Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-20
WHISKY MEN PROTEST STATE HAD SURPRISE
Bonded DistiIers Want No Exhumed Body of Senator
Change in Labels. Carmack for Autopsy.
CALL ON THE PRESIDENT BULLET FIRED FROM REAR
Claim Only Producers of Murder Case Called
Straight Goods" Nashville Today
PRINGLES NAME WITHDRAWN TIME GIVEN FOR CONFERENCE
Posi-
Merchandise cution Deay-Adournment
;lrhs
Exhumed Body of Senator
Carmack for Autopsy.
BULLET FIRED FROM REAR
Murder Case Called for Trial at
Nashville Today.
TIME GIVEN FOR CONFERENCE
Defense Reports Ready" but Prose-
cution Asks Delay-Adjournment
Taken Until This Afternoon.

NASHVILLE. Tenn, January 10
With the stage set for the Cooper muir
der trial. the witnesses present ana the
prospective jurors summoned. it became
known today that the state had prepared
surprise for the defense by having
had the body of Senator Carmack ex-
humed and an autopsy held.
Following the murder in the excitement
attendant upon the crime. the state neg
lected to order a post-mortem. 1t Is
essential in the trial that the direction
from which the bullets came be deter
mined. The defense asserts that Car
mack fired first. The states theory Is
that Carmack, with his hat raised To
greet lady, was shot from behind. and
it appears that. some time between the
date of the killing and the present time,
the state, secretly at night. exhumed the
body of the slain editor and caused
careful post-morteIn to be performed.
The course of the bullets thus was de-
termined and the state claims to have
proof that the bullet which killed Car
mack entered his neck from behind.
Does Not Upset Defense.
This, however. does not entirely dis
prove the theory of the defense. Even
the defense does not claim that Col.
Cooper fired the shots. 1t maintains that
Robin Cooper, believing his fathers life
was in danger, fired upon Carmack to
protect his parent and it is not commended
that young Cooper stood elsewhere than
behind Senator Carmack.
The work of completing the new court
room for the opening OF the trial was
rushed far into last night. Carpenters,
electricians and other workmen labored
under orders of the officials, and as a
result the big new temple OF justice was
ready for the opening of court at Daylight
today The sheriff reported to Judge
Hart that the summons for both Jurors
and witnesses had been served, and that
nothing except objections of counsel stood
in the way of the opening of what prom
Used to be the most famous criminal triai
in the history of Tennessee.
Defendants Enter Court.
Both sides announced a readiness to
proceed and Judge Hart ordered the panel
sworn. The courtroom was crowded
within ten minutes after the doors
were thrown open. Many women. were
present and for these Judge Hart ordered
places made inside the bar.
Col Duncan B. Cooper and his son
Robin entered the courtroom arm in arm.
John d. Sharpe. the other defendant. fol-
lowed them and was greeted affectionate-
ly by his wife and his father. Mrs. Lu-
cius Burch, daughter of Col. Cooper. met
her father and brother with a cheerful
smile, and seating herself between them
conversed animatedly with them. Young
Cooper was fashionably attired and SEEM
ed in splendid spirits His father was
very quiet and showed the effects of
prison confinement.
Ask Time to Confer.
Before the panel was called both sides
asked time to confer, which was grant
The defense has seventy-two peremptOry
challenges, twenty-four for each de-
PENDANT, and the state eighteen challenges.
or six for each defendant. Judge Hart
ordered 500 men summoned for jury serv-
ice and says he will order the next panel
to consist of 1000. There are 400 quail
fed names on the jury wheel Should
these be exhausted without the selection
of a jury, the case will not go to trial at
all.
At IL O'clock the attorneys for the
defense returned to the courtroom, their
conference having lasted an hour and
twenty-five minutes.
The defense reported ready, but the
state asked for more time, and the court
adjourned until 1:30 O'Clock pm.