Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-01-19
not GUILTY, COOPER'S PLEA
Petit Jury Called for Afternoon
Of January 80.
Three Material witnesses Held in 5000
Baii-TriaI VIII Probably Not lie
of Long Observation-Disclosures
ont Cool.

John %. Cooper, colored, pleaded not
guilty yesterday morning in Chittenden
county court to a charge of murder In
the first degree. He is charged with hav-
ing stabbed james Williams, also colored
on the night of December % In Winooski
Williams died December % and Cooper
was captured the same day
Cooper is well set-up mulatto of
medium height. Almost before the
county clerk had finished reading the
Indictment Of the grand jury he said
mot guilty" Tho respondents haste 20
plead was the only evidence of emotion
shown by him YESTERDAY.
Court opened at nine o'clock Three
material witnesses we're In court and
were ordered held for the trial in de-
fault of bail which was fixed in the
sum Of 500 in each case. The witnesses
are c. s. Gilbert, at whose place in
Winooski at the corner Of Maletts bay
road and West Spring street the alleged
crime was committed, Bertha Hill. the
woman In the case, and Mrs. Georgia
johnson, who also lives on Malletts bay
road. Mrs johnson said that she cx-
pected 10 furnish bail
The special term OF court adjourned
afternoon. when ;he trial will begin UNI
less other arrangements should be made
before that time The petit jury list
was made out yesterday and Is given
below. 1t seemed to be the opinion OF
states Attorney Shaw and r. r. Brown
who appears for the respondent. that the
trial would not nc Of long duration.
The jury list is rs follows:
Bolton, n. ". York.
charlotte. ]. s Williams, Williams Me
Donald.
Essex r. B. Blodgett John Hitchcock,
F. c. Booth.
Hinesburg. NJ. J. Finney, o. A. Mead.
Huntington, F, r. Strong
Jericho, A. Il. Jay, G. NJ. Durham,
| |. c. Morse.
Milton. l.. NJ Reynolds, Marshall,
Powell, Joseph X. Smith.
Richmond, c. w. Howe, Arthur l..
Johnson.
shelburne John p. Duhuc, David Towers,
David Finnessv
South Burlington, Patrick n. Mills,
Patrick CooneY.
ST. George, Charles Turill.
Underhill. l.. p. Metcalf NJ H. Rog-
ers
| Weetford ~. q. Macomher
Williston. NJ. j. Hewitt, Henry Weldon
| hacker
THE COOPER WILLIAMS AFFRAY.
About seven o'clock on the evening
of December 20 the Winooski police
received a cali to go 10 the house of
Charles Gilbert, alias Poorboy, al the
corner OF West Spring street and MAJ
let's Bay road. There they found
George Williams and Bertha Hin, IN,
former suffering from a deep knife
wound In the back Williams was
rushed TO the Fanny Allen hospita
Neither Gould make any statement a,
to the cause OF the trouble.
Suspicion pointed to John e. Coopei
| of Troop l. and search was inst\
tuted for him which was for severn
days unavailing Williams died tn,
morning OF December 25. When h,
was told that he could not recover ht
made an snte-mortem statement +
states Attorney II. Il. Shaw concern
ing the stabbing While Wiliams's
statement was not made public it il
woman.
on the same morning that William
died Cooper was found hiding beneath
a pile OF grain sacks in the loft o
Troop rs stable at Fort Ethan Allen
He surrendered without resistance an,
was taken to the Chittenden count.
Jail. The Hin woman was held as
witness