Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-12
FRIDAY, MARCH II, 1909.
Scimitar editorial that Carmack pro-
posed to expose his dealings as clerk
and master In chancery.

scimitar editorial that Carmack pro-
posed to expose his dealings as clerk
and master in chancery.
General Washington"s Plea.
Nashville, Tenn, March 1.-The
fourth day Of the arguments In the
Cooper Sharpe trial for the murder OF
former United States Senator Edward
w. Carmack closed tonight with Gen.
eral Washington, Of the defense, in the
middle of his argument and two more
attorneys to follow him. At this rate
1t is doubtful IL the case will go to the
Jury before Saturday. General Wash
ington finished his ninth hour Of argu-
ment when court adjourned at p.
m. and he announced that he would
conclude some time tomorrow" He
will be followed by Judge Anderson,
who Is expected to make the main ar
gument for the defense. Then Attor-
ney General McCarn will close for the
state. Judge Anderson says he Will
require about six or eight hours for
his speech while McCarn declares that
four hours will do him.
Judge Hart today again requested
the attorneys to submit instructions
for the charge and complained that
they were slow about complying.
General Washington's argument to-
day was brilliant In word painting,
metaphors, appeal and invective. He
made savage attacks upon the states
counsel and singled out Attorney Gen.
eral ]. B. Garner as his special victim.
Garner is reputed to have nearly as
fiery temper as has Washington, so
counsel for the state insisted upon
Gamers withdrawing from the room
during Washington's address.
The speaker laid special stress upon
the social standing and breeding OF
the defendants and declared that men
Of such families killed only in defense
Of life or honor. His speech was a
masterpiece of oratory and had no.
ticeable effect upon the jury.
General Washington speaking OF
the effect Of the Carmack editorials,
said:
when man of national reputation
emblazons his name at the head of the
paper. then people do read and be-
lieve"
He said that men with any red blood
In their veins would resent having
their names put on the same page
with the name Of a horse thief or
convict.
OF the editorial Of October 21st,
mentioning Coopers name with 9TH
ers, General Washington vigorously
explained that two Of the honor
ables'" names were disreputable and
that when Carmack associated Colonel
Cooper's name with theirs, he commit
ted the gravest offense man could
commit and affronted and insulted
Colonel Cooper beyond endurance. He
said he agreed that no editorial ever
written justifies killing but that he was
trying to show that Colonel Coopers
anger was aroused.
I'VE contend" said Washington,
that Colonel Cooper had as much
right on Seventh avenue that day as
Carmack had. He had as much right
to turn around and walk towards Car
wards him. And Colonel Cooper had
a right to go up to Carmack and de-
mand that these filthy attacks upon
him be stopped, just as believe any
man on this jury would have done.
You can drive a man insane with
ridicule," said Washington. you can
send mans son into q frenzy by
ridicule. Carmack refers to Colonel
Cooper as major when he wrote to
Colonel Cooper as friend he called
him colonel When he wants to In
suit and degrade him he calls him
major" 1t was gratuitous insult"
Indicating Cooper, the attorney ex-
claimed:
THAT man Is no murderer, you
know 1t. Murder does not run in that
breed, an aristocratic, old, blue-blo0d-
ed family.
Maybe Colonel Cooper did say to
Craig, IL my name appears again In
the Tennessean, one Of US must die,'
or the town will not be big enough
for both of u.s. They both mean the
same. The words were spoken In a
passion and were not meant and no
one ever believed they were.
But Craig comes back and says:
Colonel, can do nothing The 81
lence after that phrase, Colonel can
do nothing told more than all the
words In the world.
What does Carmack do? He arms
himself. He fears the note Colonel
Cooper threatens to send will not
come. He says I am not going to let
him escape. am going to make him
send me that note So he wrote that
last editorial, The Diplomat Of the
Zweibrnd.'
"c :. mack thus declared open war.
He knew that with those crumpled
fingers, Colonel Cooper could not pull
trigger, he knew he was safe"
General Washington took the re-
volver and showed the jury how hard
1t would be for Cooper to shoot.
Colonel Cooper saw In Craig's
mack was in an ugly mood. So he
armed himself and II he had not done
so, he would be in his grave today"
General Washington saw his error
here-the defense's contention being
that Colonel Cooper never even drew
his gun until the shooting was over
and he said: If Robin Cooper had not
armed himself, they would both be
dead today"
HI hnx, kIro-
statement written by Miss Lee giving
the profanity she said she heard Coop
er use about Carmack, prefacing the
reading with this remark: Il thought
we were going to hear something aw-
full, but all she wrote was"
General Washington repeated the
profanity as though the women Of
Nashville were wont to hear 1t daily.
The epithets used included the most
vile that one man can apply to an
other.
That's all, gentlemen, that she says
she heard" said Washington. The
speaker argued that all the fear ex-
pressed by Mrs. Burch because her
father was armed was because he
was so pacific. He claimed that Ro-
bins alarm was due to his knowledge
Of his fathers crippled hand and his
consequent inability to protect him.
SelI. he Claimed mrS. burcu exaSSe-
rated the trouble and placed con-
struction upon 1t not warranted by
Colonel Cooper's language or inten-
tions.
He argued that Mr. Lander, by tell
ing Carmack about Cooper's threats.
converted Carmack into a stick of
dynamite"
General Washington next devoted
nearly half an hour to burlesque
imitation Of General Gamers cross
examination of witnesses, He compar-
ed Garner to be a bee martin pecking
at a great eagle-the eagle, he said,
was John Sharpe.
General Washington attacked Miss
Lees testimony and extolled General
Brown and Judge Bradford.
"Oh, what has become Of the men
Of honor of Nashville-of the old gal
liant blood-that attempts should be
made to discredit such men as Brad
ford and Brown, than whom no more
honorable, better bred ever lived?"
He said Miss Lee was mistaken when
she impeached the testimony Of these