The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-10-16
Judge onders
loLoves Dog
1O-Year-O Old Joey
Has Brief Reunion
With Pet In Court

With Pet In Court
~ HUGH A. MULLIGAN
MONROE, La. H-Ten-year-od
Joe Cooper, who threatened school
officials with loaded shotgun to
save his dog from the city pound,
is back in the reformatory while a
West Monroe City Judge ponders
bis fate.
Judge Howell Heard took the
case under advisement. Public dis
approval against the speed with
which he sent the sixth grader to
Louisiana Training Institute Oct. 6
following the school yard incident
prompted 4 four hour rehearing of
the evidence last night.
FIsed OF Protest
Hundreds of kilograms and let
tiers poured in from all parts Of
the country. Some sought to adopt
the boy, others wanted to impeach
the Judge. An angry group of par
ents began circulating a petition
for the custer of Mrs. Tina Clark,
principal Of the Ransom School,
who locked the dog in a closet
when it followed Joe to school.
Judge Heard, who barred news
men from the hearing and ordered
a blackout on pictures of the boy,
said he was seriously thinking #
releasing him. but first would
have to study tape recording Of
The testimony. A decision il ex-
pected next week.
Just A Deg
Tippie, part collie, part hound
dog, part mostly citizen Of the
world, was reunited with his young
master 1t the hearing, then taken
to q veterinarian by Atty. Murphy
Blackwell, who volunteered his
services in defense of the boy.
The sad-eyed, spindle-s hanked
dog sat quietly at the boys feet
while 40 witnesses, including q Sum
day School teacher, d grocery
clerk and q man who took Joey
on Saturdays, attested to
The good character of both.
Joey was led into the courtroom
by A. L. Swanson, superintendent
of the reform school.
Jesy In Court
The boy, blue-eyed and calm,
wore a bright yellow shirt, brown
trousers and tan shoes. His hair
was clipped in a crew cut style.
When he was arrested Friday a
week ago he was taken to the court
barefoot and badly in need Of a
haircut.
Even Tippie was sporting new
outfit, copper-studded red collar
and a long black leash. When he
dropped at his masters feet his
ears perked up and his tail began
to wag. But he soon fell asleep
beneath bench.
Although the hearing was closed,
all witnesses except Mrs. Clark
freely discussed their testimony
with reporters.
"tls's A Coed Boy"
Joey's 6s-year.old mother, Mrs.
Mollie Cooper seemed confident
that everything win come out all
right. He's a good boy and he
doesn't mind going back. He knows
everybody's on his side"
Gifts Of money, food and clothing
poured in for the mother of eight,
whose sole support is SIS a
month welfare check. A couple In
Dallas, Tex, wanted to adopt the
child. offering him a college educa-
ton. A minister, q railroad
engineer and an automobile sales
man turned up at the hearing, ask
ing to be made legal guardians and
joey a good home.
Food For Tippie
The largess extended even to
Tppie. A truck unloaded two cases
Of dog food at the implanted frame
house where Joey lives with his
and l6-year-old sister. The
other six brothers and sisters are
married.
Mrs. Lionel Green, chairman OF
the Room Mothers at Ransom
School, a PTA type of organiza-
ton, announced she would resign
unless another principal is named.
She told reporters that mothers
already are circulating a petition
for the recall Of the principal and
the trIlant cffic.- 49, 60.