Evening star., 1909-04-24
ing to his own views, this would be ha
pier land
Other Editors Killed.

Edward w. Carmack was not the first
editor who has been killed on the streets
of Nashville for personal vituperation.
The history of Tennessee journalism re-
cords several similar tragedies. provoked
by the use of incorporate language and
partisanship.
In 1871 Jeremiah George Harris. editor
of the Nashville Union, was going into
the dining room of the Nashville Inn.
when Robert c. Foster. eldest son of SEN
ator Foster. who was standing near the
remarked coolly. Gentlemen. l have an
annunciation to make" and instantly
fired,
The published account of the affair
SAYS: "Mr. Harris was taken entirely by
surprise: he had no weapon in his hand
and had no time to draw one. although
differences of personal character grow
Ing out of political controversies had ex-
listed between Editor Harris and Senator
Foster for some months
They had been growing more acute
when Fosters son undertook to adjust
the situation and vindiVate his father s
political principles by assassinating his
opponent. He was acquitted by A jury
and his crime was not even rebuked.
In 1852 John L. Martin. editor of the
Nashville Union, and Felix Zollicoffer.
editor of the Nashville Banner. fought a
suit of the bitterness Of their editorial
support of Franklin Pierce for President
of the Cnited States on the one side and
Winfield Scott on the other. Martin was
right side OF the face above the nose.
while Zollicoffer was wounded I'm the
hand. No notice of the duel was ever
taken by the police.
Allen A. Hall. editor of the Nashville
News. murdered George Poindexter. edi-
tor of the Nashville American, on Cherry
street. in this city. November IS, 1859, as
a result of an editorial controversy. Hall
armed himself with shotgun loaded with
buckshot and, ascertaining when Poindex-
ter was coming down the street. took a
position in front of his Office. When Poin-
dexter came within hailing distance, Hall
raised his gun and ordered him to stop.
He repeated the command three times,
til within fifty feet of Hall. The latter
then fired one barrel. 1t was raining at
the time. and Poindexter was carrying
an umbrella. Halls fire shattered the
umbrella handle and the umbrella and
the bearer fell to the pavement simulta-
neousiy. Poindexter was hit in the left
arm, breast and abdomen. His death was
almost instantaneous. He was at once
carried into the Office of I. B. Childress
and hreathed his last. Hall surrendered
at once. giving bond in the sum of $1,000
for his appearance. A coroner's jury was
then paneled and verdict returned that
Poindexter came to his death at Halls
hands. The grand jury of Davidson
county. however. failed to return an in
After such precedents it does not seem
SO strange that Robin Cooper was practi-
cally acquitted of the murder of Edward
". Carmack.
Recent Case of Violence.
Only the other day William Kinney.
speaker of the Tennessee legisla ture.
knocked down John r. Green. the aged
editor of the Brownsville States-Graphic,
and beat him until he was insensible be-
cause of certain criticisms which appeared
in that paper concerning Kinney's Off
cial conduct. 1t appears that in the or
ganization of the legislature Kinney was
elected speaker by his own vote and the
editor said this:
MI. kinneys explanation is that the
reason he voted for himself was that he
was voting for a principle. but To the
average man this will not be sufficient
The facts in the case are that Mr.. Kin
ney wanted to be speaker and he could
not have been had he not voted for him
self" and several similar comments fol-
lowed.
Mr.. Kinney is a young man of large
stature. Mr.. Green is an aged man of
rather delicate physique. but the differ
ence in ages and physical condition did
not prevent Mr.. Kinney from gratifying
his vengeance upon his critic This sort
OF craftsmanship has not been condemned
or criticised by any newspaper or ndi-
vidual belonging 10 the faction Of which
Mr.. Kinney is leader. He has not been
arrested for assault: he has not been
punished in any way for his brutal vio-
lence.
Nor l find any record of the pun
ishment of any man for killing or beat
ing an editor in Tennessee.
Therefore. the attitude of Mr. Ochs in
assuming editorial control of the Nash
vile American is all the more signifi-
cant and important and every good citi-
zen should encourage him to stick to it,
SO that other newspapers of Tennessee
will follow his example.