The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-15
Aged Don Juan Relates His
Marital Woes.
Claims He Was Victim of Ma
liciOuS Deal.
TELLS OF HIS DESIRES
He Wanted Only an Attractive
Young Wife.
The Candidates. for That Honor
We're Numerous.

On the witness stand this afternoon
John G. Cooper is telling Judge Whit
comb how he was the victim of a ma
licious deal that resulted in his mar
riage to Care Haley for the purpose
of looting the Cooper estate. Cooper
declared that every member of the
Haley family wanted to marry him.
He sidestepped all but the younger
| daughter.
John Cooper's story is filled with
| bitterness and sorrow. He tells piece
| by piece the story of a righteous love
| for a young woman that was not re-
turned. Sitting on the witness stand
| Cooper told the court how his wife
| had urged him to make a trip to
Texas on business matters. She ac
| companied him to the train, he declar-
ed, kissed him goodbye, wrote endear-
| ing letters to him up to the day before
she filed suit for divorce and $25, 900
alimony. Then it was, Cooper vows.
that his dream of joy and domestic
| happiness was shattered.
The next train to Topeka left all
too slow. Cooper declared. and he has
| tened to the once happy home on
Jackson street. He stepped on the
| porch only to find that the doors were
locked against him. His wife denied
him admittance and refused to be
comforted.
! In order that there be no mistakes
in his testimony Cooper walked to
the district court this afternoon with
| large bundle under his arm. That
bundle contained John Coopers diary
| There are wonderous things in that
| document. 1t shows how Cooper, al
ways the faithful, dutiful and indul-
| gent husband extended a love that fell
on barren soil. His kisses and en-
| braces were not met in the same spirit
/ in which thew nj OF
was patient and long suffering. He
complained not. He permitted his
mother-in-law, younger by years than
| himself. to share the comforts of the
cooper home, provided for her under
| the family roof. Then the mother-in-
law went on the witness stand and de-
clared that John Cooper was a hard
citizen.
Under direct examination Cooper told
of his laudable ambition for an attrac-
| tive, young and lovable wife. He was
sure he had met his affinity when one
| day Booge. of the Home Comfort,
| brought Cora Haley. She was young
and attractive and possessed an ap-
parent cordial disposition and winning
| way that won the old mans heart al
| most before he knew it was gone. Seven
| days later he was married. Cooper was
proud of his young wife. Right gladly
| he introduced her as his wife He re-
| called the pleasant incidents of two
4
| bride. Everything seemed to run
smoothly in the Cooper home. He law
| ished presents on the woman and allow
ed her buy goods on the store and
charge them to the Cooper account.
There was nothing miserly about Coop
| er. He wanted his wife to have a good
time and didn't hold back on expense
Cooper's joy was supreme, so he testi-
| fed, when the heir arrived. Then, three
| months later, Mrs. Cooper filed those
| nanRhtV charges QR9inSf
Denies He Abused His Wife.
To be sure Cooper had female friends
modest young ladies who sought his
counsel. But why should Cooper suffer
for that. Had he not cast away score
| of manageable candidates whom Booge
industriously had taken to the Cooper
mansion? Had he not selected Cora from
| among the thousand offerings on the
Booge affinity books? Certainly Cooper
told the court he had never abused
Cora, nor cursed her or denied hel
ample spending money. Not until re-
Gently had Cooper even complained be-
cause Cora slapped his bald head and
kicked his shins until they bled II
was not until after trouble first start
ed that Cooper ever mentioned his
young wifes free use of language not
incorporated in standard Sunday schoo
texts.
In addition to these things Cooper
told the court that he had told Cora
about some $4,000 worth of property
which he owned. She seemed elated. the
witness said, to think she was so fort
unate as to marry man of such
means. He said Cora was more thar
pleased when he presented her with the
ante-nuptial agreement and marvelle6
at his generosity. Why Mrs. Cooper
should complain at this time, he could
not understand.
Throughout his story, Cooper de-
clares that his wife crowded the nup-
tial contract and seemed insistent or
landing Cooper as a husband.
''I want you to tell about conditions
in your home up to the time of your
leaving for Texas" was told Cooper on
direct examination.
Always the very BEST. said the
witness. Cora seemed happy and
contented. When I was about ready
to leave for Texas we had a little quar-
rel. She called me back after L left
the house and forgave me. We kissed
and made up. told her 1 treated her
the best I could
did you ever employ Booge to gel
Tells OF Marriage Deal.
"No. He insisted on bringing women
to the house to see me and I sent them
all away. Then he brought Cora and
we made an agreement that she wal
to stay at the house as a domestic
After she had been there awhile we
were married"
"Did he ever bring Cora's sister?'
YES
Did she offer to marry you?"
"She did"
: Did Booge bring Mrs. Haley. the
: plaintiffs mother 2"
| YES"
: And was she candidate also?'
Eyes. She was willing to marry
; me-"
This testimony is expected to dem.
onstrate to the court that the entire
Haley family was anxious to land