Weekly journal-miner., 1915-03-24
COOPER SHOOTS AT
 PARTY OF SURVEYORS
(From Sundav's DaiIvl

(From Sundays Daily)
 William Cooper, of Skull valley.
 was brought to the city yesterday
 under arrest charged with the serious
 crime of assault with deadly weapon
 on the person of w. H. Merritt, the
 surveyor and civil engineer of this city.
 The trouble arose over three cornered dispute that has been pre- vailing for many years in that locality over ownership to certain lands, in which controversy are A. ]. Lass well, William Roberts and Cooper, whose holdings adjoin. MT. Merritt was in no manner interested in the property of either owner, but was acting in a professional capacity to remedy the evil. if possible. and through his efforts as surveyor was the trouble to be adjusted. He was selected jointly by the three above owners to perform the work, and was personally requested by Cooper to do the surveying necessary.
 The work had progressed sufficient ly on Friday night that it would be completed on Saturday, when it is stated Cooper appeared on the scene with a Winchester rife and deliber- ately fired into the party of which Merritt was a member. This was at about o'clock Saturday morning. Leading Up to this land dispute, fric- ton has been evident for several years as to ownership of certain strips of land. which arc said to be of nom inal value.
 Statement by Merritt.
 q was employed by, Cooper to do some surveying in Skull valley, in running the lines between the ranches of A. J. Laswell on one side and the. ranches of William Cooper and Will liam Roberts on the other. that the section corners might be designated. A strip of about 100 feet on one end and about 15O feet on the other end had been under controversy for sev- cral years as to ownership. My un derstanding of the trouble was that Lasswell, Roberts and Cooper had agreed to submit to what the survey would determine, and abide by the result. Cooper came to Prescott and secured my services as a surveyor. Probably this was due to the reason that ten or twelve years ago I had made surveys of the lands in dispute, but the corner markings had been re- moved. The survey started Friday, and we worked all that day. Going into the field Saturday morning Geo. a stcp-son of Mr Lasswell, and in my employ at that time, in- formed me that Cooper said he would kill all of us if we did not get of the ground At about 9 o'clock in the Mrs. Cooper was heard to scream and warn us of danger. We saw Cooper in the front yard of his home with rifle in his hand, which he raised and fired one shot. The bullet struck a bush within few feet of where Michaels was standing, when the latter fell to the ground and gave us warning of danger. Cooper was about 400 feet away at the time. He had never told me to get off the ground, and was simply startled over his intentions to shoot us down.
 sworc to complaint charging him with assault with a deadly weapon md he was placed under arrest.
 The gun he used was Winchester # A calibrc, l was informed later"
 Just to Scare Them.
 Cooper. who immediately came to own following the shooting and gave imself up to the sheriff, stated that here was no intention of hitting any ne, but that he fired simply to scare he intruders off his place. q can it rabbit at that distance" he said. and l resorted to the use of the rifle nly for the purpose I have stated" 10 time has yet been set for his pre- minarv hearing.