COOPER, Freeman E. - 1918
Source: Crawfordsville Indiana Review newspaper, July 23, 1918 p 1
Covington, July 22 – An insanity inquest was conducted before Justice Asa Osborn to inquire into the mental condition of Freeman E. Cooper, aged 26, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Cooper of Richland township. The evidence disclosed that the young man’s mind has been affected for the past year and that he has gradually grown worse. He is melancholy and slow of comprehending; is incoherent, sleeps out in the fields and remains away from home for days at a time. Recently he has shown an undue infatuation for Lewis Harrison, a neighbor boy aged 13. He is never satisfied unless he is near this boy all the time. A few days ago he armed himself with a shot gun and threated to kill his father, he also told members of the family that he was liable to kill the Harrison boy regardless of his great infatuation. He was finally taken into custody by the authorities and place in the county jail where the inquest was held and he was found to be of unsound mind and dangerous to be at large. Papers for his admission to the Central Hospital for the insane have been forwarded to Indianapolis. --– kbz
Source: Attica Daily Tribune 8 Oct 1918 p 1
A charge of assault and battery with intent to commit murder has been placed against Freeman Cooper, Harry Harrison being the prosecuting witness. Cooper is in jail at Covington pending the outcome of the injuries suffered by Lewis Harrison when he shot by Cooper on Sept 28. Young Harrison is reported to be slowly recovering but it will be some time before he will be able to leave the hospital. The father, Harry Harrison and the elder son, Rollin who were also shot by Cooper are reported to be out of danger. Should Lewis Harrison die a first degree murder charge will be placed against Cooper. Cooper’s attempt to wipe out members of the Harrison family when he concealed himself in the barn loft at the Harrison home south of Mellott, occurred Saturday night Sept 28 and was the result of his insane infatuation for the 12-year-old Harrison boy which had been going on for about two years. He had been declared of unsound mind but was permitted to be at large, pending the arrival of commitment papers for his admission to the Central Insane Hospital at Indianapolis. That he premediated the deed is shown by the fact that he stole the gun with which he did the shooting several days before and also that he had threatened to kill the Harrison boy as well as other members of the family. He is undoubtedly insane and is a complete nervous wreck. He talks freely about the affair and expresses little regret of his act. He says that he could not to be away from the Harrison youth and when he had been refused permission to visit the Harrison home he made up his mind to kill the boy and then commit suicide. Asked why he did not turn the gun on himself after he had shot the boy and wounded the father and older brother he said that he forgot all about that part of his program during the excitement that followed the shooting.