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THE COLUMBUS HERALD.FRIDAY, JAN. 8, 188G.MURDERED.George Cooper, of Cliffy, FoundDeadWith Six Bullet Holes in his Body And his Skull Crushed With a Club.Tfce Horrible Sight That met the Gate of the People Yesterday.v Dully of Saturday.'Yesterday afternoon Nixon O. Sfb wart, visit ingin the neighborhood, while hunting near the school houselocated at the intersection of the Petersville road running south from that pluce, with the II irtsville pike, suddenly came upon the dead body of a man, that presented a most horrible sight. Stewart’s dog had discovered the body while Stewart wi«s some distance away, and commenced barking. Stewart was going in another direction, and called his dog, supposing it was barking at some trivia! thing. But he couldn’t call the dog away, and tiimlly went to it. Arriving there he found a man lying partly up against the roots of a tree, tinder the head was a wheat sack folded up. The sack bears the brand of Quick Co. In the center of the forehead was a hulled hole; the left eye was shot out—his nose was terribly bruised, and whole face and head covered with blood. The backs of his hands were bruised and skinned up, as though receiving the blows of a heavy club while in the portion of defence. About six feet away lay his overcoat, and near by a clnb, and a little distance in another direction was a pistol. There wasno evtoence of n scuffle or contest discernible.It may be stated, here, that besides the wounds, as noted above, it was found afterward* that Un-re wore two bullet holes In bis right arm, two in.his right side, and one below the nostrils — making six luillet wounds altogether. The club found near was about eighteen inches lon^ , and is thought to iuivr been broken from a coupling pole uf a wagon. The large end was about 2 inches in diameter. One end had been tapered with ith an axe to a *dzc conven-itpt to he held in the hand.Nixon immediately gave the alarm and Mr. NV. H. Blessing eame to town, bringing t he news, and step-were immediately taken to care for the body and to hold an inque-t. Mr. Long’s u rulerlakcrs, J)avu 1 **un and Murray, were sent out with a party, among whom were \Squire Kinney, acting as coroner, Constable Hickey and others, ami tin* body was brought to Long’s establishment, where it was prepared for burial.Considerable of a crowd luul collected at the spot to view the- body, among them being Mr. E//*kielCooper, the father of the dead man. Entil his arrival no one seemed to kn w who the ooad man was—he being reported by Stewart and Blessing a a stranger.The excitement In town after thearrival of the body was intense, and the under t uking e.-tabli sh men I was crowded till a late hour by persons eager to learn the pttticulars of the horrible affair. Lillie was learned more than the general out line as here given,though there wore many rumors and theories afloat, which served to keep the crowd together, arid excite interest.Again this morning the place was besieged by an anxious crowd, that desired to see the body and to hear what might be afloat as to the tragic affair.An autopsey was held upon the body by Drs. McLoed, Voris, arid Armor, who were summoned for the; purpose, who proceeded about ten o'clock to perform that duty. They Will testify to tin* coroner.The coroner has ordered the body to remain ait the undertakers, until the inquest should be ended, when It will be given up to the friends for interment. Later the body was turned over to the family and taken hoftio to near Newbern.George Cooper was twenty-two years of age and unmarried. lie was regarded in the neighborhood as a most excellent young man. lie was peaceable and qulot, and his father says he never knew him to carry a weapon,or a pistol. The pistol found near him, wits, however identified as belonging to his brother Albert. Sev«-oral persons bear witness to the fact that he was pleasant In disposition,honorable in his intercourse with associates, and generally highly regarded by all who knew iiim.Below we give the evidence before the coroner so far as it had been elicited up to the hour of going to press. The work of getting the testimony is proceeding very slowly.TIIK EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST.The inquest commenced at 10 o’cIock this morning, in the private room of Esquire Kinney’s office. To avoid the crowd and facilitate business, no one was admitted except the officials, witnesses and reporters.Esq. Kinney, acting coroner, questioned the witnesses and the evidence was taken down by Frank Matson, Coroner’s clerk. S«vlt; 1 witnesses were called who failed answer, and it was twenty minute after 10 when the first witness, Nixon O. .Stewart, was sworn. “I live in Harrison township, this county and State. I live six miles wc3t of Columbus, and it is fivtt miles from here to where the body was found.