The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1908-11-13
cARMAcKs TRAGIC DEATH

A special from Nashville, under
date of Nov 9Th, says:
As a sequel to the recent bitter
democratic primary for the guberna-
tor.al nomination in Tennessee, Hon.
Edward Ward Carmack, former Unit
ed States senator from Tennessee,
was shot and killed in a street duel
here this afternoon by Robin Cooper,
young attorney. Young Cooper was
wounded in the shoulder from Car
mack's revolver and is tonight under
police surveillance in local hospital
His condition is not serious.
Carmack was wounded three times.
in the neck. the breast and the left
shoulder. Col Duncan B. Cooper
father of the younger man, was with
his son during the ARRAY, but did not
FIRE a shot. L is said he stood by
with pistol in hand. He is detained
tonight al police headquarters.
The direct cause Of the killing is .
recent series Of editorials in the Ten
nesseaan. a daily paper Of which Mr.
Carmack became editor after his de-
feat for the nomination for governor
The editorials in question had been
vigorous in their comment on Col.
Cooper and his alleged connection
with what NJ. Carmack termed the
democratic machine and is methods
Col. Cooper. who is well known in
business, newspaper and political cir
cles in Tennessee and in The south,
had, it is said, notified Mr.. Carmack
that the references to him must
cease. Another such editorial ap-
DPared this morning.
The men fought at close quarters
and there were but few witnesses. 1t
was after o'clock in the dusk of the
afternoon. They met on Seventh av-
enue. north. directly in front Of the
Polk flats. a fashionable apartment
house Mr.. Carmack had just lifted
his hat 10 Mrs. Charles T. Eastman.
friend who was passing. In a mo-
ment the firing began and Mrs. East
man was d korrifed witness at close
range. So close was she that one Of
the COopors is said to have charged
Carmack with being a coward and
hiding behind a woman. Cocper's
friends charge that Carmack fired the
first shot, but the dead mans friends
stoutly protest that his opponent was
the first to shoot.
The combatants were evidently
very close together when the firing
began. but the question of who fired
the first shot is in controversy. Mrs.
Charles H. Eastman of this city, and
j. NJ. Eastman of New York were
nearby when the tragedy occurred.
Mr.. Eastman's hearing is not good,
and he declared he knew but little of
the affair. Mrs. Eastman said:
I'VE were walking down Seventh
avenue in the direction of Church
street, and had just passed the en-
trance to the Polk flats. Mr.. Car
mack came up the street towards us,
smiling as he recognized me. He was
some steps away, and there were very
few people on the street. Mr.. East
man and were near the edge of the
sidewalk and Mr.. Carmack would
have passed between us and the
fence He raised his hat as we spoke.
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 some
thing to that effect. | can't say l,Osi-
lively what the exact words were. It
never occurred that it was anything
more than a friend speaking. Mr.
Carmack raised his eyes. instantly
put on his hat and ran his hand back,
when the same voice said, You COW
ard. you are hiding behind a woman.
are yoU?' Senator Carmack jumped
out so as to get clear of me and /
jumped into a gateway. l saw that
Mr.. Carmack had a pistol. l turned
and asid: For Gods sake don't
snOot.' l saw Mr.. Carmack wheel and
fall in a heap in the gutter
Mrs. Eastman said she saw the
young man standing over Mr.. Car
mack and that he put something into
his own pocket.