The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-08-03
Celeste" Cook For Mrs
Cooper Held on Charge of
Staying Mate.
KILLED HUSBAND LAST
APRIL AFTER QUARREL
Was Freed by Cofoner's Jury
Attorney Offers to Defend
Prisoner.

murder in the first degree by the last
grand jury, became known yesterday
when she was arrested by Sheriff Hut
son at the home of Mrs. Gus Cooper
on Themis street, where she has been
employed for years, in fact, since she
was a child. She was taken to Jack
son yesterday evening and placed IN
the county jail to await her trial on
the indictment.
Celeste is charged with murder Of
her husband, Sam Mccoy, who was
shot and instantly killed in front of
their home, April 26, after quarrel
ensuing over McCoy's late return the
evening before. He was shot once, the
bullet entering his left side and pierre
ing his heart.
The woman was arrested after the
death of her husband, but was later
released after the coroner's jury had
returned a verdict Of justifiable homi-
eide. The body was buried in New
Madrid, formerly the home of the slain
man. His wife remained in New Mad
rid for some time, but returned to the
Cape to take up her duties at the
home of Mrs. Cooper.
Several days after the death of Nc
Coy, who had been employed as !;
waiter at the st. Charles Hotel for
several years, Prosecuting Attorney
Caruthers obtained the names of sew
eral witnesses to the shooting. They
were Sam Runnels and his sister, who
say they passed the house when Mrs.
Mccoy fired the shot that killed her
husband.
1t is understood the witnesses testi-
fed that Mrs. Mccoy was standing
in the doorway and that her husband
had already reached the gate, when
his wife fired from the doorway, a
distance of more than twenty feet.
Mrs. Mccoy testified at the cor
onel's inquest she had been abused by
her husband for some time. On the
evening of his death, she testified, he
had renewed his attacks and his abuse
and had attempted to kill her. In the
scuffle for the possession of the re-
vOlver, the weapon was discharged
she testified. No eye-witnesses had
been found at that time, and there
fore, Mrs. Mccoy was exonerated by
the coroner's jury.
An investigation made by the grand
Jury showed that the bullet had been
fired from some distance. Spots on
the coat of the slain man near the
wound were accepted at first as evil
dence for the fact that the coat was
powder-burned. 1t was later, found
however, that these spots were blood
stains, and no signs of powder-b burns
were found.
Besides Runnels and his sister, the
grand jury heard Constable Scivallv
and Coroner DR.. Arthur Poe in the in
vestigation into the death of Sam Nc
Coy.
Shortly after the arrest of Celeste
yesterday evening several boarders of
Mrs. Cooper called up Prosecuting
Attorney Caruthers and asked whether
aything could be done to have her
released on bond, as her absence in
terfered greatly with the efficiency of
Mrs. Cooper's boarding house. Under
the statute a person charged with
murder in the first degree may be re-
leased on bond if it can be shown that
the evidence is not sufficient to sub
stantiate the charge
1t is understood that A. NJ. Sprad-
ling, one of the best lawyers of Cape
Girardeau County. has volunteered to
defend Celeste. Mr.. Spreading has
been boarding at the home of Mrs.
Cooper since he established his law
office in the Cape last fall.
When arrested by Sheriff Hutson,
Celeste told the officer that she had
shot her husband in self-defense. She
repeated the statement made before
the coroner during the inquest. Ac-
cording to the sheriff she showed no
emotion when he read the indictment
and told her she was under arrest.
The indictment has been in the
hands Of the sheriff for some time. He
said he had not arrested her before
because he knew she would not es-
cape. He did not intend to make the
arrest until few days before court
convened in August. A few days ago,
he said, he learned that she was going
to leave the city and return to New
Madrid, and fer that reason he placed
he runder arrest in order to prevent
her from getting away.