The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 24, 1909, Image 1
tHM flTMTKJl W ATCIIMAN, Estabi
IV! ?ol Mated Au?. 2. 18S
?br SWattbman nnb ?outbron.
Pnbflthed Wednesday nuU Saturday
?BT?
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miWS SLATER TESTIFIES
ROBIN J. COOPER ON WITNESS
STAND SATTKDAY.
Yoeiig Man Who Did the Actual
Milling Deerrthes the Tragedy
Enacted on the Streets of Nashville
Lass November??Makes Strong Im.
peeea on en Jury end Spectators?
X-Ksy Brought Into Use.
Nash/llle, Tenn.. Feb. 20.?This
was the defence's dsy In the trial of
Cok Dtncan B. Cooper, Robin J.
Cooper and John D. Sharpe. charged
with the murder of former United
States Itenator Edward W. Carmack.
Only ore witness was examined, the
boyish defendant. Robin J. Cooper,
and he made a splendid witness.
When Court opened it was expected
that the State would offer one or
more of its miming witnesses. At
least three arrived last night, but the
Attorney General decided either not
to use them at si) or to save them for
hie conspiracy fight In rebuttal. Both
sldee eeemed sparring for time st the
opening of the day'e session. Finally
the dsfence asked for thirty minutes'
Indulgence and took an hour and a
half. It was presumed that a con?
ference was on. but in reality the
learn If the bullet which Robin Cool?
er received In the shouldsr was still
there. Dr. Port thought It was and
so testified. However, the dsy after
ths shooting Robin Cooper found a
bullet n the bed near his knees st
the St. Thomas Hospital. It was a
Si-calibre bullet. The gun found
near Senator Carmack a body with
two empty ahells Is a 38-callbre. The
defence evidently wanted to be eure
that the X-Ray ahowed no bullet In
Robin's ahoulder before they produc?
ed the m(a?!le found In the boy's bed.
TO this connection the State has an
iatereetlng theory that the revolver
found near Car mack's body was not
the oae forced upon the dead editor
by one of his staff a few hours before
he was ehot The one picked up Is a
blue steel tl-callbre. Col. Cooper's
revolver, secured a day or two later,
is a nlckvlled 18-callbre, and appa?
rently had never been discharged.
As soon as the X-Ray plate had
been developed and disclosed no trace
of s bullet the defence announced It
was resdy and cslled young Cooper
to ths stand. The boy Is a slender,
erect, clean-cut, high-bred type of a
young man. His features are deli?
cate, almost feminine, but he carries
himself In an erect and manly faah
lon. snd there Is nothing effeminate
in his manner. His voles Is soft snd
well cultivated. He speaks slowly,
almost wlfsj a drawl. Hs answered
every question with a dell beratenes*
and caution that at times seemed to
esasperste his counsel, Judge An?
derson, and put aim In the light of
sn unwllllna witness. Put there Is no
doubt thst bis evident sincerity and
disinclination to taks advantage of a
situation made a very strong 1m
preaiinn ?n I '?th Jury and spectators.
Ills cross-examination was postponed
until Monday, when It will conaume
probably most of the day.
He said thst he practiced law In
the office of his uncle. James RraeV
ford, and that on November t, the
dsy of the Carmack ehootlnx. his
lather called at Bradford's office In
the forsnoon. Young Cooper. who
gave ht? age an twenty-seven, refer?
red to Iiis fsther as "papa."
??Whin papa told me," he testified,
"he wait Sfrald he wna going to have
trouble with Mr Carmack."
Aftsr a long srgument of counsel,
Cooper was sllowed to explain rack
parts of his conversation an hud been
previously testified to by Mis* Lee.
who said she overheard parts of the
conversation. The witness continued,
spooking of his father:
"He said he wss sfrsld of trouble.
I asked him why. He said In sub?
stance thst Mr. Carmack. In his pa?
per, had been printing editorials at?
tacking his character, snd as he put
It. shooting poisoned arrows. He
said It was becoming unendurable* He
Wutchmnn
ltd
?Be Just and Fear not?Lot all the ends Thou Alms't nt be thy Country's, Thy God's and Truth's/'
THE TRUJ
SUMTER, S. O.. WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 24, 1909.
New Serie
An Unusvial Opportunity For Those Who
Hacve Sp?tre Time. ^
E will appoint one agent in each neighborhood.
