Chief Desmond Solves Cooper Killing

Sa Huwebes, Enero 23, 1902, St. Louis awakened to the news millionaire A. Deane Cooper was found murdered in the Vista Bathhouse at Franklin Avenue and North Grand Boulevard. Cooper, isa sa st. Louis’ pinakamayaman na lalaki, Pag -aari ng Residential Real Estate at iba pang mga pag -aari na pinahahalagahan 2 milyong dolyar. Cooper aspired to be the biggest property owner in St. Louis. Maaaring nagawa niya ang pag-asa kung hindi dahil sa kanyang hindi kanais-nais na kamatayan sa 49-taong-ng-edad.

Sa Miyerkules, Enero 22, 1902, Cooper arrived at the Vista Bathhouse, which he owned. Matapos siyang makaranas ng pag -atake ng apoplexy 1901, Binili niya ang bathhouse upang kumuha ng regular na paliguan ng Turko. Cooper was attended by William Strother aka William Straugher. Cooper had a close relationship with Strother, which was unusual in turn of the century St. Louis. Si Strother ay kapwa mahirap at itim. Si Cooper ay mayaman at puti.

Matapos dumating si Cooper, Strother heated up the sauna for Cooper. Matapos ang isang steam bath sa sauna, Bumalik si Cooper sa silid ng paglamig, kung saan siya ay may isang cot. Cooper told Strother he was expecting a man and two women to visit him at the Turkish bath. Sinabi ni Cooper na ang isa sa babae ay nakikipag -ugnayan sa kanya ngunit dahil sa kanyang pagkiling ay hindi niya nais ang anumang mga itim na tao sa paligid niya.

Pumayag si Strother na manatili sa labas ng paningin ngunit sinabi sa kanya ni Cooper na maaari siyang sumilip sa bathhouse matapos niyang makita ang napagkasunduang signal. Ang mga pahayagan ay nagpatuloy nang maingat sa paligid ng mga detalyeng ito ngunit tila inayos ni Cooper para kay Strother na maaaring sumilip sa mga hubad na kababaihan, na madalas na sumali sa Cooper sa bathhouse.

Strother did peek in on them after receiving the signal from Cooper. Bumalik si Strother bandang hatinggabi upang mahanap ang lahat. He observed Cooper lying on a cot. When he checked on his employer, he found Cooper insensible from a strike to the head. Strother summoned Cooper’s son, Theodore Cooper, at ang st. Louis Police.

In a case of this significance, the Sherlock Holmes of St. Louis, Chief of Detectives William Desmond, personally handled the investigation. The police quickly found the murder weapon, a sledge hammer with blood stains, Sa isang stack ng karbon sa ilalim ng paliguan ng Turko sa basement.

Chief Desmond quickly focused on the three visitors and William Strother. Strother’s alibi crumbled quickly. Under a series of “sweatings”, the term Desmond used for his interrogations, he progressively got confessions from Strother.

Strother admitted taking Cooper’s missing jewels, that he brought the murder weapons up out of the basement, that he hid the sledge hammer in the basement and finally that he struck Cooper with the fatal blow.

Desmond never discovered a clear motive. Strother attempted to hide the jewelry, so robbery could have been a motive. Cooper had also recently purchased the house that Strother lived in. Despite Cooper’s promises he was going to redeem the house for Strother, Strother feared Cooper was going to put him out of his house. Cooper acquired Strother’s house during the week of January 22, 1902.

Besides his mistress, Ang isang. Deane Cooper had a dark side. Cooper was supposed to be bankrolling the operation of St. Louis gambler Johnny Winn. Hiniling ni Cooper kay Winn na magkaroon ng isa sa mga katrabaho ni Cooper “slugged”. Cooper hoped his employers would think the co-worker was keeping bad company and fire the man.

Cooper’s dual life may have led to the hung jury at Strother’s first trial. Mabilis na humingi ng kasalanan si Strother sa pagpatay sa 2nd degree sa panahon ng pagpili ng hurado para sa kanyang pangalawang pagsubok. Strother was sentenced to a 15 year sentence from which he was released early due to good behavior as a prisoner. Si Strother ay pinakawalan noong Setyembre 9, 1913. Mabubuhay siya ng mas mababa sa isang taon.

Sa Hulyo 25, 1914, 52-year-old William Strother died in the City Hospital. Namatay si Strother bilang resulta ng sakit sa baga. Nagtatrabaho siya sa isang lead mine sa oras, na maaaring nag -ambag sa kanyang sakit. Strother, Walang tirahan sa oras ng kanyang kapanganakan, ay inilibing sa bukid ng Potter.

Malutas ni Chief William Desmond ang maraming iba pang mga krimen kabilang ang isa na humahantong sa pagkabilanggo ni Ben Kilpatrick, who rode with Butch Cassidy. Chief Desmond almost always got his man or woman.

Kung nahanap mo ang kagiliw-giliw na artikulo na ito, you may like this book.

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