THE COOPER CASE.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1923, Page 3

THE COOPER CASE.

[by TELEGRAPH—BEK PRESS ASSOCIATION.] THE JURY RETURNS. WELLINGTON, -May 14 The jury returned at 4.30 p.m. from Ncwlands, and when the Judge took his seat on the bench, Mr Maeassoy intimated that lie did not intend addressing the jury that night, as he felt he would be consulting the convenience of the jury in not doing so. He therefore proposed to ask his Honour to adjourn the Court until ton o’clock to-morrow morning. His Honour concurred in this course. On the application of Mr Wilford, His Honour agreed that Mrs Cooper should be housed at the Police Station during the trial. The Court then rose till ten a.m. tomorrow. THE TRIAL PROCEEDS. WELLINGTON, May 15. The Cooper case was resumed. Roth iioeu-a'd were accommodated with seats in the dock and all witnesses were ordered out of the Court, which was again crowded. In opening the case for the Crown. Air Afacassey outlined the circumstances which led to the introduction of Aliss Aid.cod io the male accused, who was then carrying on business as a health specialist. '.McLeod was then pregnant, and interviews with Cooper led to her going to Cooper’s plate at Newlnmls, the arrangements being that she was to pay £SO and 15s per week while she was at Ncwlands. Cooper advised Ale Lend to get the money from the man who was responsible for her condition, the money being necessary to defray the cost of the confinement and of adoption after birth, Cooper telling ALT.cod he had some one at Palmerston North who wished to-adopt a child. The child was horn on 121 h October, ]!)22 and was a strong healthy child. Some eight days later Cooper came to Afel.ecd and said the people had come to adopt the child, and took it away from .McLeod, presumably for -nut purpose. That was the important link in the chain of evidence in this case. Altogether Cooper had received £33 lls in connection with AlcLcod’s baby, while he had been put to no expense except the doctor’s fee for the confinement and food of Alcl/eod while at Nowlands.

Air Alacassey then proceeded to relate the circumstances surrounding interviews between Cooper and the police. during which lie said he had been treating Ale I.cod, for skin disease, hut said nothing about the birth ol the child. He read lengthy extracts from statements made In the police by Cooper, in which he stated he had been repeatedly applied to by women in trouble for assistance, but l'e consistently refused to have anything to do with them. Inquiries were then made by the police from McLeod, which led to a search of Cooper’s property, which resulted, in the discovery of a child’s body, a body which ill age, sex, etc., coresponded closely with Aid. cod’s ■ hild. AYlien informed of the fact that a, body had been found and when asked for an explanation -Mrs Cooper only said she would like to see her solicitor before making any statement. Cooper made a statement, to ike puli'e which indicated he believed it to he another child altogether.

Afr Afacassey was proceeding to refer lo this other child when Air Treadwell and Air Wilford objected to all such references, and his Honour said the objection could ’e taken when the evidence was tendered, in the meantime Air Afacas-ey need not refer to it.

I ’rnccf’J iog, Air Mncu-svy dealt on the fact that neither Hie birth nor the doEtli c I the child, found on ('neper's property was registered until alter the proceedings weio c< mircnced. No refold of the adoption was made, and he submitted Cooper and Ills wife alone knew what became of it. Ho further submitted that the body found at Yewlands was .McLeod's lnby. because Until went, females, both had dark trail-, both were about eight days old. raid both must have boon two months under ground, and it: was a fact that when Airs Cooper took the child away from AfcLecd, she told her the child did not ro'iuire clothing, as the people who were going to adopt it had all the necessary clothes, and when the body was found it was devoid (f clothing. Tf Cooper had it in his power to produce the child it was his duty to do so. Tf he failed to do so the responsibility was his. He then proceeded to call evidence.

THE EVIDENCE. WELLINGTON, Alav 15 Tln> first- witness called was Doctor Hector, who gave formal evidence as to a certain photograph taken by him. Afr Treadwell objected to the admission of the photograph, claiming it had n.i positive value and only ministered to the melodramatic effect. His Honour, however, ruled it was admissable, and should lie produced. He did not believe the jury would be susceptible to melodramatic effect. ficnior-Sergt. Dinnie, of the Criminal Investigation Branch also gave detailed evidence regarding the photographs taken by him of the grounds, house, etc. at Newhtnds.

Alargaret Alorny AfcLecd deposed she first met Cooper at his office in February 1922. 81m visted him for the purpose of a. medical examina I ion. believing she was pregnant. Cooper examined her with an instrument and declared her to bo pregnant. Cooper farther commented on her state ol health, saying she was in a bad way and Ire did not expect the clli Icl would be burn alive. She saw Cooper again at the end i f February, when he advised her to keep in touch with him. I,.iter, when she saw him again. he asked what she proposed doing with the child. She said she had made no arrangement. He then mentioned that he could get someone to adopt it, but it -would cost her £SO. which would cover the costs of the confinement and the adoption. She told Cooper who was responsible for her condition, and he advised her to g.-t the money from him. She said she would get Welsh to call on Cooper, hut ho did net do so. Cooper said she could go out to his pi ice just the same, and he knew a married woman in l’aliucrston North who had no family, who would be ghul to take the child without a premium. In July she told Cooper she had not been able to get £SO; and be said lie would taka his chance of that, but he would like the rent ol tlie cottage kept up. On the 19th August she went out to Cooper’s and when there Cooper brought to her, for signature, an agreeinen tunder which she promised to release Welsh from all further liability on payment to Cooper of £35. On 12th October, 1922, her baby was born. It was a girl with long dark brown hair, and deep blue eyes. It was healthy, so far as she know. She was not aware that it had any injnry to its knee. On the 20tli Cooper told tier people were coming from Palmerston that day for the baby to adopt it. and about seven o'clock in the evening Airs Cooper came over to her and said the people had arrived to take the child away. She was told by Airs Cooper that the woman's husband and nurse had come for tire child. None of the clothing made by witness was taken by Airs Cooper, as she said the

people who were adopting the child did not- want any of her clothes. A few days after the child had been tak-

en away she asked Ccoper if lie had heard anything of the child. Ho said the people had rung him u.p and said it was doing well. She did not register the birth because Cooper told her the people who adopted it would do that. *He also told her that her child would have a good home and be brought up as their own and that ”o one would know any different. He said lie would keep in touch with the people and mentioned he had placed other children in a similar way. He also -mnetioned that the people who ha cl taken flic child of a Miss Lister were neighbours of those at Palmerston North who had taken her child. She never signed adoption papers of any kind. Her child’s birth was ’lot registered until January of this year, when it was done hv the police. She consented to the adoption of her child because she had not the money to keep her, and she thought she was doing the be-.t thing for her by getting her into a good homo. She had made a demand upon Cooper for the return of the child, hut it had not been returned to her. Cooper never treated her for any skin disease. She did not take any of her baby’s clothes with her when she left Ncwlands. To Air Treadwell: The child was perfectly healthy. She fed it herself. Cooper appeared to he a religious in.an who took an interest in children, and he was verv kind.