The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-09-03
POLICE WORKING.
ON new ANGLE.
Sensational Developments Ex-
pected in Cooper Murder
Mystery.
VICTIM KNEW TOO MUCH
Officials Find Possible Clue in
Probing Big Corporation in
Which He Was Interested.

Nashville. Sept. 3.-(Special) AR
rests of the murderers of Robin ].
Cooper, possibly to be followed by a
sensation transcending the crime, and
all evolving from newly discovered
evidence strongly indicating that the
tragedy grew out of a business trans
action. may be early developments In
the case which had completely baf-
fled the police up to this morning.
The theory which promised to set
officers off on the right track toward
an early solution. to result probably
i'll the arrest of parties not heretofore
suspected before the passing Of many
hours, burst unexpectedly from the
cloud of mystery about the killing
this morning, supported by an album
dance of the best evidence yet Sc
cured.
Abandoned Previous Theories.
IA Police had abandoned all theories,
ipcluding the belief that Cooper was
killed by bootleggers, and that the
depiorable tragedy of Thursday night
was thu result OF blackmaiL The
robbery theory had been dropped.
That Robin Cooper was killed as the
outgrowth OF a business transaction
! al least stands as yet pnstripped OF
piausihility.,
Dating from the time OF a state
n,ent of a well-known doctor and
friend of Cooper, who stated with a
degree of positive knowledge on the
morning of the tragedy's discovery
( that robin was killed as a result of
a. business transaction and because
he knew entirely too much" the Sc
bret Investigation tsthat has been
carried on under this theory has re-
vealed facts supporting that theory.
Chief of Police Bartheu this morn
ing was given the most important
sfvvelations OF that lfvestfg atfesfs< ard
the chiefs informant was Emergency
officer ]. d. Ferriss, who has been
working tirelessly in conjunction with
others to clear up the case.
IndisputabIe Facts.
Accompanied by The News corre-
spondent, Oficer Ferriss went to
Chief Barthell's office this morning
and laid before him facts of immeas-
urable Importance. Established be-
yond a shadow Of doubt is the fact
that Cooper has made two recent
trips outside the United States and
that he went on business involving
large corporation.
From Mrs. Cooper, widow of the
slain man, comes the statement that
he went on two occasions and on
business with a corporation connected
in a more important capacity than
chief counsel.
From Thomas L. Watkins, law
partner of the slain main, comes the
statement that Cooper made two
trips in the interest of a corporation
which he represented as attorney.
These revelations came almost sim
ultaneously in the form Of interviews
with reporters Tuesday afternoon and
were not previously divulged as far
as is known.
Cooper's trips, according to Mrs
Cooper, were made last winter and In
April of this year. Cooper returned
home from the last trip on April.
Quarrel With Three Men.
Officer Ferriss secured information
of quarrel occurring Thursday
morning in the lobby of the Stahl-
man building by three men.
officer Ferriss learned of other
that Cooper once threatened to ex-
pose something concerning his al
legged dealings with concern selling
stocks, which he is believed by Fer
ris to have bought and subsequently
discovered to be worthless.
Others Lost Money.
officer eFrriss learned of other
prominent Nashville men who, he be-
iieves, lost money in the same man.
ner. That Cooper, supposedly prior
to the time of his discovery that the
stocks were bad, tried to sell the
stocks to friends and was embar-
raised by their attitude toward him
was also to be alleged. Cooper is
then thought to have investigated the
stocks, suspecting from their unwill-
ingness to buy that they were wrong.
Cooper left the city and remained
away some time. officers learned the
first day of their investigation that
Cooper went to France to settle an
estate of relative, and the other
trips were not known to the police
prior to this morning. 1t is believed
the trip to France has no bearing on
the case, as Mr.. Cooper's mission was
to settle the estate of his relative,
the late Baroness Antoinette de Cho-
rette.
Supporting Evidences.
II is known that Cooper has been
away from the city since his return
from France. The fact that an argu-
ment took place between the three
men, who called on Cooper in the
Stahlman building is taken as an in
dication that their grievances might
not have been settled that morning.
Was the quarrel resumed later that
day or night? Ferris believes the
incident in the Stahlman building and
the visit of the stranger to Cooper's
home at 9 o'clock on the night he
was killed link together in view of
circumstantial evidence supporting
his theory.
The officer says he believes the
three men went to Cooper to prevent
him from carrying out his alleged
threat to expose what he possibly
thought a fake stock concern.
So. Circumstsntial Evidence.