? ' An energetic boy or girl can secure a sufficient number of subscribers
to the Semi-Weekly Watchman & Southron by working a few hours in the after
ternooos and on Saturday to pay handsomely ror the time devoted to the work.
Next Saturday we will annouuce a list of premiums to be given agents.
The boy who wants to earn a Shot Gun, a Repeating Rifle, or auy one
of a dozen or more other prizes, should apply at once for appointment as our agent.
Those wlio prefer cash will be paid a liberal commission on each
subscriber.
The Semi Weekly Watchman & Southron is the best, biggest and
cheapest twice a-week county paper published in the State, and it should go into
every home in Sumter and adjoining counties.
It is a clean family paper, all home print, live local, State and gen?
eral news, and u interesting to every member of the family, from the oldest to the
youngest.
At $1.50 a year it is the bargain of the newspaper field.
The Agents who get to work first will reap the greatest rewards.
Apply at once for an agency, watch for the next issue, select the prize
you wish and then get to work.
?Osteen Publishing Co. ?
*'' '^^^^^^^sWsWWsws^l^'ifaaiis ? i * . .-*?. U^^.^J^t- .
Agents Wanted
1
said he had seen Mr. Cralg the night
befoie and told him to tell Carmack
that he must cease using his name in
his paper. He said Mr. Craig re?
turned and said he had seen Car?
mack, but Carmack would agree to
nothing.
"As I remember it, Mr. Cralg said
to papa that Carmack was in a vici?
ous humor or mood."
Robin said his father also told
Craig to tell Carmack that unless he
ceased using his name, the town was
not big enough to hold them both.
"I was greatly worried," the wit?
ness continued, "and said I believed
my uncle could bring influence to
bear to show Carmack the injustice
of his course. It waa then that papa
said, 'he had no right to use my
name, and I have a right to protect
myself."
The defence attempted to get In
testimony by Robin tending to show
that Col. Cooper's waiting for Car?
mack the day of the killing was mere?
ly to protest against the use of
Cooper's name in the paper, but this
testimony was ruled out.
Then Jtdge Anderson, in an im?
passioned plea, frankly admitted why
this evidence was essential. The
Court was unmoved.
Robin si.id after this talk he tele?
phoned his sister. Mrs. Burch, for the
purpose of getting her to find his
father and keep him off the street.
"Why did you wish him kept off the
street? '
"I feared Mr. Carmack might have
resented the message papa sent him,
and that there might be trouble."
"How old is your father?"
"He Is slxty-8?*ven years old."
"And hin physical condition?"
"His right hand Is crippled, the
two smaller fingers of the hand are
?>? nt in and cannot be moved."
?What did you do then?" asked
('<>.jut's counsel, again taking up
Robin's mo\?-ments during the morn?
ing, f
"I went out and looked for ppg,
but failed to find h'm. I returned to
my Oflloe and telephoned Covernor
Pattei ma to aah him if ho knew
ebont the trouble,'1
DM pgfJI gOi | pistol that day'.'"
"I did. I got It from my unei. .
Hobifl Jones. I called him up and
asked him If he hud one. My pur?
pose In getting It was this: From
what papa said, from telephone con?
versations, from the messages -"
' We object to his reasons." said
State Attorney General McCarn.
"Well, the measage father sent
Carmack was very strong, and,
knowing Cprmack as I did, I feared
he would resent lt. I could not find
papa. I know he was on the streets,
so at noon my uncle brought me the
automatic revolver. I determined to
find my father, and he must be on
the streets, to stay near him and pro?
tect him."
Robin testified that he found his
father, and that he induced the lat?
ter to stay at the Maxwell Hotel until
3 p. m. The witness meanwhile tried
a case in Court.
Robin said he did not hear his
father using the violent language Miss
Lee said she heard.
At 3 o'clock he again saw his fath?
er In Bradford's office.
"How long did you stay there?"
"Until father and I left."
"Where did your father say he was
going?"
4To the mansion to see Governor
Patterson."
"Why was he going there?"
"To meet Governor Patterson and
Mr. Austin Cooley at Governor Pat?
terson's request."
"Who told your father that Gov
erno Patterson wanted to talk to
him?"
"Gen. Tulley Brown."
"Did your father want you to go
along?"
"He did not."
"Why?"
"He did not apprehend any trou?
ble as he thought It was in process of
settlement. He did not apprehend
that he would meet Carmck."
"Had you received any Information
as to what was the result of the con?
ference In Bradford's office which
closed at 4 p. m.
