Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-03-23
AliseslIanenas 8saains.
cooPER.cARmAcK TRAGEDY.
Review Of the Circumstances That
eliminated In the Killing.

CuIminated IN the Nlllih9s
The Cooper Sharpe trial has been
one Of the most remarkable murder
cases in the history of the south, not
only because Of the prominence Of the
principals in the tragedy, but because
of the reasons that led to the killing.
Col. Duncan B. Cooper, a former OFF,
Ger in the Confederate army under
Forrest and a man very prominent In
Democratic state politics, once lived
at Columbia, Tenn. In that town also
resided Edward Ward Carmack, a
young lawyer, who also did some news
paper work. Cooper bought the Nash
vile American and induced Carmack
to come to Nashville as its editor.
Whether the men were in thorough
accord is a disputed point. Carmack's
friends say not. Col. Cooper swore on
stand that they were close friends un-
til Governor Taylor Ipos.u Carmack
for reelection to the senate. This fight
was long and bitter. A feature of 1t
was a series of joint debates and Car
mack lost. Cooper supported Taylor,
but Robin, the boy who killed the SEN
ator, supported the latter.
Malcolm r. Patterson was governor
of the state at the time of the Car
mack Taylor fight, and he announced
his candidacy for reelection. Car
mack, Just beaten for the senate, was
urged into the race for governor
against Patterson. This was last June
and the fight between the men for the
Democratic nomination was the most
spectacular ever seen in Tennessee.
Again Joint debates were arranged, and
again the feeling between the factions
grew very bitter. In these debates
Cooper charged that Carmack assailed
the colonePs good name. Cooper was
an ardent Patterson man-the govern
or on the stand described him as my
closest personal and political adviser"
Again Carmack lost and month be-
fore the election became editor Of the
Tennessean. He had made
the race on the prohibition platform,
and while he did not get the nomina-
tion he did secure enough representa-
tives to assure the passage Of the So
called statewide liquor bill.
In the meantime, Governor Patter-
son and former Governor Cox, once
deadly enemies, were reconciled. The
Tennessean charged that Col. Cooper
brought this reconciliation about, and
referred to 1t In a humorous and sar-
castle vein In its editorial columns.
Carmack also intimated that, to save
Governor Patterson, the Democratic
leaders were preparing to trade Bryan
for the governorship. Col. Cooper was
chafing under the comment, and be-
coming more incensed every day. On
Sunday, November s, the day before
the killing, the following editorial ap-
peared in the Tennessean:
J"Aeross the Muddy chasm."
1--WE trust there will be no unseem-
ly lribaldry on the part Of the base,
vulgar concerning the happy reunion
of long sundered hearts, which was ac-
complished in the joyous reconciliation
CT his excellency, the Hon. M. r. Pat
terson and his excellency, the Hon.
John Isaac Cox. All honor to that no
BILE spirit, Major Duncan Brown Coop
er, who wrought this happy reunion
of congenial and confluxible spirits,
BY evil fates, although born
for each other. All honor to Major
Dune, and may the blessing Of the
be upon him. May he be
heir to all the beatitudes, and especial
ly to the blessings reserved for those
who hunger and thirst after righteous
ness. And there goes also a blessing
to his excellency-for as he has been
merciful to Cox, so shall he obtain
But the choicest blessings as Is
right and proper, are for Governor Cox
himself. For If there be any reward
for meekness, and any for enduring
persecution for Righteousness sake, ne
shall inherit the earth, and his Is the
Kingdom of Heaven. Yet such Is the
meekness Of his spirit that we doubt
not that Governor Cox would be en-
tirely comforted with the meek mans
reward.
IF we pause here briefly to review
the unhappy differences that have arm
ed these valiant souls against each
other, 1t Is for no purpose Of renewing
the strife, but rather Of emphasizing by
contrast the felicity Of the present Sit
uation. It will serve also, to bring out
in bold relief the gracious spirit which
enables Governor Patterson to con-
descend 20 men Of low estate lift up
where he has trampled down and lay
nf yyo UnrdQ fha
he has so fearfully bruised.
It will teach also those who most un-
Justly have regarded Governor Cox as
a man Of proud and naughty spirit,
that he Is in fact, a man Of modest
stiffness and humility one who can
forget injuries the most grievous, for
give insults the most fragrant, endure
every assault upon his honor and good
name without resentment, and, In gen.
eral, humble himself that he may be
exalted. It will also show that no one
can ever sin away his day Of grace
with the present all merciful machine;
that no man can ever become so vile, 80
degraded, so corrupt in its estimation
that it Is not ready to raise him up
and load him with dignity and honors
If he only will give up everything and
serve it with fidelity and singleness
of heart.
1T will be remembered that Govern
or Patterson professed to have only
one great motive in seeking the office
Of governor-the wholly patriotic and
unselfish desire to purge the state OF
the shame and infamy brought upon 1t
by Cox and the Cox machine. He
openly declared that he would rather
some other than he had the task and
the honor but his soul would not con-
sent that such man as Cox should
be the governor of Tennessee. He
charged that Cox had degraded and
debauched the politics Of the state; he
him as the plant tool Of
the saloon and the corporations; he
charged that he was a Democrat only
in name, a Republican in fact; he call
ed him a traitor to the Democratic
party Not only that, but he vicious
ly assailed his personal honor, his pc
cuniary integrity, and from. every
stump in Tennessee, he pictured him
in the bitterest words in his vocabu-
larry as a common CRATER. And the
whole crew Joined their voices In one
universal chorus Of damnation-'crook,'
CRATER corrupt politician cheap
John demagogue-such were the
words that flew thick and fast from
the mouths of Dune B. Cooper and all
the leaders in the great movement to
reform and purge and purify the state,
to destroy the power Of the political
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