~ the influence of the intoxicants in which
tney mad INDUCED. Just how the trouble
started none of the witnesses thus far
found seem to know. Coopers conduct indi-
Gated that he came there prepared for trou-
Die. they believe that Cooper emptied his
revolver without effect, and that he then
reloaded 1t, returned from the road and
Killed Warner on the grounds only about
nifty feet from the hall
He came into the hall. causing disturb
ance. one of the witnesses told a Star re-
porter, and drew his revolver and discharg-
ed 1t for no reason whatever"
Was Hunting Trouble.
According to the statements of-some
OF those who were in the hall, Cooper
seemed anxious to cause row and he soon
succeeded. While in the hall he drew his
revolver and snapped it at a man named
Adams. but it missed fire. One of the Nor
sans, friends of Cooper, slapped at the
weapon 10 prevent a tragedy. Then he
pushed Cooper toward the door and the lat
ter discharged the wea Non. sending the bull
let into the stair case over his head AS
soon as he got outside the hall Cooper fired
three shots and then one shot was fired
from the road, Cooper went a short dis
lance. but returned and fired from the fence
corner. This time the bullet passed through
the mead OF Harry Warner, who had en-
deavored to preserve order.
A brother of the victim who saw the lat
ter fall rushed to him. and while he was
STOPPING over the dead body of his brother
another bullet was sent from the weapon
held by the man who stood In the fence
corner. This leaden missile came near end
Ing the life Of the brother of the dead man
Cooper. who had probably seen his victim
fail, broke down the fence in his efforts to
get away from the scene of the crime In
his haste he dropped his hat and did not
stop to pick 1t up. The dead mans wife
learned of what had occurred a few min
utes after the fatal shot was fired and
asked to have the body removed, but this
for obvious reasons could not be permitted
Magistrate Jones was summoned and re-
sponded as quickly as possible, but 1t was
nearly midnight when he reached the scene
OF the shooting. He deputized two men to
remain and keep watch over the corpse dur
ing the night.
A jury was sworn yesterday morning and
Undertaken Milstead took the body to his
establishment to be prepared for burial
The jury heard the statements of several
witnesses and adjourned to meet in the
railroad station at Muirkirk at I o'clock to-
night. A man who witnessed the entire row
Saturday night Is expected to give testimo-
ny. Speaking to Star reporter Mapis-
trate Jones said he could not have held the
inquest Saturday night, as there were not
enough sober men about Abraham Hall to
make up jury. Magistrate Thomas Bald
win of the Laurel district is in charge of the
inquest with MAGISTRATE Jones
of the jury.
Unable to find his hat and probably be-
ing afraid to make much of search for it.
Thornton Cooper secreted himself In the
bushes in the yard in front Of the home of
Garter Dickerson, colored, whose house IS
only a short distance from the place where
Harry Warren was killed. Mrs. Dckerson
was at the entertainment and dance and
her husband standing in front of his
house. He had heard the reports of the
pistol shots. but had not heard of the kill
Ing of Warner. He could the people on
the picnic ground, but the latter could not
see him. There had been SO many rows
there and SO many people had trespassed
on his property that he was highly in
censed when he heard Cooper In the bushes
in his yard.
Warned Off the Premises.
I'm getting tired of you fellows coming
through my yard walking over everything"
he said in a tone loud enough for the man
N the bushes to hear. And If you don't
keep off here" he added. I'm going to use
my pistol
Just then the form of the alleged muir
derer came from behind the bushes and was
speeding toward the next premises when
Dlckerson called halt
For Gods sake. mister, don't say moth
ing. said the bareheaded intruder They
Knocked me down and beat me and 1 lost
my hat Won't you sell me your hat? You
are at home and get another and l
don't want to go on the cars bareheaded
III give you 50 cents for an old hat
Before Dickerson had time to say he
would make the sale the colored visitor took
his hat from his head and put As cents in
his hand. Instead Of hurrying away he
dropped on the ground and asked Dicker-
son If he saw the Morgans to tell them he
had gone on the road.
few minutes after the departure of the
fugitive Dickerson learned that the man
to whom he had sold his brown SLOUGH hat
was wanted for murder. He had gone
down the road. and, 1t is believed. came
into Washington on the last car His
friends, the Morgan brothers, remained in
the neighborhood of Abraham Hall all night
and are under their personal bonds to ap-
pear at the inquest tonight.
very few people who attended the social
gathering Saturday night knew Thornton
Cooper It was the first gathering he had