ALLEGED MURDER.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15185, 10 March 1923, Page 5

ALLEGED MURDER.

COOPERS ON TRIAL. A MISSING CHSLDr EVIDENCE BY THE MOTHER. By Telegraph. —Press Association. WELLINGTON, Friday. The Newlands case was continued to-day, when further evidence relevant to the murder charge was taken. Minnie King, a married woman, again gave evidence regarding the confinement of Miss Lester at witness' house. The male accused visited the house and brought clothes, which were identified. Witness had the baby photographed at a studio when nine days old. Later the child was taken away by Cooper and Elbe Adams, it being then quite healthy. Cooper agreed to pay witness for attendance on Miss Lester, but only paid about half the amount, in “dribs and drabs.” When witness subsequently asked about the child, Cooper stated it was doing fine. The male accused also informed witness that the people who wanted to adopt the child would not do so, as the birth had been notified. Effie Muriel Adams detailed the taking of the baby from Mrs King’s to Johnsonville at the male accused’s request. Witness was accompanied by Miss Lester, Cooper going' to Johnsonville on his motor cycle. The Coopers were on the station at Johnsonville, and Mrs Cooper took the baby. Cooper suggested to Miss Lester that she should ride op the back of hie bicycle to Newlands, and he would then go back to Mrs Cooper and the baby. Witness then got the train back to Wellington. Cooper had told her that someone was waiting at Newlands to take the baby away that night. In his evidence Detective McLennan gave details of interviews with the male accused, who, when asked where the child was, replied, “I do not know where the child is; I have nothing to do with it." Further questioned by the detective, the male accused admitted meeting Miss Lester and another woman on the Johnsonville station, and said: “I took Miss Lester to my home at Newlands on the back of my motor-cycle, leaving a woman with a baby it the station. I had no idea who the.baby was; I had never seen it before. I think this woman must have returned to Wellington with the baby. I have never seen this woman with the baby since.” In reply to a further question, accused told witness that* he had nothing more lo say about the matter. Brought Face to Face.

Inspector Mcllveney stated that when he asked Cooper as to the whereabouts of Miss Lester’s child, Cooper declined to make a statement, but added that some one was trying to blackmail him on account of another child. Subsequently he said the child was all right, but refused to say where it was. Later on Cooper said: “Mrs King knows everything about it. She arranged everything. /She knows the woman who took it away and she is the only person who can say where it is.” When Mrs King and Cooper were brought face to face;"the woman denied Cooper’s statement,* whereupon he said, “You’re a liar.” Detective Henry Nuttall gave corroborative evidence, Senior-Detective Lewis, in further evidence, said Cooper could not give the address of the unknown woman who' he said had taken the child away, lie had never, seen her since she- left the Jolinsonville station. The dress of the woman was described in detail, by Goopetv TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. By Telegraph.—-Press Association. WELLINGTON, Saturday. The charges against the Coopers were continued to-day. Beatrice Irene Beadle, a housemaid, said that she met C.oopei/ in Dunedin about four years ago. Later she went to live at Gpoper’s place at Island Bay, and with the knowledge of Mrs Cooper, was familiar with him, Mrs Cooper saying she had no objection. Witness had a child in Lyttelton in 1920. The child was left in Christchurch, Cooper saying he would pay for it. The child later was bpought back to Wellington, and then Cooper said he had made arrangements for some one to adopt it. , Witness said she went away for. an hour, and on return she was told that the people had called, that she was not to worry, it was quite all right, and the best thing had been done in the circumstances. Since then she had hot seen the baby. The trial was adjourned till Monday morning, when the final Crown evidence will be tendered.