ALLEGED CHILD MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 8 March 1923, Page 5

ALLEGED CHILD MURDER.

CHARGE AGAINST COOPERS.

EVIDENCE FOR PROSECUTION.

MORE ABOUT ADOPTION ARRANGEMENTS.

(By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The charge against Daniel Richard Cooper and hi* wife Martha EHmbeth Cooper, of having murdered an infant at Xewlands, Jolmsonville. was the subject of further evidence lienrcl before Mr. Pa<re S >L, this afternoon. Margaret McLcod. ntlhi Lad deposed to an arrangement under which Cooper and his wife were to secure the adoption ot her child liy some unnamed persons at I'almemoil' North, to whom the male prisoner told her he liael handed it over, stated that on one occasion the male accused hud told her that Lily Listers child was going to Palmerston North, and that tin- woman who was accepting its custody lived almost next door to the people who had her (witness') child. OOOPEit DISCUSSED RELIGION". Often Cooper used to discuss religion with witness and Miss Lister. Mr. Macassy: Was he religious ?—He appeared to be so. How did yon come to leave Cooper s — He told mc that his brother and his wife's brothel"* wife were coming to stay the following day. Did you ever sign any adoption paper*?—X<". <>n January 15 I registered the birth of Hie child in Wellington. My dad gave a permit for them to adopt the child. I had no money, and 1 thought it was such a good scheme. I did the hesi I could, and it seemed the' only thing to do. THE < HIU) DEMANDED. "On January 27." concluded witness, "a demand was made for the return of the child, but it was not produced."' A brief cross-examination followed. This concluded the evidence of witness, Willi throughout the proceedings had answered questions clearly and distinctly, although, when referring to the child, witness was visibly labouring under deep emotion and weeping copiously. ■ A slightly-built girl named Muriel Adams was assisted into the box and given a chair to sit upon. Witness be-, came hysterical, and it was found necessary to remove her from the Court. ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE. After legal argument in Chambers on a questio t n of law, his Worship intimated that a telegram and a letter purporting to have come from a solicitor acting on behalf of the male accused was not admissible. "It must be proved, - ' said Mr. Page, "that the documents were sent by instructions of the accused. The Court is not entitled to assume that such is the case here." Eftie Muriel Adams, a single woman, a laundress by occupation, stated that in February last she had worked with the previous witness, and, as the result of a conversation, she had taken Miss McLeod to see Cooper; who had examined her. Some arrangement was made between Miss McLeod and Cooper, but witness could not say what it was. Cooper had later told her that Miss McLeod was '•■Getting on all right." WELSH IX THE BOX. A well built man named William James Welsh, who said he was a storeman, was the next witness. He said that Cooper had told him at an interview at the place where witness worked that he had been sent down by Miss 'McLeod to see about the adoption of her child. The cost was to be £30. Witness said he did not have much money, but if some arrangement were reached lie could pay so much each week at Cooper's office. In the evening an agreement was entered into, but on that occasion the price was stated to be £35. After paying six weekly instalments witness was asked by accused for an 1.0. U. for the balance, as lie wanted to raise money- for the people who- were to take the child. Cooper had told witness that he had made arrangements for its adoption, and promised that the child was going to a good home. Mr. Maeassy: Have you ever signed adoption papers? Witness: When I a.-ked Cooper al.out adoption papers, he said Miss McLeod h.id them. With the exception of the agreement and the I.O.I", t have signed" nothing. A "GLAD EYE" ACQUAIXTAXCK. Answering a ijuestion by Mr. Treadwell, witness stated that he met Miss McLeod as a result of a 'glad eye.'' Duncan McLeod. a salesman, said he was a brother of the witness ~f that name. He knew the male accused, hut not the female accused. In conmniiii'iive of something his sister told him witness visited Cooper sit his office in UVIlin;;;. n. Cooper had stated that In- »;t> out n> help unfortunate girl* who hail fn!l.;ii. He was not doing it for any special gain. A* lung as hi- could cover expense.- lie considered it his duty to liiiiminil t. Mention had been, muue of a - >t t-'.O to cover such expenses as adoption, registration, rlulhinjf. medical fe;-s, etc. Later Cooper mi id t 'nit Welsh could pay about f.'iO. ami at his Miggestion witness gave an I.or. for the balance, £X\ l-V- Subsequently fi'-'ised told witness that some people had come down from I'alineretou Xurtli in take the .hild away. The 1.0.1. was met by witness. ADOPTION MOXKV ALL PAID. "A short time later 1 had paid a certain amount off." added witness, "and Cooper, when he saw mc at mv place of business, said lie would accept £12 if 1 paid in a lump sum. He gave mc a few days to louside:- it. and I paid the amount to a young girl who was sent around." A vuung widow named Kthpl Tucker, «ho had been in the employ of accused as a typiste for,some time prior to his arrest, told the Court that, instructed by Cooper, she collected a sum of money on an I.O.I", from til 1: previous witness MeLeod. Florence Hrnwn. a married woman, residing at Lnxford Street. Wellington, stated that she had written the agreement at the dictation of Cooper. She saw Miss McLcods baby when it was about a work old. .During November she vi-ited accused's uiHce several times. He told her the chili! was adopted by a lady a) I'almerstoii North. An inquiry .about v i-iiild belonging to -Miss Lister had elicited information that it had been also adopted by a relative of the other person at Palmerston North. LILIAN LESTER'S EVIDENCE. Lilian Lester, of Wellington, stated that s-lie first met the male accused in the street in June, tO'22. and later went to his office in Lamhton Quay. About a fortnight later she went first to his oflice am! later in the same day to Newlands on Cooper's motor cycle. She stayed at the •'crib" on Cooper's property at N'ewlands for live or six weeks. Witness remembered -\liss Mc-Leod being.

put there by Mrs. Cooper. She recollected Miss MoLeod giving birth to a child there on October, 1922. Witness called Cooper, who sent for a doctor. Witness dressed and fed the baby. GOVERXMEXT ANALYSISTS " EVIDENCE. * Dr. James McLaurin, Dominioa analyst, stated that he "had received Q portion of the body of a child for ex* animation for poison, of which no signs were found. Senior-Sergeant Dinnie. of the erin-.-inal registration branch, depo?i-d to having taken photographs of the child's body in a grave and of the house of aocused at Newlanda. At this stage the Court adjourned until Thursday. It is anticipated tiia.t proceedings will last several days, thy Crown having over 20 witnesses."