Edward Cooper

Sailors Edward Cooper and Edward Jones were both serving aboard the British ship 'Coalbeck' which had left Liverpool on 23rd January bound for the Chilean port of Valparaiso. All was well until some ill feeling developed between the two men. On 24th  April, Jones, acting for the second mate, gave Cooper, a native of New Orleans, an order which he scornfully refused to obey. Angry words ensued which concluded with Cooper offering Jones to go on deck and 'Fight it out like a man.' As they squared up thirty three year old Cooper drew a pistol and shot Jones dead. Cooper was detained and brought back to port to stand trial. His defence that he was attacked and cut by the victim was contradicted by various witnesses, and he was convicted and sentenced to death by Mr Justice Archibald. He was hanged by William Marwood in Liverpool on the 6th September 1875.