Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-13
ALTHOUGH the friends of the Coopers

ALTHOUGH the frlendS OF the COOpeIS
are trying to make it appear to the
contrary, the preponderance Of the tes-
timony so far developed in the Nash
VILE tragedy the other day, indicates
that Mr.. Carmack was simply murder
ed. There has been a lot Of talk as
to who fired the first shot the side of
the Coopers claiming that 1t was fired
by Carmack. Mrs. Eastman's story
makes ii very clear that young Cooper
fired the first shot. 1t seems to have
been shown very conclusively that be-
cause of threats they had heard, Car
mack's friends had kept him in his Of
flee pretty much all day. Their pur-
pose was unknown to Carmack so 1t
is stated, and when the editor went out
some one in the office forced him
against his inclination, 10 take pistol
that they had given him. He was
clearly of the belief that he had said
nothing that would justify ALI attack
and no attack was expected. Their
assertion to the contrary, notwith-
standing, there seems to be no doubt
Of the fact that the Coopers had been
On the lookout for Carmack nearly all
day and they crossed the street 10
where he was standing. with his nat
in his hand, talking to a lady, and all
unsuspicious of danger. But as to
who fired the first shot is matter OF
little consequence, in this particular
instance. Whether he fired first or
last, with Mr.. Carmack, 1t was clearly
a case of self-defense. Even that,
however. does not reach the bottom or
the issue. nor would it have reacheo
the bottom had Carmack killed both
If the Coopers, instead of being killed
himself. OF course, Mr.. Carmack
had no right to abuse or ridicule Col.
Cooper or any one else in his paper;
but there is certainly nothing in the
editorial that is said to have brought
on the killing that seems to be Of suf-
ficient personal provocation to war
rant murder. 1t Is difficult to see
where there was any mortal personal
offense in it. The editorial merely
sought to describe how, by harmonizing
various political elements Col. Cooper
had won a temporary victory. We can
very readily understand how Col. Coop
er and his friends could see that II
Carmack was allowed to go on, he
would soon put their organization to
confusion And after all, at this dis
tance. that seems to have been the
real cause of the murder. But wheth-
er Col. Cooper's party is right, or the
late Mr.. Carmacks side Is right, what
is to become of the people of Tennessee
when they are no longer allowed to
think? And how are they to have the
opportunity to think clearly and intel
ligently if the press is to be dominat-
ed by the pistol of the murderer? What
the law may do about the matter, it is
useless to predict. 1t is quite proba-
BILE that justice will be Sidetracked by
the intense political partizanShip that
prevails throughout the state. But
whatever the law may do there is wis
dom in Mrs. Eastman'S declaration to
Cooper that she would rather be In
the place of Carmack lying dead than
in the place of the living murderer. If
Cooper escapes the penalty of the law,
which is not unlikely, he will not es
cape realization of the truth Of the
words Of the Preacher when he said,
He that is slow to anger is better
than the mighty; and he that ruleth his
spirit than he that taketh a city"