Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-03-22
Coopers Guilty
Second Degree
VERDICT RETURNED AGAINST
sLAYERs OF cARMAck.
TWENTY YEARS IN PRISON
Counsel for Defence Surprised-Move
to Set Verdict Aside on Ground of
MistriaI-Bonds s25,0Oo Each.

Nashville, Tenn, March 21.-The
jury in the case of Colonel Cooper and
his son. Robin, Saturday found them
guilty of murder in the second degree
in connection with the shooting of ex-
Senator Carmack. The verdict car
ried a penalty Of twenty years in pris-
on.
Friday the jury acquitted John D.
Sharp, a co-defendant.
Asked Court to Declare a Mistrial.
Immediately counsel for the defence
moved to set aside the verdict because
of the disagreement of yesterday and
asked the court to declare a mistrial.
Judge Hart said he would listen to ar
guments on the motion later. He then
fixed the defendants bond at $4,000
each, which amount was acceptable to
both sides. The verdict, coming as it
did upon the heels of Foreman Burke's
declaration yesterday, that we are
hopelessly tied UP as to the Coopers'
was a great surprise.
Jurors Worn Out.
The defendants received the verdict
without emotion. The jurors looked
worn out. and when the court remark
ed. Il thank you, gentlemen, for your
patience, and devotion to the state,
and dismiss you to your homes and
your personal avocations," the twelve
sprang from their seats as one man
and hurriedly left the court.
The Verdict.
Rumors that the jury had agreed
brought a crowd to the court room and
caused the presence of the attorneys
on both sides long before the usual
hour for convening. AS soon as Judge
Hart entered court. he called for the
jury and the defendants. Exactly at
9.25 a. m. the twelve men entered the
room and took the seats they had oc-
cupied for nearly nine weeks. After
the preliminaries, Mr. Burke read the
verdict:
I'VE the jury, find the defendants,
Duncan B. Cooper, and Robin J. Coop
er, guilty of murder in the second de-
gree, and assess their punishment at
confinement in the state penitentiary
for a period Of twenty years." he said.
so say you all. gentlemen"
80 say we all" replied the jurors
in chorus.
How Verdict Was Reached.
The defendants then signed the
hOnd and returned with their rela-
tives and friends to the ~oom they
have occupied in the Jail buildfno
The jurors were not inclined to talk
but one Of them said: "On the first
ballot we acquitted John Sharp and
disregarded the conspiracy theory. On
the same ballot we stood six for guilty
for murder in the first degree with
mitigating circumstances; five for
murder in the second degree with
twenty years the maximum penalty,
and one for acquittal. The ballots all
day Wednesday and Thursday showed
the same result Yesterday the man
who voted for acquittal went over %
murder in the second degree, and de-
manded that only ten years be as
sessed. The rest of us did not deem
ten years as anything like adequate,
so we disagreed again. OF course all
this refers to the Coopers, not Sharp.
Early this morning the man who was
holding out for ten years agreed to
twenty Years and the six who were
voting for first degree verdict agreed
to this verdict
While the jurors would not say who
the man was who held out for acquit-
tai, it is known from remarks over
heard by the deputies that he was s.
J. Hyde.