The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-09-03
COOPER MURDERED
TO HIDE SW|NDLE
IS LATEST THEORY
Nashville Police Have CIeW
Which Leads to Row With
Lawyer About Stocks Of
Which Cooper Knew.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Sept. g. (spl,)-
Arrests of the murderers OF Robin ].
Cooper, possibly to be followed by a
sensation trascending the crime. all
evolving from newly discovered eyi-
dence, strongly indicating that the
Tragedy grew. out of business trans
action may be early developments in
the case, which has completely baffled
Lhe police up to Wednesday morning,
The theory which promised to set Off
GERS of on the right track toward an
carry solution to result probably In the
arrest OF parties not heretofore sus-
pected' before the passing of many
hours, burst Unexpectedly from the
cloud OF mystery about the killing this
morning, supported by an abundance
OF the best evidence yet secured po-
lice had abandoned all theories lnclud-
ing the belief that Cooper was killed by
nootleggers and that the deplomblt
tragedy Of Thursday night was the re
suit OF blaekmail. The robbery theory
has been dropped,
That Robin Cooper WAS killed as the
outgrowth Of business transaction NJ
least stands as yet unstripped OF
plausibility, Dating from the time of
statement Of a well-known doctor,
and friend OF Cooper who said with u
degree Of positive knowledge on the
morning OF the tragedy, that robin
Cooper was killed az a result of bust
ness transaction and because he knew
entirely too much" the secret investi-
cation that has been carried on under
TINS theory has revealed many facts
supporting that theory
Chief of Police Barthell this morning
was given the most important revela-
tons of that investigation and the
chiefs informant was emergency on
Ger J. d, Ferrlss, who has ibeen working
tlrclessly In conjunction with others
to clear up the case.
Accompanied by a Banner reporter,
officer Ferriss went to Chief Barthcll =
office this morning and laid before him
facts of immeasurable Importance.
Established beyond shadow OF doubt
Is the fact that Cooper has made two
recent trips outside the United States
and that he went on business involving
a large corporation From Mrs. Coop
err widow Of the slain man, comes the
statement that he went on two occa-
sions and on business for II corporation
connected in more important Capa-
city than chief counsel, From Thomas
l., Watkins, law partner OF the slain
man, comes the statement that Cooper
made two trips In the interest Of n cor
poration which he represented AS at.
torney. These revelations came almost
| simultaneously in the form of inter
views with reporters Tuesday afternoon
! and were not previously diVulged as far
| as It is known.
Coopers trip, according to Mrs
Cooper was made last winter and
Cooper returned home from the last
| trip on April 10. officer Ferriss secured
information Of a quarrel Thursday
morning in the lobby Of the Stahlmal
building by three men, He also Sc.
cured Information that Cooper once
threatened to expose something con
ccrning his alleged dealings with con
| ceru selling stocks which he Is be-
| lieved by Ferris to have bought ant
subsequently discovered to be worth
| less,
officer Ferriss learned of other prom
| inent Nashville men wnOm he believes
| lost money In the same manner. Tha
| Cooper, supposedly prior to the time
| Of his discovery that the stocks wer,
| bad, tried to sell the stocks to friends
| and was embarrassed by their attitude
| toward him, was also alleged, Cooper
| Is then thought to have Investigated tn,
| stocks, suspecting from friends unwill
| ingness 10 buy that they we're worth
! less.
Cooper left the city and remained
away sometime.
officers learned the first day of thei
| investigation that Cooper went Il
| France to settle an estate OF a rela
| to the police prior 10 this morning, !
| is believed the trip to France has NJ
bearing on the case as tooper's mis-
| sion was to settle the estate Of hi
relative, the late BARONESS Antoinett'
| de Chsrette. II Is known that Coope
| has been away from the city slnc'
| his return from France.
The fact that an argument took place
between the three men who called OF
| Cooper in the Stahlman building |,
| taken as an indication that their griev-
ances might not have been settled tina
morning Was the quarrel resumed latel
that day or night? Ferriss believes IN,
Incident in the Stahlman building ant
the visit of the stranger TO Couper'i
home at o'clock on the night he wa'
| killed link together in view Of clrcum
| stantial evidence supporting his theory
The officer says he believes the three
men went to Cooper to prevent hin
| from carrying out his alleged threat tc
expose what he possibly thought a fake
stock concern.
Cireumstantial evience supporting tn,
theory that the killing grew out of 4
business transaction Of some kind IL
abundant Evidence connecting til,
whole theory Of Ferriss as To tn,
| identity OF the slayers come from per
Sons Interested in various speculation'
and familiar with local channels o
speculative finance
It may develop that one clew will leat
| from a local exchange to a solution o
The murder. and that officers. once OF
! the right theory, viii begin their in
vestigation In the exchange, When tht
motive for the brutal murder OF Robir
Cooper Is known to have been revealed
the task OF fastening the crime upon th'
shoulders of any one or more person'
may challenge the best detective talen
| IN ha eeoiired ImnOrtaut deVelOnment
may be looked for Immediately, how
ever, and the capture OF the guilty In q
surprisingly short time may be the re-
suit