Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1902-08-29
E. {. Cooper Murdered Ills Vile
and May Pay Penalty on
the Scaffold.
Six Physicians Pronounce Him Sane and
the Plea Entered by His Counselis
Withdrawn. Trial May Con.
cIude Today.

ST. MARYs. w. Va, Aug. 2S.-
e. c. Cooper is now on trial.
charged with numbering his wife.
Six of the ablest physicians OF the
city, this morning. pronounced
him sane, and the insanity plea
made by his counsel was with
drawn.
The all absorbing question, not
withstanding the verdict OF the
doctors, today Is: sis Cooper
crazy?" If not crazy he has the res
olution of Iron and can out-act many
a man who has grown old behind
the foot lights.
He Is suffering with an abscess
of the lung, and coughs frequently.
Aside from this he Is apparently
paralyzed. Sitting In a rather
leaning forward posture, his mus
cles rigid, his gaze fixed immedi-
ately down and In front he has
thus remained stolidly indifferent
to all his surroundings In imbecilic
attitude since the day after he
murdered his wife. A few days
later he affected to lose his speech,
and has not spoken for three weeks
until today.
The doctors who examined him
held their consultation In his pres
ence. They talked of the lacking
symptoms and after they had re-
tired from his cell he unexpectedly
began talking to his fellow prison
ers, On being arra!gned before
the court this morning he was able
to understand what was required OF
him, and chose his counsel from
the lawyers present. Afterward
he went into the circuit clerks
Office, and conferred with his at
torneys, after returning to the court
room he sat all day beside his coun'
sci his look being far more intelli.
gent than on yesterday.
The State has the evidence In
this evening, and the trial should
be concluded by noon tomorrow.
Cooper Is being tried for par
ticularly fendish crime-that of
numbering his wife In cold blood.
The evidence today showed, previ-
Gus to his crime, which shocked
the whole community, that he had
repeatedly uttered threats against
the life of his wife.
On Sunday evening, April 9th, of
this year, Mrs. Cooper had attended
the M. E. Church, South, In COM
pany of her brother and vile,
Cooper followed later and on see
Ing his wife In the church went
away, going In the direction of up
town. Later he returned to the
church and entering sat down near
the entrance. A short time before
the dismissal of the congregation
he slipped from the church, going
to his uucle's hardware store, he
procured a shot gun and went to a
point In the B. & o. yards, and at
dark point and unfrequented
spot, laid In wait for his wife. As
she came up the railroad track
walking just In front of her brother
and wife Cooper leaped from the
side of the track Immediately In
front of her, and as he did so
broaght the shotgun to his shoulder
and took aim. At his sudden ap-
pearance Mrs. Cooper wheeled
around In an attempt to flee. Before
she had more than half turned the
fatal shot was fired, the full charge
entering the head behind the right
ear, tearing a CHASTITY, gaping wound
producing almost instant death.
Cooper was once In the asylum
for the insane but was dischar ged
as cured more than a year ago.
Burned To Death.