The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-14
Matrimonial Agent Star Wit
ness in Cooper Divorce.
Testify Concerning Mrs. COoper's
knowledge of Husband.
TRIAL BEGINS TODAY
Plaintiff on Stand Tells How
She Was Abused.
Married Ten Days After She
Had Met Cooper.

1t seems probable that the testi-
mony of H. c. Booge, the Topeka mat
| rlmon1al agent, may decide the sue
cess or failure of the suit of Cora
Cooper against John G. Cooper for
divorce and $25,0O0 alimony 1t was
Booge who was engaged to find Coop
er his fourth wife. If his testimony
shows that Mrs Cooper knew of her
| husbands wealth at the time she
signed an ante-nuptia1 agreement the
Woman's chances for recovery are of
| little material value.
But not only is the defense relying
on Booge's testimony to upset Mrs.
| Coopers claim, but they promise to
put w. S. Martin, one of Cooper's at
torneys on the stand in an effort to re-
move from the little woman the few
rights granted under the contract.
| Mrs. Cooper on the stand today in
her own behalf stoutly denies any
previous knowledge of her husbands
wealth, or his former matrim onial
| troubles. Repeatedly she told of al
legged abuses at Cooper's hand. She
recited stories of neglect and cruelty
and declared that in all her married
life Cooper has bought but $24.0T
| worth of clothing for her and that he
| had spent but $13 to clothe the new
born babe. When she asked for go
| I, cooper Is Sa1Q TO nave IOlO MS
| wife to borrow the neighbor's wheel
barrow When she asked for warm
clothes for the new heir, the plaintiff
claims Cooper told her to wrap the
child in horse blanket. Added to
all of this. Cooper is said to have
| Mrs Cooper No. to Mrs. Cooper No.
! /, which the court records show cost
the much married man some $4,000.
On the witness stand today Mrs
Cooper is undergoing a rigid cross eX-
animation. Sometimes her story is
broken in minor details. but in the
main it Is strongly fortified on impor-
tant issues. There are a score Of
strong reasons which the woman gives
for asking a divorce and alimony and
a setting aside of the ante nuptial con-
tract. Not only does she allege her
husbands parsim onious dealing in fl
nancial matters, but she recited af-
fairs showing Coopers intimacy with
other women and declared that on at
least one occasion one of the women
came to the home and she was forced
to give the woman her own bed and
sleep on couch.
Then the woman told of $3.50 which
belonged to herself and mother, which
was taken from a trunk. By inference
Cooper pointed out as the man
who took the cash. 1t was when this
loss was discovered. Mrs. Cooper test
flied. that she blessed her husband
with much profanity and said things
which she afterward regretted.
Mrs Cooper appeared in court to-
day wearing black felt hat with silk
ribbons. She wore a white linen shirt
waist, a black Voile skirt. and patent
leather shoes. There was a bit of
contrast between her appearance and
that of Cooper. He wore blue serge
suit that showed consid derable. wear.
1t has suffered from lack of attentions
of a whisk broom. His brown work
shirt was soiled and his black tie was
not the kind recommended in the 1911
fashion plates. CooperS shoes also
were a bit run down at the heels and
the leather needed a coat of black
ing. But Cooper minded not these
trifles. He made no undue expendf-
lures for linens on account of the trial
and he scarcely looked the part of a
man who has spent 100000 for mat
watched his wife closely while she
was on the witness stand Som es
ICooper's face bore a contented smile.
Sometimes it didn't. Within the rail-
ing Mrs. Cooper's mother wheeled the
Cooper babe. 1t had been pointed out
by Attorney McKeever for the plain
tiff as part of the evidence in the
hearing. The babe was wrapped in a
pale blue blanket and the go-cart,
Mrs Cooper testified. had been bought
from money intended for Booge as
partial payment for his services.
Wife Tells Her Story.
After Mrs. Cooper had testified that
she was 81 and her husband IS and
| that she came from Fairbury, Neb.,
with the intention of inspecting Cooper
as a matrimonial possibility. her at
torney led her to more important de-
tails.
How long had you known Cooper
| when you married him? was ask
Just ten days." the witness testi-
fed.
Had you known Cooper or ever
heard of him before?"
| Never
who asked you to come to To-
peka?"
! My mother"
What were the circumstances"
''Mr. Booge, a matrimonial agent
had gone to her about getting Mr.. Coop
er a wife I was asked to come and
see him. I wanted a home where
could be happy and the second day
after 1 came Mr.. Booge, my mother and
myself called on Mr.. Cooper"
Kept House on Trial.
Then the witness told of the sign
ing of the prenuptial contract, which
gave her a one-half Interests in the
property at 824 Jackson street when
!, Cooper died She said she did not
know that Cooper owned other pro-
nertv at that time For week, she
testified, she kept house for Cooper
He said they were suited, and married
her. After this the witness told of the
} advent of the Cooper heir. She said
she wanted money to buy the baby
clothes and that her husband refused
to furnish it. Finally he gave her SO
He complained bitterly, Mrs. Cooper
said. and frequently told her that Sue
his first wife. had never had such in
sane ideas about children.
Il want you to tell about Johns hab.
it's said McKeever.
well. he would come home and
tramp all over the floor with muddy
feet He insisted on hanging old hat:
| and dirty, wornout vests in the par