Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-01-13
MOONS PHASES.
TO SAVE COOPER

To those VINO are endeaVOrlhg 70
secure executive clemency in the case
Of Julius alias Tots Cooper, must
be given credit for that feeling of
mercy and generosity of heart which
prompts the movement. That this,
however, is case wherein mercy has
no place goes without saying 1t
would be manifest injustice to the
peaceable, law abiding and self-re.
specting citizen if this man is given
his liberty, for liberty it certainly
would mean were he to be saved from
DEATH
True IL is that the taking of his life
would not restore the one he has
taken. but capital punishment was
not adopted in this or any other state
for that purpose. II is calculated 70
strike terror TO the heart of the would
be murderer, and TO deter him from
taking human life. Remove that fear.
the assurance of positive and the most
drastic punishment that can be visit
ed upon human being and human
passion would run riot.
la the category and gamut of crimes
murder, the unofficial and premedi-
tated killing of another stands at the
head. Around it has been built up
the strong bulwark of the law, which
ordains that he who kills another must
yield up his life; not so much in jus
LITIGATION of the act. but as the putting
away, the effacement of the wrong
doer.
Were il not for the sure and positive
punishment. the loss of life and the
end Of earthly hope, there would be
nothing TO prevent deliberate and pre-.
meditated murder in greatly incrtas-
ing numbers Even though the law
ortiains that the punishment of murder
shall be death, of what avail will il
be when petition, circulated by
those who see in the offense some miti-
eating circumstances, can secure his
life Go him-can tell him that later,
when the crime has had time to fade
from memory he will be free?
Even were not the future of this one
individual to DO considered with re-
spect to the possibility of him later
gaining his liberty, the effect the com.
mutation of his sentence on others of
a lawless nature would be considerable.
Emboldened by the ease by which he
had cheated the gallows. gloating
over the weak spots in the execution
of the law and given free rein TO
their evil passions, they would become
menace to life and property, to Sc
curity and contentment and that pro-
lection which the government. be il
local or national, owes its citizens.
In the case of Cooper there is not
the slightest doubt of his guilt. not a
shadow of fear that mistake has
been made. 1t was case of cold
blooded generalization, planned and
cody executed deed of death. 1t was
not done in the heat of passion, in the
blinu, unreasoning fury of a personal
encounter, but rather crime in
which every element going TO make up
first degree murder is present.
Ii is argued by those who are en-
deavoring to save the life of Cooper
that there was no motive for the
erime-and that without motive there
can be no generalization, Nothing.
however, is further from the facts.
Time aud again has Cooper had
trouble with his victim. Harris. Each
was of a different faction and the va
rious members of these factions were
continually at war. Cooper has been
arrested number of times and in each
and every instance it was for personal
violence.
IL was not so long ago that Judge
Magruder urged the arrest of Cooper
on the charge of assault to kill for
beating, Cutting and wounding his
(Cooper's) wife. Cooper was arrest
ed. bat was saved from severe punish
ment by the discovery, on the part of
Judge Magruder that Cooper was
member of a family that had long
served in the Judges family. The as
sault, however, was one of such an
unprovoked nature that Cooper was
fined. a punishment greatly under
what the facts in the case would war
rant. He is bad man, devoid of fear
of the finer sensibilities which go to
make upright citizens and one who
has chosen the path which leads TO
death. He is not the man who should
be given an opportunity of commit
ting further crimes, the killing of his
prison mates. his guards or maybe
some innocent citizen when another
petition has set him free, to prey
upon others and take from them the
life and liberty which the law saws