Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-19
Jury Sent Back to Further
Consider Fate of Coopers.
WE ARE HOPELESSLY TIED
Defense Acquiesces When Court De-
clares This Is Not Verdict.
THIRD DEFENDANT Is FREE
Jury Sends Word That It Is Not
Ready to Report, But Judge
Hart Sends for It.

NASHVILLE. Tenn, March io-"we
are hopelessly tied as to the Coopers. but
we find John Sharp not guilty"
This report was made this afternoon by
the foreman of the jury which since Wed
nesday has been considering the case OF
Col. d. b. Cooper. his son, Robin Cooper.
and John D. Sharp. tried for tho murder
Of former Senator E w. Carmack.
Mr. Sharp was at once discharged.
The court sent the Jury back to Its room
for further deliberation as to the Coopers.
Court Hoped for Verdict.
Persistent rumors that an agreement
had been reached by the jury drew a
large crowd to tho courtroom today
Judge Hart said:
'I believe we will get a verdict today"
Judge Anderson of counsel for the de-
Tense was In court early. and was prompt
ly appointed by the court to defend a
penniless negro charged with assault to
kill. Judge Anderson accepted the as
signment with good grace, and at once
secured a continuance for his new client.
While waiting for the Cooper jury Judge
Hart did not delay his regular docket.
Judge Hart sent the sheriff to ask the
jury at twelve minutes after noon If il
wished to report. Promptly the word
came back that no agreement had been
reached.
The court considered a moment. and
said:
Il will bring in the jury. anyhow. Bring
in the defendants.
There was a hustle and scurrying OF
deputies through the corridors. The de-
| PENDANTS entered. The courtroom had
| throng disappearing gradually, as 1t ap-
peared there would be no report
Mrs. Burch and Mrs. Wilson. pale and
wan. were with the Coopers. Faithful
4 a1x % hAr hs,w-
Jury Announces Situation.
The jury was polled. Judge Hart said:
Have you reached Q verdict gentle
| men?"
I'VE are hopelessly tied az 20 the Coop
ers." said Foreman Burke. but we find
John Sharp not guilty"
You will retire. gentlemen. and re-
consider further as to the other defend
why John Sharp should not be dis
| charged"
None. your honor"
custody. acquitted" said the court with a
! smile.
Sharp sat stolid and indifferent. Not
| so his wife.
The foreman spoke In a low tone. For
| a minute she did not grasp the signif-
canoe of it. When she did her eyes filed
| up.
l Sne grdSpeQ her nuSOano 3 lS1I arm with
both her hands and seemed about to
breakdown.
Her sister soothed her. Others seated
near then shook hands with Sharp.
I'VE want the exact words OF the jury
recorded said Judge Anderson of the
defense. I'VE understand the report was
| hopelessly tied
''I do not recall the exact language. but
! am told by the clerk and a newspaper
man that those were the words Let the
clerk SO record them"
rs that verdict. your HONOR said
Henderson.
is concerned 1t certainly is not as far
as D. B. and Robin Cooper are con-
cerned. / sent the jury back for further
consideration
gether while. and assented. Then
Judge Hart adjourned court until
| o'clock.
"Not the End" Says Reid Sharp.
| Sharp, accompanied by his wife and
| sister-in-law. father and mother, the lat
ter two reaching the Jail after the YER
dict, went to the room he has occuped
for several months in the jail, and then
| held a little reunion with the Coopers.
! With tears of disappointment in their
| eyes, the two daughters of Col. Cooper
! still congratulated the Sharps heartily
| upon their good luck, and listened In turn
| to the good wishes in their own behalf
AS they left the courtroom. Reid Sharp.
youngest brother of John. received the
congratulations of his friends. To all
he remarked:
This is not the end Of this case"
Story of Carmack-Cooper Feud.
The Cooper-Sharp trial, just completed.
has been one of the most remarkable
murder cases I'm the history OF the south.
mot only because of the prominence of the
froor od1r f,rYf1 1,or Of
the reasons that led to the killing.
Col. Duncan b. Cooper. a former officer
in the Confederate army under Forrest,
and man prominent in democratic state
politics. once lived at Columbia. Tenn. In
that town also resided Edward Ward Car
newspaper work.
Cooper bought the Nashville American
and induced Carmack TO come to Nash
willie as its editor. Whether the men ever
were i'm thorough accord is a disputed
point.
| Carmacks s friends say not. Col Cooper
swore on the stand that they were close
friends until Gov. Taylor opposed Car
mack for reelection to the Senate.
Father and Son Opposed.
This fight was long and bitter A fea-
ture of it was a series of joint debates,
and Carmack lost. Cooper supported Tay-
lor. Robert Cooper his son. the boy who
Malcolm r. Patterson was governor OF
| the state at the time of the Carnack-
Taylor fight He announced his candidacy
for reelection. Carmack. just beaten for
the Senate, was urged int" the race for
| governor against Patterson.
| This was last June. The fight between
| the men for the democratic nomination
] was the most spectacular ever seen In
Tennessee.
| Again joint debates were arranged.
Again feeling between factions grew
bitter.
In these debates Cooper charged that
] Carmack assailed the colonefs good name.
Cooper was an ardent Patterson man-the
governor on the stand, described him as
| my closest personal and political ad-
wiser" Again Carmack lost.
! A month before the election he became
editor of the Nashville Tennessean. He
had made the race on the prohibition plat
| form. While he did not get the nomina-
tion. he did secure enough representatives
4 to assure the passage Of the so-called
statewide liquor bill.
In the meantime Gov. Patterson and for.
! Continued on Fourth Page.)