The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1892-11-26 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

NEWS NOTES.  ,  THE DOUGLAS TRAGEDY.  I  PRISONER IN TEM WITNESS-BOX. The trial of George James Barker Cooper for the murder of his wife, was resumed. More evidence as to her alleged drunken habits was given, and then the prisoner went the witness-box. He repeated his prestatements—that he was sitting on the edge .1 bed when she hit him; that his wife slapped on the face, and in retaliation, without thinking, he struck her back, forgetting that he had the knife in his hand, and the knife entered her breast. Prisoner admitted that he had been addicted to drink since November in last year, and that after drinking he was very irritable. His wife, he said, had always done her best to stop him from drinking. The drinking had very often been the cause of quarrels. He said he only struck her when under the extreme influence of drink. A letter written by Cooper when in gaol, addressed to his father, was read. It contained the following passage :—" You must not let me hang, at whatever expense or cost, as I am perfectly innocent of causing her death by thought or deed. Pray for me that I do not lose my reason, and that I may have justice. She, I believe, accidentally cut her neck, or upper breast, when trying to hurry off her nightdress, cutting the latter off instead of taking the trouble to undo it. I did not notice she was bleeding until, raising her up to help her off the bed, the blood spurted out. She then screamed and fell on the floor. I took took the penknife out of her hand." Being examined on this statement prisoner said he had told his father a lie to ease his own mind.—The further hearing of the case was adjourned. On Saturday Annie O'Neill, waitress at the Athol Hotel, Douglas, said the prisoner and his wife stayed at that establishment in January, and witness waited on them in their private room. Mrs. Cooper was very drunk on several occasioss, and once, after dinner, prisoner called her a " devil," but not in an angry manner. On one occasion deceased behaved very rudely to her husband. Witness never saw the accused drunk, and his be. haviour was always gentlemanly.—The only other evidence was that of a solicitor's clerk, who was called to prove that shortly before going to the Isle of Man prisoner arrangod for the settlement of £2,000 upon his wife.—Mr. Ring, on behalf of the accused, contended that the deed was done in the heat of the moment, and that the theory of the prosecution that it was premeditated for months was unfounded. Counsel argued at great length that the charge of wilful murder ought to be abandoned, and that a charge of manslaughter should be substituted for it, having regard to the fact that the act was committed in the h. at of passion and without deliberation. —The Advocate for the Crown then replied, and argued that he original charge was fully borne out by evidence of the Crown witnesses, and said the evidence given by Cooper's servants as to the dissipated and nagging habits of the deceased was a tissue of gross falsehoods, while to the evidence of Cooper himself they could attach no credence. In conclusion, Mr. Gell submit there was no reasonable doubt that prisoll was guilty of murder. —The trial was again a journed.  I into vione of the him'