The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-12-21
TOM COOPER DEAF
AGED Politician Found Burn.
ed in His Home.
BODY FOUND BY DAUGHTER
II is Believed Covering of Couch Was
Set on Fire by Lighted Cigar
After Mr.. Cooper Had
Paralytic Stroke.

Media, Pa, Dec 20. - win heip
close at hand, Thomas v Cooper, the
father of the Pennsylvania house OF
representatives" and one of the best
known figures in Republican state pol
tics. was burned to death In the SIT
tingroom Of his home. at Washington
avenue and Jackson street
While one of his sons was summon
ing the fire department. his daughter
Susan Cooper. ran to her fathers
room. where she thought she would
find him asleep. She discovered the
aged politicians body was being slow
" consumed by the flames from the
burning couch on which he lay.
The covering of the couch. it is be-
lieved. was set on fire by lighted
cigar which Mr. Cooper had been
smoking Death may have resulted
before the fire. as members OF the
family. as well as a physician be-
lievcs Mr.. Cooper suffered a stroke
of paralysis and fell on the couch I'M
conscious, the lighted cigar dropping
on the draperies of the couch Whiia
the fire was still blazing the body VS.
dragged from the couch by Harry Tur
ner. a nephew.
MIR. Cooper spent Saturday night
happily with his family. Early IN the
evening he was seen on the streets ct
Media. but returned home 70 plaF
cards with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas v
Cooper. Jr., his daughter in-law. Mrs
Percival Cooper: his youngest daush
ter. Miss Susan Cooper. who kept
house for her father. AMI Harry Tur-
ner and ]. William Cooper. nepheNs
The card party broke up at II
o'clock. and Mr.. Cooper. who was I'm
excellent spirits. talked Of plans for
Christmas day. II was after Midnight
when the family retired Mr.. Cooper
Lad for a number of years been M
able TO sleep at night and was in TIE
habit of arousing members of the fam
ily for brief talk or else going down
to the sittingroom on the first floor
70 smoke. During the winter fire
was kept constantly burning in the
open fireplace Of the room.
His Last Chat.
At 3 o'clcCk Sunday morning the
veteran politician. unable to sleep,
aroused Mr.. Turner. The two con
yersed for an hour Mr. Turner said
that his uncle during this time talked
OF Christmas. telling how he was
planning to send turkeys 10 all the
members of his family Finally Mr.
Cooper said he was going down stairs.
He wore a bathrobe Of very inaamma-
bic material, a Christmas gift from
his children.
Thomas Cooper. Jr. awoke at .
O'Clock and detected the odOr OF
smoke. He aroused his wife and rush
Cd down stairs. TO find smoke pouring
from the sittlngroom While Mrs.
Cooper ran upstairs to arouse the
other members Of the family Mr..
Cooper. clad only in night clothes and
bath robe, ran TO the fire house a
square away, not knowing that his
father was in the burning room.
Meanwhile Miss Cooper ran to her
fathers room, and not finding him
there hurried to the sittingro0m- She
ran down stairs and was about to
dash into the smoke. when she was
PULLED back by Mr. Turner. He crawl
ed into the room and found the body
on the couch. The fire was quickly ex-
tinguished. The couch was practically
destroyed. but the fire had not spread
to other furniture.
The legislators face was 50 burned
as to destroy his features, and one
hand was burned off
DR.. Charles H. Schoff was summon
ed. He expressed the belief that Mr..
Cooper suffered a stroke Of paralysis.
Death may have resulted before the
fire. This belief is partly sustained by
the fact that no cry for hcip was
heard. Another theory IS that the
legislator may have hem cIGo7ated
by the sudden burst Of fame when his
bathrobe caught fire
Members of the M2'ic Ere com
pany. who heard the fey taps Of the
bell. struck by Mr.. Cooprr. J arrived
at the house a few min' g c'tcr the
body had been found e-i s.fei in ex-
tnguishing the flames.