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TERRE HAUTE BANKER TAKES HIS OWN LIFE James Cooper, Prominent in Legal, Financial Circles, Cuts Throat. SUFFERED BREAKDOWN Aided Frank Dailey in U. S. Prosecution of Ballot Fraud Cases. By United Press TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Nov. 12.James Cooper, 57, president of the Terre Haute Trust Company, one of the largest banks in western Indiana, committed suicide at his home here today. Cooper slashed his throat with a razor. Last Monday Cooper suffered a nervous breakdown. He had been under the care of a physician since. The Citizens National Bank and Trust Company closed its doors shortly before noon today, after a morning of heavy deposit withdrawals. Directors issued the following statement: "The unusual demand for money today brought about by the baseless fears caused by the untimely death of James Cooper, president of the Terre Haute Trust Company, has made it necessary to close the Citizens National Bank and Trust Company for a short period, as a protection to depositors." It also was announced that a thorough check of the institution's finances had revealed that the bank was "thoroughly solvent." Meanwhile, depositors keep up a steady withdrawal of funds from the Terre Haute Trust Company as a result of the president's death, but the company remained open. Directors met this morning and elected temporary officers. James Cooper, well known in Indianapolis legal circles, was a member of the Terre Haute law firm of Cooper, Royse, Gabmill & Crawford. He maintained the legal practice in addition to his duties as head of the Terre Haute Trust Company, presidency of which he assumed several years ago when James S. Royse, then president of the bank, committed suicide. Cooper was assistant to Frank G. Dailey, Indianapolis attorney, in 1915 in federal court trials growing out of the Terre Haute election fraud. Cooper once was prosecutor of Vigo county.
