Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-10
FORMER UNITED
STATES SENATOR
IS ASSASSINATED
NOTED NASHVILLE EDITOR
SLAIN BY .TT0RNEY
SHOT DEAD ON STREET AS RE-
suit OF POLITICS
Father of Slayer Also Draws Gun, but
Does Not Use It-.Viotim Well
Known-Defense
Futile
lBy Associated Press.l

nj ASHVILLE, Tenn. Nov. a.
IN Former Senator Edward Car
~ mack, editor of the Tennessean,
was shot and killed at o'clock this
afternoon on Seventh avenue, north,
in front of the Polk flats, by Robin
Cooper, son of Col. Duncan Cooper.
Mr.. Carmack was toing north on
Seventh avenue in front of the flats
and Col. Cooper and his son were ap-
preaching Seventh avenue on Union
street. Soon after they came into
sight of one another the shooting was
begun. Robin Cooper, 1t Is said, hring
two shots and Senator Carmack one.
Col. Cooper, it is said, drew his pis-
tol, but did not fire.
Senator Carmack fell to the ground,
dying instantly. Robin Cooper was
shot in the right shoulder, but was
not badly wounded.
Result of Primary
It is understood the trouble was one
of results of a recent Democratic
gubernatorial primary in which Car
mack was defeated.
Carmack, since he became editor of
the Tennessean, had been caustic in
criticising what he called the Demo-
cratic machine, and had printed sew
eral editorials about Col. Cooper.
Within the last few days, it is as
serted, Col Cooper notified Carmack
that these editorial criticisms must
cease. Another editorial referring to
the colonel appeared in the paper this
morning and this is supposed to have
been the immediate cause of the
trouble.
AS Senator Carmack fell at the edge
of the street, Col. Cooper nut his arm
around Robin Cooper and both walked
a few feet down Seventh avenue to
DR.. r. G. Forts Office, where the slight
wound in .obin's shoulder was ex-
amined and treated.
Pistol Lies Near BY
An ambulance soon arrived and car
ried the body of Senator Carmack to
an undertaking establishment. The
pistol of Carmack, a 32-csliber, was ly-
ing at his side with two chambers
empty when the body vas picked up,
and was turned over to the officer.
The stump of a cigar Mr.. Carmack
had been smoking was in the street
beside him.
Young Cooper was carried to a hos
pital later, and Colonel Cooper is held
at a police station. He has made no
statement.
Robin Cooper is an attorney. 27 years
old, and single.
Physicians Statement
DR.. McPheeters Glasgow, who arrived
at the scene of the tragedy soon after
it occurred, said tonight
II found the body of Mr.. Carmacx
on the right side of Seventh avenue as
one walks to Church street from Union
street. He was lying with his head
facing north and with his right arm
under his head. His pistol was just
out of reach of his right hand, and the
weapon was pointing south. An even
ing paper was lying near his left hard'
which held a crushed stump of cigar.
st Immediately summoned an ;.meu-
lance and had the body carried to the
undertaking establishment of +. M.
Doris. The body was without signs
of life when found by me, and appeared
to have been so for about five minutes.
Three Bullets in Body
"There were three bullets in the body
of Mr.. Carmack. One entered the left
side about two and half inches below
the nipple and stopped a short dis
tance from the right side under the
skin, crossing the median line of the
Another bullet entered the left
shoulder and lodged about four and q
half inches below the right nipple un-
der the skin. Both of these wounds
were clean. The third bullet, which
conceive to be the fatal one, was in the
neck. The wound was one and half
inches to the left of the median line
and one inch below the hair lire on the
neck, posteriorly. The bullet entered
the neck and made an exit from the
mouth. 1t was found in the street un-
der his tongue at the exit of the
wound. Two front teeth were broken
loose. I think two bullets were fired
from Carmack's pistol
Burial in Columbia
The body of Mr.. Carmack was pre-
pared for burial and removed to the
home of Frank Lander, general man
ager of the Tennesseean, and will be
taken to Columbia, his former home.
tomorrow.
The combatants were evidently very
close together when the firing was be-
gun, but the question of who hred tho
first shot is In controversy.
Mrs. Charles H. Eastman of this city
and j. M. Eastman of New York We're
nearby when the tragedy occurred.
Mr.. Eastmans hearing is not good and
he declared he knew but little OF the
tragedy Mrs. Eastman said:
1--WE were walking down Seventh ave-
nue. in the direction of Church street
and had just passed the entrance to the
Polk flats. Mr.. Carmack came up the
street towards us, smiling as he recog-
nized me. He was some steps away
and there were few people on the street.
Mr.. Eastman and I were near the edge
of the sidewalk and Mr.. Carmack would
have passed between us and the en-
trance. He raised his hat as we spoke.
Had His Hand Up
"He had his right hand up and was
about to make a remark when some-
body said-it was the older voice
we've got you all right or something
to that effect | can't say positively
what the exact words were. 1t never
occurred that it was anything more
than a friend speaking.
ssNTr Carmaelx raised his eyes, in
stantIv nut on his hat and ran his hand
back when the same voice said: You
coward! You are hiding behind wo-
man, are you?
Senator Carmack jumped out SO as
10 get clear of me and / ran into
gateway. / saw that Mr.. Carmack had
a pistol. 1 turned and said, For Gods
sake don't shoot Then saw Mr.
Carmack wheel and fall in heap in the
gutter"
Mrs. Eastman said she saw the young
Continued on Page Two)