The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1887-10-08 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

FRANCE AND MADAGASCAR.  A Reufer's message save : The Malagasy Foreign Minister has been banished for 20 years. The French Resident at Antananarivo has hauled ciown his flag, and there is a rupture of diplomatic r&-ions. The French, under an escort, will take the ri- td to Tamatave. The cause of the rupture was the exequatars of the American an British Consuls.  A later despatch adds: The French Resident has now left the capital.  E you seen the wife of poor Augustus? a gentleman asked Jerrold, referring to a friend.—No; what's the matter? said Jerrold.—Why, I can assure you she's a complete wrelf p hen T _.—T suppose re„ plied Jerrold, he'll 1)1 the jolly-host to put off /row her!  liolham Police station. So far as can be at present ascertained the prisoner bad no motive whatever for the crime. When questioned by the parish clerk on Sunday morning, he said he first thought of doing it on the previous day. The murdered clergyman had a grown-up family, one of his sons being a doctor in London. Cooper comes from Tunbridge Wells, but nothing is known of his family in this neighbourhood. He was not popular in the parish, and there are rumours that he has shown symptoms of insanity' Mr. Farley had lately advertised for another curate. Another account adds: The curate was credited with High Church proclivities, whereas the vicar was an Evangelical clergyman. There does not, however, seem to have been say quarrel or dispute between the two, and tbere was never any reason to suppose that any ill-feeling existed between them. On the contrary he circumstances seem to show that very friendly relations existed between Mr. Cooper and M. and Mrs, Farley. Upon opening the bedroom door Mrs. Farley says that it was with difficulty that she prevented the curate from forcing•his way in, and having succeeded in closing the door she turned the key, exclaiming to her husband as she did so, "Why he is mad. Mr. Cooper cal led out I want to come in and see the vicar." Mr. earley replied, " Ob, poor fellow, open the door and see what be wants." Mrs. Farley accordingly opened the door again, and Mr. Cooper walked into the room. He made no remark, but went right into the room by the foot of the bed, past the crib on which Mrs. Farley had been sleeping, and then to the side of the vi-car's hed. All this time he had the candlestick in his right band. Nothing was observed in his left, but that he had a razor there can be no doubt. He approached the bedside and quietly pat out his left hand in tha direction of the vicar's ~.arocit. Mr. Far by exclaimed "What do you mean? What do you mean " The curate laughed, turned round, and walked quietly out of the room. Before he reached the door Mr. Farley exclai n3ed in a feeble voice, "He's cut my throat." Mrs. Farley at first believed that her husband was in a delirium, and as she could see no blood, she replied, "Oh, nonsense." She, however, followed the curate to his room, and while going there she heard Mr. Farley call "Frank," the coachman, twice by name. She went up to Cooper, and in as firm a voice as she could command said to him, "What have you got in your hand? Give it to me." He replied, "I have got nothing," a' d even then she could not see that be had any weapon. She then went back to her husband's room, and found Mr. Farley lying on the floor with blood ruAing from his throat. Stricken with horror, she ran back to the curate's room, and said to Cooper, ‘•Come and help me. You don't know what you havo done" Cooper made no reply, and she ran back to her hu43and and tried to staunch the blood. Meanwhile she despatched the groom for a doctor, but long before he arrived Mr. Farley expired.  Mrs. Parley. I don't mind about it. People will A VICAR MURDERED BY HIS talk.