The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-20
JURY FINDS THE COOPERS
 ARE GUILTY
Returns Verdict of Second Degree Mnrd.
 CT in Carmack Case.
sessnced ts % Years Imprisoment by
 Judge Hart.
Attsfseys fer Defendants Will at Once Take an Appeal Upon Statement ef sry Yesterday Tat it Was Hopeless. Y Tied-John D. Sharp Was Acqu.t. ted Yesterday.
Especial from United Press.)


 Nashville, Tenn, March 20.-Colone Duncan B. Cooper and his son, Robin a twenty-five year old lawyer, were to day found guilty of murder in the sec ond degree, for the killing of Former United States Senator Edward Ward Carmack in this city on November last. They were immediately sentenc ed to twenty years in the state peni- tentiary.
 The verdict will be appealed at once Attorneys Anderson and Washington paved the way for this action yester- day when they compelled Judge Hart to record the exact words Of the jury in returning q verdict of acqu1ttal TOT sharp. By order of the court the clerk entered the opening sentence of the foreman yesterday:
 We, the jury, find John D. sharp not guilty as charged in the indict- neat but as to the defendants Coop CT we are hopelessly tied" With this as . text, the appeal will be begun. The defense will also hold that the judge erred in not at that time dis charxinR the jury. They will argue to the higher court on the sending of the t1iry back to consider the case of the Coopers.
 InImediately application was made by the attorneys for the father and son to have them admitted to bail and Judge Hart, it is said, will grant the request and place the amount at $Z5,- GO each. This will be furnished with fn a short time as friends of the Coop CTS have declared that they are ready to furnish any amount of security just as soon as the court indicates how much will be needed.
 the defense had an intimation of what was coming as close friends Of the ac- eused men were in communication with real estate men before they went ly4tk rV~f fr-
 Both Colonel Cooper and his son took the verdict calmly despite the fact that they had expected an acquftal. The two daughters of Colonel Cooper, However, were heartbroken and show ed pathetic evidence of their grief --s Judge Hart was about. to retire from the bench when Attorney Anderson stopped him. we will furnish the s25. 900 at once" he said, and Judge Hart at once directed the necessary papers be made ready. z The jury fixed the sentence at twen- ty years in the penitentiary and Judge Hart at once imposed it. There were 14 ballots taken in all. On the first ballot after 1t was found that all were agreed that John Sharp was 1nno- eSat.'' a vote was taken on the guilt sf the Coopers. It revealed that five jurors believed them guilty of murder in the second degree. and one, $. M. Hyde, Voted to acquit. The jurors con- tinned ballotting and after a while the
 
 degree and ono for acquitta1. So mat ters remained until last night when Hyde agreed to come over with the majority Then came the question of the penalty which, under the Tennessee lelw in all but first degree verdicts, the tzrry fixes The minimum in the state is ten years and the maximum twenty and it was finally agreed to make it t17c maximum
 The jury then reduced its verdict to writing and sent word that they had agreed. So soon as the verdict f1S been rendered and the jury discharged the preparations for furnishing the bail were continued. States Attorney Jeff McCarn was plainly very much pleased with the finding of the jury which he took as a personal vindica- tion and insisted that he was perfectly willing now that the father and son should go free on bail until the su- preme court shall pass on the validity of the conviction.
 He insisted. however. that he and his associates be given opportunity to examine the bond which the court ruled was only fair CC'onel Cooper and Robin sat carelessly aS the attor- nays negotiated the securitiey ming sy paying tile attention to the case. Robin is in very bad health and it is runored that both he and his father will leave town within a day or so for a long rest and to permit the excite 1uent caused by the tragedy and the fPja1 to die down