"Yes, papa had RScreed to refrain
from sending the note and to disre?
gard the -" i
The Itate'a objection to finishing
Ulli sentence was sustained.
Witness detailed the walk from
Bradford's office to the scene of the
shooting. They stopped at a drug
?tore, bought tome soda water and
walked on up towards the Arcade,
"Papa spoke to several people on
the way, i saw John Tlndall, the
newsboy, but neither of us said any*
thing about 'getting* any one,
"At the middle Of the alley inter
cepting the Arcade we met John d.
Bharpc arid Representative Matthews.
We stop( ed and talked. I had not
seen Mr. Miarpe for a long time."
Witness igild they walked on in the
direction o,' the Governor's Mansion, j
Mr. Sharpe accompanying them.
"Were you expecting to meet John
Sharpe that day?"
"We were not."
"When we got to Vine street, or
7th avenue, I saw Mr. Carmack down
on 7th avenue, near Church street, a
block away. I turned to Mr. Sharpe
and said: There comes Senator Car
mack; don't let papa see him. I whis?
pered, and then to papa I said: Let's
hurry up, papa.' "
"When papa came up to me I got
him by the arm and turned toward
the Governor's Mansion. I began to
hurry, and he pulled away, saying:
'What's the matter with you,' then he
turned and exclaimed: 'Say, is that
Senator Carmack? Yes, I'll go over
and talk to him now.'
"I said: 'Oh, no, papa, you must
not now.'
"He said: 'I know Carmack; he
knows me, there will be no trouble,' I
let him go about twenty feet. I did
not know what to do, then I went
over to him."
"If you believed his mission was
peaceful why did you go with him?"
"Because he was my father and I
believed it my duty to protect him.
as he was unable to protect himself."
"Did you believe Senator Carmack
knew of your father's changed at?
titude?"
"No, sir; I knew he did not. Father
turned over and got on the sidewalk.
I followed him in the street and got
In the direction of the two post*.
Papa was on the sidewalk, I was In
i the street almost even with him.
"Senator Carmack was about to
pas.s Mrs. Eastman and was putting
his hat back on his head. Papa spoke
to him as he was passing her without
expecting to speak. Papa said: 'Sen?
ator Carmack,' and instantly the Sen?
ator drew his revolver,
j "ft came out instantly, just like
this." The witness illustrated the mo?
tion.
"it paralysed me for a minute,
and i sprang towards papa ;>s Qar
mack began to hack towards the
pole.
"AS 1 Jumped a shot exploded in
my face. The bullet struck my neck
tie and went into my shoulder, i went
after my gun, Which was in my over
coat pocket. The second shot went
through my sleeve and entered the
post. I slipped around the post and
found Carmock aiming at me again."
"What did you do then?"
"I began firing. I fired three times
as fast as I could, leaning against the
post with my left hand. I saw Car?
mack reel and fall, and I quit firing."
"Why did you stop?''
"Because I saw that he was hit."
"Did your father say anything
about a coward?"
"Yes, sir. As Carmack drew hi
revolver and got behind Mrs. East?
man, he said something about a cow?
ard, hiding behind a woman's skirts."
"Where was your attention cen?
tered?"
"On Carmack and father."
"Did you see a pistol in your fath?
er's hand up to the time Carmack be?
gan to shoot?"
"No, sir."
"Did your father say to Carmack, |
'pow you are here; we have the drop 1
on you?' "
"No, sir; no such expression was
used. The only expression was about
a coward. The whole thing was over
in a minute. I jumped eight or ten
feet before I was shot and I moved
very quickly."
"Papa put his arm around me and
led me away."
"Did any one fire a shot before
Senator Carnu.ck?"
"No, sir, Carmack fired two shots
first and I fired three. That was all
that were fired?five shots."
The witness then described his
wounds and testified about the X
Ray examination. Later his counsel
asked:
"At the time you shot Senator Car?
mack, did you not believe that your
life was in danger?"
"I believe if I had not done so. he
would have killed me. I think in an?
other instant he would have shot ma
again."
The witness denied ever having
said to Chas. H. Harwick that Car?
mack "ought to have been dead and
In hell twenty yeari ago."
After Hobln Cooper testified that
he had known Senator Carmack f<
ma?i\' years and had never "had
aught but friendly feelings for the
Senator." the defence announced that
they were through queetlonlng him,
and Court adjourned.
