Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-02-25
Prosecution in Tennessee
Murder Trial Attempts TO
Prove Defendant Robbed
State Treasury,
ALLEGED ACT WAS
COMMITTED YEARS AGO
Ancient Documents Dug Up in
Sensational Effort to Dis
credit Man Whose Son Killed
Senator CarmaCk,



Nashville. Tenn. FEB. 2f.-'We eN-
peet 10 provo that Colonel Cooper was
a defaulter to the extent of more than
500. 400 while clerk and master of
chancerv Of Maury county
This announcement by attorneys for
the prosecution caused much dissen-
sion at today's session Of the trial OF
tie Cooners and sharpe. charged with
killing former senator Carmack Al
ter an exciting day the session closed
with Colonel Cooper yet on the stahu'
The state resurrected some old eN-
ecutivc records concerning an lnNes-
tIqation into the defaleation of state
Treasurer NJ. I. Folk in the early
sos If offered to prove that thou
sands of dollars of the states money
was invested by Polk with Colonel
cooper and others in Mexican sill
yer mine scheme and other financial
undertakings.
Colonel Cooper said. IN answer 70
questions. that the supposed lrresu-
larties In his office Of clerk and mas
ter in chanccry were due To bad man
agcmont and poor bookkeeping ana
that every dollar made gooh hN
admitted that Polk was his partner
in the ventures hut declared that ne
(CooperO never handled the money
ana had no knowledge that it was
taken from the states strong box,
Colonel Cooper repeatedly urged
Judge Anderson To let the state ask
'any question on any subject, put
whom court adjourned the cross eN-
animation had only fairly started
In response to questions Colonel
Cooper said that as he approached
seventh avenue on the day of tn"
shooting. in company with his son.
Robin. and the defendant, sharpe, his
son took hold Of his arm and urged
him to hurry. The nervous grasp
aroused his suspicion ana intuitlNFN
he turned and saw Carmack.
"Instantly decided to go over ana
have a plain talk with Carmack
said the witness. and sec if this ai-
fair which was worrying my friends
my children and myself couldn't be
stopped"
@When you started out did yon in
tend to meet him p?
NO. sir. The Impulse came over
me at once when I saw him TO g"
over and talk to him.
Colonel Cooper said that when he
smoke to Carmack the latter drew up
his head as though he had not seen
him and at once drew his revolver.
lust before this Carmaek had spoken
to Mrs. Eastman. and when he drew
his revolver he pulled Mrs. Eastman
4. L.
81 had made no hostile move said
the witness
what did you say?'
II said thought that 1t was damn
cd cowardly to get behind a woman
with a pistol in his hands.
Did you have your revolver out
-Not at that time
Did you have any purpose OF
shooting or killing him o.
mo sir Senator Carmack got
around behind post and at the same
time Robin got in between us. In a
second Carmack shot between the
poles and Robin got around them.
/ Then for the first time | saw Robin
revolver and saw him shoot
The witness said he did not draw
! his revolver until after Robin was
shot He then drew his gun but saw
/ that Carmack was down and that
! Robin was shot so he put 1t back IN
/ his pocket He said that five shots IN
all were fired
Cooper told Of surrendering him
self and of turning over his revolver
To the police sergeant The gun WAS
still unfired. he said.
The states attorney then hande"
the witness some bonds given when