The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-18
Cooper Divorce Case Reaches an
Exciting Stage.
Lawyer Is Charged With I'm.
professional Conduct.
TALK OF PERJURY.
Threat to Compel Detective Hut.
ton to Answer.
Texas Land Deal Furnishing the
Final Excitement.

An attempt to show that John c.
Cooper owns property in Texas valued
at $50,O0O, which he had not listed un-
der oath, enlivened the closing hours
or the sensational suit for divorce and
$4,000 alimony and brought about num-
erous tits on the part of counsel and
witnesses. Another break occurred
when Ed Mckeever threatened to pros
ecute Detective Hutton for perjury and
j. B. Larimer, for the defense, charg-
ed McKeever with unprofessional con-
duct in the trial of the case.
The prosecution had learned of Coop
er's alleged Texas interests through a
, witness for the defense, who told of
Mrs. Cooper's frosty attitude toward
Texas investments and let out a state
ment to the effect that Cooper claimed
to own land in Texas valued at $50 900.
Then McKeever called Cooper to the
stand to tell of his talks with H. w.
Euler, an attorney. He denied that
Euler was ever retained as counsel.
Then Euler went to the stand and tes-
titled that Cooper recently told him of
the property and discussed sending
Lena Tilson there-if he was sure Mrs.
Cooper wouldn't hear of it. The de-
fense was wroth. 1t pleaded constitu-
tional rights and charged that the cards
were being stacked against poor John.
They charged that Euler, an attor-
ney, had no right to divulge the con-
versation. But Judge Whitcomb held
that SO long as Cooper denied talking
to Euler as his attorney, that the tesu-
mony was competent.
The Texas Incident.
Didn't you go to Henry Euler?" Nc
Keever asked the defendant, land tell
him you had a tract of land in Texas
that should be worth $5o.0O0 and ask
him if you could send Lena Tilson
down there without your wife knowing
of it?'
mo, sir, I did not" declared Cooper.
will you waive your privilege and
let Euler testify?''
The defense objected and declared
they intended to protect Cooper's privi-
leges. Cooper was then asked if Euler
had acted as his attorney. Witness
said he had not and Euler was called
Did Cooper tell you he had a large
amount of land in Texas?" Euler was
asked.
''Yes he said he had considerable
land there. don't know how much
Counsel for the defense was on its
feet objecting most strenuously. But
to no avail. The court held Cooper
could not claim a privilege under his
testimony and allowed the witness to
| proceed
Did Cooper say anything about
sending Lena Tilson down there?"
Yes. He said there ought to be
woman there and suggested her as
good person.
did he say anything about not let
i ting his wife know of it?'
Yes. He said it might cause trouble
| if she knew
How much did he say the land was
worth?''
Told me the way values We're in
creasing it ought to be worth $4,000
This testimony will perhaps go fur
ther to discredit the defense than any
thing presented in the trial of the case.
Cooper's testimony showed he possessed
| but $50, 900 worth of property. He de-
MED any holdings in Texas of value.
The Tilson affair is also worth while,
as Cooper is charged with havins
stated that he expected to marry the
woman after he disposed of his present
| WIFE
| Joseph Radcliffe testified to a real
! estate deal. He went to the Cooper
| home one day concerning the sale of a
| house to Cooper. He noticed Mrs.
Cooper's temperature was at the freez-
ing point, he said. She objected to the
deal and turning to Cooper exclaimed,
You old fool you won't make anything
out of it if you buy it,
Attorneys at War.
w. NJ. Hutton, a plain clothes mem
Der of the police force, told of his visit
to the Cooper home in company with
John and Attorney Lindsay.
! John asked his wife what all thu
| trouble about" Hutton testified.
'and she said, there's no trouble with
me. it's my lawyer
McKeever was on his feet in an in
slant. II want a subpoena for Frank
Lindsay" he shouted, land want to
say right now that I intend to see
that the law against perjury is made
use of in this case
Carr Taylor for the defense object
ed to McKeever breaking UP the pro-
ceedings while the witness was on the
stand. But McKeever refused to be
consoled.
"I am going to have the truth or
prosecute someone for perjury in this
case" declared the attorney for the
plaintiff as he glared at the witness.
J. B. Larimer charged McKeever
was using unprofessfonal conduct in
the trial of the case and Hutton shout
ed that he was telling the truth. Judge
lWhitcomb quieted the warning law
lyers, but Hutton had lost his good hui
NOR and told McKeever he was trying
to bulldoze him.
Hutton testified that when he left
the house everything seemed to be
settled. He declared he had gone to
the house with Cooper because he
heard there was to be trouble and that
he listened to what was said, believ-
ling he would be a witness.
McKeever took the witness under
cross examination and dragged him
over warm beds of coal for going to
the house without instructions from
the chief ana intimated that Hutton
tactics were to intimfdate the plain
tiff Hutton denied all of this he
said Cooper paid him nothing for his
service and that he made the trip be-
cause he believed he was needed.
Niece of Cooper Testifies.
Miss Ruth Cooper, q niece of the
. ldefendant, testified that she was in
/ the house several weeks before the di-