COOPER THE INCORRIGIBLE.

NZ Truth, Issue 133, 17 August 1907, Page 6

COOPER THE INCORRIGIBLE.

The Fate of a Forger. For something like thirty years a clean-shaven, ugly-looking individual named Frederick Cooper, who has marked criminal characteristics about his chiv, has been toiling for a crust m gaol. ' It has been his home m some part or other of the colony for nearly, all that time, and he will now, m all* probability end his sordid existence there. Among other things, Cooper has a penchant for forging and uttering cheques, and he doesn't do it badly ' either, for he is a good penman is Cooper, and he can get cheques cashed with great facility. He had no way. of getting out of his last Christchurch escapades, and he owned up like a toff. In all he HAS SERVED FOURTEEN YEARS for fooling with cheques, and he admitted this when questioned by Crown Prosecutor Stringer at the Christchurch Supreme Court, on Monday. Cooper handed m a petition to Judge Chapman, which was so well written and couched m such good English that, the Judge commented on the fact, and asked if the document was m the accused's own handwriting. A reply was vouched m the affirmative by Gaoler Cleary, and the Judge said it was evident that Cooper's case was one that must be properly termed incorrigible criminality. He had lived m gaol for a long series of years, and couldn't keep out of it. A man like him couldn't 'be allowed at large to prey upon . the public. Allusion had been made m his petition to the state of health, but the medical authorities would see that he wouldn't suffer m that connection.. Prisoner would be sentenced to four years' imprisonment, and was declared a habitual criminal.