DOUbtlem their Inability tO rend
will spare certain members of that
Tennessee .lory some severe pangs,?
Philadelphia ledger.
Irrespective "f legislation, prudent
ocean-going steamship llnet will
equip their ships with the C. Q. D.
apparatus.?Boston Journal.
Our national income is ample. It
is our national outgo that is foolish
and wasteful.?Rochester Herald.
southron, Established June, l&CS
s?Vol. XXV11I. So 30
EVADING THE Iii.
one OF the results of pro
huhtiox in Georgia.
A Citi/en Wanted "Extract," But Got
"Corn" Instead and Filed a Com?
plaint.
Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 19.?As one of
the results of prohibition in *.he S'.nto
of Georgie, the interesting question
tiAfl arisen as to what really eonstf
tu* ??. "quart of corn" in the eyes of
the la ?.
' A quart of corn is a quart of corn,
be Ir Jn solid or liquid state," Justice
A. D. Patterson decided.
Charging that he had obtained $1
from him und:r false pretenses, Coy
F isher, a painter, pros-c it-d Elbert
Hryant, 14 years oid. ffho veidenee
showed that Fisher had been told that
for $1 a quart of "Georgia corn" might
be had on the quiet. He instrusted the
lad with the coin and at the appoint?
ed time went to the rear of a certain
building where he expect?d to ft id
hu, bottle.
To his keen disappointment, Fish?
er found, not a quart e? ' booze," but
a quart of the corn in iis orlgfSwJ
form?freshly shelled from the ear.
H?: appealed for the return of his
Piorey, but the boy sa?d the transac?
ts ?n was bona fide ar.a that l.e had
delivered what the contract cabled
for.
"'Receiving and retaining $1 for the
delivery of a quart of shelled corn is
bot getting money under false pre?
tenses," said Judge Patterson in de?
ciding the case, "though the contrib?
uting party may have separated from
hif. coin under the impression that
the corn was coming to him in liquid
form. The transaction is held t) be a
practical joke, and not criminal."
Fisher paid SI.50, the cost of the
prosecution.
SWIFT JUSTICE IX VIRGINIA.
Negro Rapist and Murderer Sen?
tenced Within a Day After His
Crime.
Roanolte. Va., Feb. 19?Aurelious
Christian, the negro, who yesterday
criminally assaulted and then mur?
dered Miss Mary Dobbs, the pretty
fourteen-year-old daughter of yn
prominent Botetourt County farmer,
was today sentenced to die in the
eiectrie chair in the State penitentiary
on March 22. Christian was taken
from Clifton Forge today to Fincastle
and tried at a special sitting of the
Court by Circuit Judge Anderson,
who accompanied the negro and oth?
ers to Fincastle. Christian was in ?
dieted by the grand Jury, and Judge
Anderson appointed three lawyers to
defend him. At a conference between
the lawyers and the prisoner, Chris?
tian made a confession, and Judge
Anderson imposed the death sentence.
The negro said he was hiding in the
woods when Miss Dobbs passed by on,
her way to a store. He seized her,
and after assaulting her cut her
throat and stabbed her three times,"
to keep her from telling." Christian
showed no signs of fright in court.
The sentence came within twenty
four hours after the crime was com?
mitted, and Christian was sent to the
Fincastle jail. The jail is being
guarded tonight to prevent an at?
tack that might be made by a mob.
A mob gathered last night near Clif?
ton Forge, but agreed not to attempt
to lynch Christian while he "was at
that place."
STEEL SITUATION SERIOUS.
Tariff May be Reduced?Ofiicers of
Trust Hold ConfcrciMt* in New
York.
New York. Feb. 18.?The steel sit?
uation was the absr i-bing topic in
financial and other business circles
today This interest has been arou>< d
by reports that the traflC in steel had
been disappointing, thai independent
manufacturers are cutting prices r.ni
getting what business there was end
by the fact that the Officers ??f the Un?
ited States Steel CorporaUoa and the
heads of that corporation's subsidiary
companies held another conference
today, at which conditions and the
situation SJSrs throughly discussed.
On adjournment Judge Gary, chair?
man, announced thai he would not
have anything to say today in rela?
tion to the oouforenoe, hut that he
would tomorrow "make a general
rtatement that e/tll hilly and frankly
set forth the general conditions of the
trade."
Mrs. Alma LaflYrty. of Denver, is
;i member of the O? orado House of
Representatives, the first woman to
occupy a seat in that body for a num?
ber of years.