The St. Louis Republic., 1902-04-18
Doctor Carter Explains Nature Of
the Wound Which Caused A.
Deane Coopers Death.
PRISONER APPEARS COLLECTED
State Expects to Close Its Case
Before Noon To-Day-Judge
Ryan May Exclude Tes-
timony of Orgies.

A human skull was offered In evidence
yesterday In the trial Of William Strother
who Is charged with the murder of A.
Deane Cooper, in the Vista bath house, on
the night of January 81 Doctor Howard
Garter. a physician attached to the Coro-
ner's office. VINO made the post-mortem ex-
animation on Cooper's body, used skull in
explaining the location and nature of the
wound which killed the millionaire. He said
the blow crushed the skull, making hole
in It the size OF two silver dollars placed
side by side. The pieces of Cooper's skull
which were crushed in by the hammer were
also offered In evidence.
Thomas G.. Cooper. son Of the dead man.
was the first witness on the stand yester-
day. Shortly after midnight on the morn
ing Of January 2. he said, he was awak-
ened by Strother calling at the house to in
form the family that Mr.. Cooper had been
hurt. When he reached the bath house, he
said, he found his father unconscious and
bleeding from deep wound on top OF the
head. Young Cooper then started home but
on reaching the front steps met Doctor
Kier. who had been called by Mrs. Cooper.
With Doctor Kier he went back to the bath
house. Mr.. Cooper was removed to the FAM
lily residence at No. S71S Washington avenue
about o'clock in the morning. About 10
o'clock he died.
Lincoln Trust building, identified Mr.. Coop
er's diamond stud and diamond ring, which
were found hidden in the basement the
morning after the murder. Three years
ago, while he was a jeweler, he said, he
made the ring especially for Mr.. Cooper,
who had a deformed hand, which necessi-
tated a special mechanism which would al
low the ring to be removed over greatly
enlarged knuckle.
Stiefel said the ring was worth about
~ 800 and the Stui worth least Sff0
Doctor Carter next told of the post-mor-
tenn examination.
Dennis Cummings; saloonkeeper at
Claiming and Franklin avenues, testified
he called at the bathhouse about II o'clock
that night to see the cashier and saw
Cooper alive at that time.
the building. knew nothing about the kill
Ing. He had gone home before midnight.
He identified the hammer, which had al
ready been offered in evidence. as that
with which he used to break coal in the
basement.
Captain Gaffney Of the Ninth Police Dis
trict questioned Strother at the station on
the morning after the murder. Strother
said he knew nothing about It. He told
the Captain a messenger boy came about IL
o CLOCK with message. Cooper read 1t, he
women were coming to see him and they
would not stand for a negro" About mid
night. he said, he went upstairs from the
basement and found Cooper unconscious
He then hurried to the Cooper residence to
When the jewels were found in the base
ment strother told Captain Gaffney he
came to be there. He said he knew moth
ing about the proposed sale Of the bath
mouse. but when confronted with Mr.
admitted Mr.. HighIeyman had told him the
place would be sold the next day
Special Officer Ahearn Of the Ninth Dis.
trict searched the basement and found the
DlOO0-gtalneJ hammer Str0fher he,
arrested.
Policeman Callahan, who walks the beat
I10ad 1ootd- me oathhouse. was called in by
passed twice before Ills o'clock that
nIeht ana Cooper was alive when he was
mere. He said he had not seen any one
out men enter the bathhouse at night
Policeman Bolger. who reached the bath
mouse about 2 a. m. searched the cellar.
burning n papers to afford light. and found
ne me Jewels hidden on toist. Sergeant Glea-
1is testimony.
Doctor william F. Kier gave testimony
lbout the same as that of Mr.. Cooper's son.
He said the wound could have been caused
BY blow from the hammer If 1t fell only
! distance Of eight or ten inches Critten-
len Clark brought this out on the cross-ex-
The hammer could have been welded by a
woman.
Doctor Kier left the stand at $50 o'clock
,nd court took recess until to-day.
strother, who had known Doctor Kier for
several months. meeting him at Mr.. Coo
'er's residence, greeted the doctor quite
,husfvely when he left the stand. asking
I'm about different members Of the family
1t is expected that the prosecution will
est its case before noon to-day Chief of
Detectives Desmond and Roscoe Shaw. the
department. stenographer, will Identify the
Confession which Strother made the day OF
he Coroner's inquest, and then the State
Will close. II Strother's attorneys attempt
o prove that the confession was extorted or
vas procured under threat or promise, other
witnesses who saw 1t signed VIII be intro
luced in rehuttal
Strother remained as cool and collected
as on the previous day, eyincing
10 emotion at the recitaIs of the deed. He
tudied a diagram OF the bathhouse offered
n evidence and prompted his attorney
lark will attempt to bring out the nature |
Z some of the orgies said to have taken
place at the hathhouse. but it is thought |
Judge Ryan may exclude this evidence