Year: 1877

Correspondence New York 6raphicl


William z. Cooper. one of the Cooper


brothers jast now attracting So much


of the attention Of the detectives Oh ac-
count Of fofgeries committed, had oui:..
romantic career in this city during


the years Immediately following the


war. by means of forged letters he


obtained from Secretary Welles an ap


pointment in the Navy Department.


aud soon became quite a lior in soci-


ETY.. He represented himself to be a
scion Of the British nobility, who,


through q freak and q desire to see


varied phases of life, had Temporarily


left England. and for reasons Of his
own plausibly put, desired to enter
the civil service of the United


States. He affected dainty style
Of dress and mode Of life, which,
together with q handsome person and
lngratiatiDg manners. soon made him q
favorite among ladies in the most fash
ionable circles. He did not hesitate to
pay more than one Washington lady of
high connections serious attentions and
engage her hand ia marriage, and


would continue the betrnthal until
some time as he saw fit to break it off,
or until he found that no improvement
10 his finances would result from the
marriage. ! know of one of these in


stances where no one connected with
the lady's family supposed until after
the denouement which followed bis
marriage with the niece Of Mr.. D.frees


then, rs now. the Public Print, r, that


Mr.. Cooper WAS guilty of aught worse
than the fickleness of young and
pleasure loving nature. Before his
marriage to Miss Mothershead, Mr..
Defrees' niece. the detectives were
shadowing him on account of forgeries
committed against the Government,
and those employing them knew of the
intended marriage, yet took no steps to
save an innocent girl from the misery
and disgrace of uniting herself to a
villain. The marriage took place
with her uncle's consent, he. Of course,
knowing no reason tn oppose it.
and the couple started on their
bridal trip. intending to reach Phila-
delphia before night and remain there
few days. The detectives followed
the carriage containing the bride and
groom to the depot aud left the city on
the same train with them, but made no
attempt to arrest the forger until the
train was crossing Havre de Grace and
he had left his bride for few minutes.
Then he was informed of the charges
against him and shown the warrant
for his arrest He implorcd permission
to take his bride to Philadelphia and
zee her comfortably settled at the Con-
tlnental Hotel before his arrest was
publicly made. and his wishes were re-
spectcd The officers of the law re-
mained in the car with him until reach
ing Philadelphia. and kept him in sight
until he and his wife were shown to
private room in the hotel. There he
left her, merely saying that he wished
to speak to II friend in the hotel. and
she never saw him again. Her lonely
hours of watching for the return of her
bridegroom and the overwhelming
misery which came upon her when she
could not choose but believe herself to
be a deserted bride, need not be depict
ed. A telegram brought her uncle to
her next day, and then they both knew
the truth--that Cooper was base
scoundrel and had been placed in Jail
to await trial for forgery The bride
returned with her uncle to Washington
and was soon legally divorced. while
Cooper was sentenced to five years in
the Penitentiary All this occurred
eleven years ago. The lady has for
some time been happily married to an
other, and the same can truly be said of
one more who was once the fiancee of
the fascinating Cooper. One of the pc
culiarl,ies of the lady-kilier was the
business like aud methodical treatment |
of all the love letters he received from
fair ladies After his arrest. when his |
papers at the Navy Department were
seized. the billets-doux Of more than !
one who had been betrothed to him |
were found neatly folded and filed away /
rs ii they were business documents. in !
d.rscd after this fashion: "Bess. June
10 Dear little Bess; how much she
loves me - The latter sentence swould |
be placed under he ruled lines usually /
headed "Rcmsrks" on filed papers. l |
an glad to say that Secretary Welles
was able to restore to some of the ladies'
their letters and screen them from /
further vubiicitv