Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-19
THE COOPER.SHARPE Case
Noted Trial Opens With Dramatic
Incidents.
WIDOW OF dead NAN FIRST WITNESS.

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The Law Seeks to Determine Whether
the Editor of the Tennesseean Wa.
Killed In Self. Defense or az the Re-
suit of a Pre-Arransed Conspiracy.
Filled with dramatic incidents and
marked by scenes that bordered or
the sensational, the first day Of the
actual trial Of the Cooper-Sharp case
at Nashville, closed Tuesday night
with both sides claiming to be well
satisfied with the progress made
Whether Duncan B. Cooper, Robin j
Cooper and John d. Sharpe killed for
mer Senator Carmack in self-defense
or as q result Of conspiracy is the
great issue in the case.
The taking Of testimony began with
every seat in the big, new court room
occupied.
Scarcely had the attorneys been
raped into order than sensation No
was produced. Mrs. Edward w
Carmack, the slain senator's widow
was half carried, half assisted into
the room. She was gowned in deep.
est mourning. She is petite and slen.
der. Her black veil fell nearly to hel
feet. Her knees gave way as she near.
ed her seat and she was moaning al
she was placed in her chair. Her lit.
tie son, Ned, aged 10, stood by his
mother, patting her shoulder and
trying to keep back his tears.
Surprise No. 2 came when the state
called Mrs. Carmack as its first wit.
ness. A few questions were asked hel
but she became hysterical and wa
excused. She was not in Nashville al
the time the tragedy happened.
Sensation No. followed Mrs. Car.
mack's leaving the stand. AS Mr.
Lander and her half sister half car.
ried the fainting, sobbing little wo'
man to her chair, Ned Carmack turn.
ed squarely towards where the de-
PENDANTS sat and fixed upon them 6
look as full of hatred as 1t is possible
to imagine.
Then came the testimony Of Mrs
Eastman, the star witness for the
state. Mrs. Eastman Is nearly 6(
years old. Her hair Is snow-white
but her features are those Of girl
and she Is graceful and active. Wher
called upon to do so she seized the
revolver said to have been found neal
the dead editors body and re-enactet
the tragedy. When she had finished
her breathless, spell-bound audience
seemed to feel that it had witnessed
the tragedy and at least one spectator
broke into applause.
Her cross-examination was severe
but she held her own, smiling ant
calm.
When the attorney general read th'
indictment and as he reached thu
words did wilfully, maliciously ant
with malice aforethought, slay ant
murder the body of E. w. Carmack,
the widow collapsed and the eyes o.
the two daughters Of Colonel Cooper
who sat near the defendants, filled
with tears.
The state called its witnesses ant
swore them. The defense waived thii
privilege, with a statement that at the
proper time their witnesses would be
called and sworn.
Call the first Witness" said the
court.
Then to the surprise Of every one
Attorney General McCarn said:
Call Mrs. Carmack."
The widow was half carried to the
stand by Frank Lander. She told hel
name and her huband's occupation ir
trembling voice.
when did you last see your hus'
band alive?"
"Oh, God, oh, God!" she sobbed
ION Sunday, the day before he was
killed"
For several moments she was una
BILE to speak, her agitation was sc
great.
when did you hear from him
last?"
by telephone on Monday, a little
while before he was killed"
What was that conversation?
The defense objected and was sus.
tanned.
The defense declined to cross-ex.
anime Mrs. Carmack and she was
lead back to her seat.
The state next called E. B. Craig
former state treasurer. He saw Col.
onel Cooper the evening Of November
Sth by appointment
After dismissing the personal mat
ter which led me to Colonel Cooper
the latter began to discuss the edito-
rials in the Tenneseean. soon learn
ed that Colonel Cooper was greatly
agitated and very angry. He said: j
am an old man, a private citizen and
1t makes little difference whether GO
or not, but If my name appears again
in the Tennesseean, either I or Sena-
tor Carmack must die He said he
had written Carmack a note that
could not be misunderstood.
IT told Carmack what Cooper had
said. I then returned to see Colonel
Cooper and told him Of my errand. ]
said: Colonel, l can accomplish moth
ing"
What reply did the defendant
make?"
"Then, by God, this note goes"
The note referred to was the one
written by Colonel Cooper to Senator
Carmack threatening the latter with
death If the editor referred to him
again.
The court refused to let Craig tell
how Carmack had received the infor-
nation about Cooper's attitude or say
whether Carmack expressed regret.
The state next introduced in evil
dence the Tennesseean Of November
9th, containing the editorial which led
to the killing and which referred to
Colonel Cooper as "the diplomat of
the Zweibund."
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