“I was squirrel hunting, anlt;i£my dog found the body. It did not look as it there had been a struggle.“I found a revolver, 32$Inng, lying about three feet away from the bodv on tlie east of him. Did not pick up revolver to examine it. A mallet, about eighteen inches long, shaped like one used to rive boards; made with u dull ax; also an overcoat was lying seven feet east of body.“Am acqat tiled slightly in fithntneighborhood; my broth4 r-in-law*, James Grosscost, lives there. Did not kuow deceased. Never saw him before that I know of.“Found the body about three o’clock, yoslerday, Jan. 1st, 1880, in the corner of Jonathan Soil’s woods, in ('lay township.Ben F. Olmstead swnrn 4• I live on Flora Jett’s place in Clay township.1 did not first discover the body. Saw It lying in the woods, Mr. Stewart 111 Ml told me if it as I was at work ill sawmill; was not acquainted with deceased.Tin? holt;Iy was fonml forty yards from pike on Joe Stuckey’s land.Did not know anything particularly about some horses being taken from a stable in that neighborhood, only heard James Western say something about it; on Wednesday morning saw where buggy had backed across on each side of the mad near I he place where the body lay, and then went buck cast. The woods are open where tin* body was found. Do not know anything further in regard to this i*ase.Albert Cooper sworn, “Live nine miles u,«*d of hen4 in Clifty township, Bartholomew* county. (icorge Cooper, deceased, was a brother of mine. He was 22 years old the 8th day of last December. Saw him last alive on Tuesday forenoon. He started to go to Mi's. Rachael Fix’s to shuck corn. Did not have any money or a watch that 1 know of when In* left home. Did not know of my brother’s irouble with any one, either II. Gib-neror Evan Fix. Did not knowhow long be was inlending to work for Mrs. Fix. Did not know if my brother was keeping clt; mpatiy with any lady. Evan Fix has n buggy; saw bim on Wednesday night at Newbcm. My brother did not sluiek corn but sawed wood. Left Fix’s at dark on Tuesday evening to go to Newborn. Asked Mary Fix yesterday morning if she knew where George was. Said she did not know. Fix’s bilks said that Evan did not go to Newbern on Tuesday evening with George Cooper. Rachael Fix told mi? about Evan going to Newborn.”Evuci Fix sworn: “Knew George.Cooper. Saw him last 'Tuesday evening at supper at our iicu«e;sfUd lie was going up to Newbern and asked nie to go along; did not go with him. Hi* did not state what he was going to Newbern for. lie was not coining buck to our house .is i did not want him any more this week. On 'Tuesday evening it was too bad to shuck | corn anti we cut wood, then be left, a-' -tilted, and did not say where he was going. I was not in New-! hern on Tuesday night. I was a( home 'Tuesday night. Cooper had on a cap, course boots. Witness recognized cap, je.ins punts worn in boots, overcoat; had a revolver; one shown looked like it; said it was a M2 long. I don’t know of any young lady that Cooper kept company with in that neighborhood. Newer heard Cooper say he had any trouble with Harvey Uiltner. Cooper left our house Tuesday morning arid went home; left his coat at barn when we went out to shuck corn in the afternoon; it was too muddy to shuck, and we went and sawed wood until night. Cooper und I wont to Put© Keller’s in the afternoon to borrow a saw and Jake and Dan Keller, came back to my brother .Will’s woods with us. Don’t kuow anything fur*
Newspaper Details
Columbus Herald
Columbus, Indiana, US
Fri, Jan 08, 1886
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 14 Apr 2019
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