Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-04-06
An AtroCious Claim for Blue Blood

Travelling with a very prominent min
lister of the gospel a few days ago, we
discussed the verdict against the Coopers
given by the jury against the slayers OF
ex-senator Carmack.
Among other things, this minister re-
marked: IF the claim set up by Attor-
new washington as TO the privileges OF
blue blood people had been sustained by
the Jury IL would have been terrible
blow to our southern country and an ir-
reparable injury to our civilization. That
speech Of Washington against Carmack,
the dead man, and this lawyers claim
that the Coopers were immune from pun
ishment because they were aristocrats,
consider one of the most brazen ana
atrocious declarations / have ever read
in the history of murder trials"
without any intention to continue to
harass the convicted men, who seem,
however, to be free and at large just now,
/ deem It eminently fitting and proper to
rebuke this atrocious and unwarranted
claim of their attorney, because our GRIM
inal courts are sworn to deal out justice
to all persons alike who are committed
for the crime of murder, and not accord
ing to wealth or family connections or
political prominence.
We all understand that rich people are
not apt to hang. when the poorer criminal
may expect the halter or electric chair,
but even that understanding does not
recognize any claims of blue-blooded lin
cage to immunity from punishment, and
so far as / know, or remember, this is
the first instance in America where muir
derers were defended under such brazen
plea before The term "blue-blood"
stands for distinguished lineage and ex-
allied character. The men who were con-
victed Of murder and sentenced by the
Tennessee jury to twenty years in the
Nashville penitentiary may have had IL
lustrious forbears Il know nothing of
their ancestors) but the elder Cooper's life
history as detailed by the prosecution and
confirmed by earlier court records, did not
substantiate any claim of exalted char
acter or worthy reputation for himself,
and the blue blood had dwindled down in
to very common blood long before the
brilliant Carmack died a violent death at
his hands, for he was the chief conspira-
tor and doubtless did his utmost in the
killing at the time Of it's occurrence.
Every one who kept up with the process
sion .of the trial. was surprised that a
nan with such antecedents should risk
this notorious advertisement of his own
past delinquincies and shortcomings, and
the preposssrous and spurious claim of
superior lineage became contemplate I'M
der existing circumstances, for his own
/ son, Robin.
Had the elder Cooper been recognized
as an exemplary citizen, with established
/ good character, any claim, for superior
privilege to shoot down his opponent
would have been unwarranted; but the
/ plea of blue-blooded immunity from pun
ishment, became nauseOus as well as hid
eous in its application to the murderers
OF ex-senator Carmack.
Every patriot should hasten to express
this disgust OF such pleading. 1t should
have been rebuked from the bench; as
unknown and abnormal under our repub-
lican institutions.
We are obliged to agree with the min
lister here noticed, when he declared it
would have been a terrible catastrophe,
in its future effect, If the jury had rec
ognized such a claim in its findings
| The penalty is understood to be light
| one because there was only trivial pro-
vocation and the crime was premeditated
and cold blooded) but 1t was a verdict of
guilty and the specious and spurious
claim OF blue blood immunity was re-
buked into absolute insignihcance ana
| discredit.
These red-handed criminals may jump
| their bond, or they may be pardoned by
| their ally, the present executive, and live
| in Europe until time dulls the indignation
OF law-abiding citizens in Tennessee; but
that verdict will cling TO them like the
shirt OF Nessus, never to be removed or
/ forgotten, while either lives.
| The county owes a debt of gratitude to
that plain, honest-hearted jury. for 1t is
/ evident that they were unpurchasable as
well as honest in their decision.