Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-03-20
Today's Telegraphic News
THE cOOPERs FOUND GUILTY.
Convicted Men Take Appsal-Bail
Fixed at $3.50 for Each Man
Say they will Furnished Boud.

rixeo ~ SZ5, 900 Tor Eacn man
Say they will Furnished Boud.
Nashville, Tenn, March 20 Dol.
Duncan B Cooper and bis son Robin,
rs -yesr-old lawyer, we're today found
guilty OF murder ia the second degree for
the kIlliog OF former Senator Edward
Ward Carmack in this city on November
last. They were Immediately septen-
ced to twenty years 10 the state peniten-
tisry. The verdict will be appealed from
at once.
Attorneys Anderson aud Washington
paved the way for this action yesterday,
when they compelled Judge Hart to re-
cord the exact words Of the jury in re-
porting the verdict Of scquitial In the
case OF Sheriff Sharp. By order OF the
court, CLERK Haley entered the words;
"We, the jury, find John d Sharp not
guilty, as charged In the indictment, but
- to the two defendants Ojoper, we re-
port that We are hopelessly tied"
With this as a tex, the appeal will
be taken. The defense will also hold
that the judge erred In not at that time
dischargiDg the jury. They will argue
10 the higher courts that sending the
jury back after such 3 report With an
sdmonition, that they would have to agree
WAS coercioD, and that this denied the
accused pair the right OF free trial
guaranteed by the constitution.
Immediate application was made by
the attorneys for the father aud son to
have them admitted to bail, and Judge
Hart plsced the figure at $26, 600
ia each case.
It is expected that the bail will be
furnished within q short time, as friends
OF the Coopers have declared that they
are ready to furnish any smout OF Sc
curity just as soon as the court indicates
how much will be needed.
Both Dol. Cooper aud his son took
the verdict calmly despite the fact that
they had expected an acquittsl. fhe
two daughters Of Col. Cooper, however,
are htart-broken, and showed public
evidence Of their grief.
Judge Hart was about TO retire from
the bench, when Attorney Anderson
stopped him, 1--WE will furnish the $685.
900 OF once" he said, and Judge Hart
directed the clerk to draw up the papers
which will be signed at once.
The jury fixed the sentence at twenty
years 10 the penilentisry, and Judge
Hart at once imposed 1t. There were
Is ballots taken in all. On the frat bal
lot, after it was found that all we're
agreed that John Sharp was innocent,
vote was taken on the guilt Of the Coop
ers. 1t revealed that Eve jarors believed
them guilty Of murder iulthe firstdegree,
six of murder In the second degree aud
one, s. NJ. HYDE, voted to acquit. The
Jurors then continued bslloting, and
after a while the vote Was solid In III for
murder 10 the second degree and one for
acquittsl. So msttersl remained uutil
last night when Hyde agreed to come
over with the ms ,rity.
Then came the question of the penal
ty which under the Tennessee lsw, in all
but frat degree verdicts, the jury fixes.
The minimum In the state is ten years
and the maximum 20, and II was 6uslly
agreed to without delay.
The two convicted men we're susequent-
ly released and driven to the bone OF
Mr.. Burcb, where they denied them
Ives to all visitors. Judge Hart said
that be would hear the arguments for
new trial on April 8.