Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-21
COOPERS GIVEN
TWENTY YEARS
SLAYERS CT FORMER SENATOR
FOUND GUILTY
JUDGE LOSES NO TIME IN IMPoS.
ING SENTENCE
Hundreds Rush to Court to Go on
Bond of Colonel and Son Who
Killed Carmack-Defend-
ants Are Cool
tBy Associated Press.l

The Jury yesterday acquitted John
| Sharp, co-defendant. Immediately
the defense moved to set aside the YER
dict because of the verdict of disagree
| ment of yesterday, and asked the court
| to declare it a mistrial.
Judge Hart said he would listen 10
| arguments on this motion later. he
then fixed the defendants bonds at
| $4,000 each, which amount was accept
able to both sides. The verdict, coming
as it did upon the heels OF Foreman man
Burke's declaration yesterday that we
are hopelessly tied up as to the Coop
ers," was a decided surprise.
The defendants took it coolly, almost
without emotion. Mrs. Burch and Mrs.
Wilson, the daughters of Col. Cooper
were brave, and aside from fearful eyes
restrained their emotion gamely.
Mrs. Burch sat with her arm around
her brother Robins shoulder, and Mrs.
Wilson sat at her fathers right.
The suspense for the two young wom-
en- had been heart-rending, and any
verdict, however untavoraole' was re-
lief.
Jurors Appear Tired
The jurors were tried, too, looking
| disheveled, and when the court SAID Il
| thank you, gentlemen, for your pa
thence and devotion to the state, and
dismiss you to your homes and your
| personal yocations," the entire twelve
sprang from their seats as one man
and hrrriedly left the court room..
| The defendants and their counsel re-
NAMED to complete the bond prelimin-
| ary and motions for new trial.
| Various and insistent rumors that the
! Jurors had agreed were responsible for
| a crowded court room this morning
| and for the presence of the attorneys
| for both sides, long before the usual
| hour for converting court
T11dc
court, and even before he removed his
coat, he ordered the jury and the de-
PENDANTS brought into court.
| "I understand they have agreed" he
remarked, to the press table, "and am
sending to see."
act-the twelve men entered the room
and took the same seats they have oc-
cupied for nearly nine weeks.
Verdict Announced
"Have you agreed on verdict, gen
| tlemen?" said Judge Hart.
1--WE have" replied Foreman e. M.
Burke.
"Advance, Mr.. Foreman, and read
| the verdict"
eve, the jury, find the defendants,
Duncan P. Cooper and Robin j:
Cooper, guilty of murder in the second
degree and assess their punishment at
| for a period of twenty years"
$50 say you all, gentlemen"
/ $50 say all of u.s." in chorus.
| Then after the court had dismissed
the Jury, Judge Anderson of the de-
Tense was on his feet, exclaiming:
"Your honor, we move the case ps
declared a mistrial because of the YER
dict yesterday. We contend that yes
terday's verdict was the only one, and
that it acquitted John Sharp and de-
clared disagreement on the other de-
PENDANTS. We also ask that the de-
PENDANTS be admitted to BAIL"
1.-THE verdict of the jury makes 1t a
| bailable case" was the courts retort.
Hence. I will fix the bond of each
defendant at $25,000 unless there be
some objection. In that event, will
hear arguments"
Bonds Satisfactory
"It is satisfactory to u.s." said At
torney-General McCarn.
"And satisfactory to u.s." retorted
Judge Anderson.
"There seems to be nothing less than
for the court to pass sentence" said
Judge Hart.
"I don't think that necessary" said
| Judge Anderson. 1--WE move that judg-
ment be suspended and that we be
! given a new trial. We will be pre-
\
ably next week."
"All right, judge" remarked the
court, 81 know you will not delay I'M
necessarily. and I take it upon your
own convenience"
"Bring in the bond books" said the
judge.
II was done, and the defendants
signed the bond and returned with
| their relatives and friends to the room
they have occupied in the jail build
ing. Mrs. Burch, who stood bravely
and even smiled in the court room.
collapsed as she reached the narrow
corridor leading to the Jail, and had
to be supported by her husband.
Mrs. Wilson's eyes were streaming
with tears. Both young women have
! counted confidently on an acquittal,
although even their counsel advised
against placing too much hope on the
result.
One Juror Interviewed
ION the first ballot we disregarded
John Sharp and discredited the con-
| spiracy theory. On this same ballot
we stood six guilty for murder in the
| first degree with mitigating circum-
stances, five for murder in the second
degree with twenty years, the maxi
mum penalty, and one for acquittal.
"The ballots Wednesday and Thurs
day showed the same result. Yester-
| day the man who voted for acqufttal
| went over to murder in the second de-
gree, but demanded that only ten years
| be assessed.
1.-THE rest of us did not deem ten
years as anything like adequate, so'we
disagreed again. OF course, this all
refers to the Coopers, not to Sharp,
whom we had acquitted.
"Early this morning the man who
was holding out for ten years agreed
to twenty years, and the six who were
voting for first degree agreed to this
verdict"
While the Juror did not say who the
man was who held out for acquittal, 1t
is known from remarks overheard by
the deputies he was ]. Hide.
Sharpe Hurries to Court
John Sharp hurried to the court
house when he heard of the verdict,
and was soon closeted with the de-
PENDANTS and their counsel
Mrs. Sharp was in court when the
Jury reported, and comforted the
daughters of Colonel Cooper Several
other friends were with them and ac-
companied them to the room of the
defendants, where they awaited the
arrival of bondsmen.
| After the bonds had been signed the