The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-17

'"oSe ANDERSON fecOunted the
story of Carmack's youth, Cooper's
patronage, the political success of the
dead man, the continued friendship
or the pair, the political campaign of
Carmack and Taylor, the break in the
friendship and the quarrel that ended
in the killing.
There is no contention that edi-
torial utterances ever justify the TAX
Ing OF human life. 1t has been charg-
ed that Gen. Meeks has applied the un-
written law to this case Now as +
understand it, Gen. Meeks simply said
that men had been killed for less Of
fence, was it not, General?"
Gen. Meeks nodded gravely in as
sent. 4
Judge Anderson next took up the
editorials, referring to certain para
graphs as poisoned arrows" He said
Col. Cooper was justified in demand
ing. of Carmack that the offensive
Did you ever listen to more with
ering sarcasm, more biting scorn,
more poisonous inuendo than in these
editorials written by the greatest
master of invective that the South
has produced?" asked Anderson.
Cooper, he said, determined that
these attacks should cease, SO he wrote
note. All he asked was that he, a
private citizen, be permitted to live
out his days in peace.
What if Col. Cooper did say, one
of us must die?' The man had been
driven to desperation. Did Carmack.
when he got that message recall the
day when Cooper gave him the only
opportunities he ever had? Did he re-
member the Colonels family? His
beautiful, sensitive daughters, his
young sons? Did he recall the old
days? Oh. why Gid he not say to
Ed Craig: Tell my old friend I did
J.
only having little honest fun I
But the news brought to him by
Ed. Craig that his old friend was be-
Ing tortured to death by his merciless
pen, delighted him so that he looked
pleased. Think Of it. he looked pleas
ed, you remember that the State
brought 1t out. Yes, so pleased over
his old benefactor's agony that he
telephoned out in an hour and secur-
ed a revolver. That's how pleased he
was.
Judge Anderson. secuted the con-
spiracy theory. He said he would no,
insult the intelligence Of the Jury by
arguing that the meeting on Seventh
avenue on that fatal day was other
than accideptal. He decared that Col
Cooper had right to cross the street
and address Carmack.
| The Interpretation you put upor
Col Cooper's action depends upon his
Character and his purpose in coins
over there, not upon the fact that he
Cid go ever there. If Robin Cooper
had gone over there and struck Car.
mack with his fist. and If after beine
struck Senator Carmack had drawn q
revolver, Robin Cooper would have
had legal and moral right to Kill
Carmack. That. gentlemen, is the
law of this State"
Judge Anderson then devoted near.
iy an hour to quoting decisions, read
ing in many instances the entire case
reported.
when man has abused you and
you go to him and demand that he
stop 1t, and you fear you may offend
him and that he may assault you. u
declared Anderson, "you have right
to put pistol in your. pocket. II
you have this right and he law says
you have. then you havt a right to
defend yourself, If in the exercise of
that right, your opponent assaults
you."
Judge Anderson then turned his at
! tention to Mrs Eastman's testimony.
He said Mrs. Eastman's memory and
her condition mentally when she wit.
messed the shooting were responsible
for the inaccuracies in her testimony.
Mrs. Eastman is beautiful, an
exquisitely beautiful and SURPRISING
ly charming woman" said Judge An
derson II yield to no one in my ad-
mfration for her. But she is a deli
cate, nervous, excitable woman. Let
us see some things Mrs. Eastman did
not see. She did not see Robin at
all until 1t was nearly over She did
not see Col. CoOper's revolver, yet he
says himself he had it drawn. She
says Carmack reeled stagpared ont