Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-11-19
CARMACK SHOT DEAD
IN NASHVILLE STREET
Former Senator Killed in CuImi.
nation of Bitter Political
Feud
SLAYER IS HIS ENEMY'S SON.
Robin Cooper Resents Editorial
Criticism of His Father, Who
Witnesses Shooting.

Former United States Senator Ed
ward Ward Carmack, editor of the
Tennesseean and one of the best
known Democrats in the South. was
shot and killed on eth avenue, in
Nashville, Tenn, about o'clock Mon
day afternoon by Robin Cooper, son
of Colonel Duncan B. Cooper, bringing
to a bloody elimination bitter po-
litical feud that grew out of the gov
ernOrship primaries last June.
The affray occurred as the partici-
pants, by accident or design, approach
ed each other on a street that was
well filled with pedestrians. Soon
after they came within sight of each
other Cooper whipped out a revolver
and, on getting to closer range, opened
fire on the former Senator. CarmacIz
drew his weapon and returned the
fire, while the bystanders ran pellmell
for shelter, the screams of the women
mingling with the staccato bark Of
the guns. Cooper fired three shots,
each of which took effect. Carmack
fired twice, hitting his assailant once
in the shoulder, and fell to the ground,
dying instantly.
Colonel Cooper, who was with his
son, drew his pistol, but did not fire,
a woman being in his line of range
Politics Cause of Murder.
The shooting ARRAY, which adds one
more deed of violence and bloodshed
to the dark annals of Tennessee feuds,
grew out of the Democratic guberna-
toria1 contest last June, in which Car
mack was defeated by Governor NJ
r. Patterson. Turbulence and strife
marked the primaries, in which the
issue was local option as against state
wide prohibition, Carmack standing an
the prohibition plank Colonel Cooper
was one of the most active opponents
of Mr.. Carmack in this contest.
After the primaries Carmack was
editor of the Tennesseean attacked edi-
torially the Democratic machine. In
some of his editorials he referred caus-
tically to Colonel Cooper. Within the
past few days, it is said, Colonel
Cooper sent word to Carmack that the
editorial criticisms must cease. Mon
day morning another editorial refer
ence to Colonel Cooper and the Demo-
cratic machine appeared in the Ten
nesseean, and this is supposed to have
been the immediate cause of the af-
fray that resulted in Carmack's death.
Story of Carmack's Life.
Former Senator Carmack was born
near Castalian Surings, Sumner Coun-
ty, Tenn, Nov. 5, 1853. He had an
academic education, studied law, prac-
ticed in Columbia, Tenn, and was a
member of the legislature in 1884.
Mr.. Carmack's newspaper career be-
gan in 1886 as member of the edito-
rial staff of the Memphis American,
which, strangely enough, was owned by
Colonel Cooper, the man with whom
Carmack fought Monday. Cooper had
won the paper in a poker game Will
lam Cherry, heir to a large estate, was
unable to pay his losses in cash and
turned over to Cooper enough shares
Of stock in the American to settle the
score, giving Cooper control
Later Mr.. Carmack founded the
Nashville Democrat, in 1889, and when
it was merged into the American be-
came editor in chief of the latter pa
per. IN 1892 he became editor of the
Commercial-Appeal of Memphis.
While Mr.. Carmack was editor of
this paper and w. A. Collier publisher
of the Memphis Appeal Avalanche a
challenge of a pisol duel passed be-
tween them. The issue arose over To-
cal politics and followed editorials of
savagely personal nature. Seconds
were secured and a special train char
tered to take the parties to Holly
Springs, Miss. Before he could reach
the train Carmack was arrested by
Tennessee officers. Collier took the
train and proceeded. When Carmack
had given bond and escaped the off
GERS he chartered another train, but
arrived on the proposed battlefield after
Collier had departed.
Mr.. Carmack was a delegate to the
national Democratic convention of
1896 and member of Congress 1887
1901-from the Tenth Congressional
District of Tennessee. He served with
distinction in the United States SEN
ate for six years, being defeated for
reelection in the primary a little over
year ago by former Governor Rob
ert Taylor.