The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-02-24

Nashville, Tenn, Feb. 20.-Thls
was thp defences day In the trial of
CoL DyIncan B. Cooper. Robin j.
Cooper and John ID. sharpe. charged
with the murder Of former United
states senator Edward w. Carmack.
Only ote witness was examined. the
boyish defendant, Robin J. Cooper.
and ne made splendid witness.
when Court opened It was expected
that the state would oner one or
moro Of It's missing witnesses. At
Ieost three arrived last night. but the
Attorney General decided either not
TO use them At all or to save them for
HE conApiracy night In rebuttai. Both
sides seemed spsrring for time at the
OPENING Of the days session. Finally
ne defence asked for thirty minutes
lndulgence and took an hour and a
half. - was presumed that con-
ference was on. but in reality the
!IIv }ky(sI s. sssssa 'sss Il
learn n the bullet which Robin cooE-
~ received In the shoulder was still
there. Dr. Fort thought II was ana
20 testined. However. the day after
the shooting Robin Cooper found q
bullet IN the bed neer his knees at
the 81. Thomas Hospital. 1t was a
3s-calibre bullet. The gun found
near Senator carmack's body with
two empty shells is ss-caiibre. The
defence evidently wanted to be sure
that the x-Ray showed no bullet In
Robins shoulder before they produc-
Cd the missiIe found In the boys bel.
IN this connection the State has an
interesting theory that the revolver
found near Carmack's body was not
the one forced upon the dead editor
by one Of his stan few hours before
ne was shot. The one picked up Is a
blue steel 3s-calibre. Col. Cooper's
revolver. secured a day or two later.
II q nickslled 3s-caiibre. and appa-
rently had never been discharged.
A. soon as the x-Ray plate had
been developed and disclosed no trace
Of bullet the defence announced It
was ready and called young Cooper
20 the stand. The boy Ia slender.
erect. clcsn-cut. high-bred type of a
young man. His features are dell
cate. almost feminine. but he carries
himself I'm an erect and manly FASH
ion. and there In nothing efreminate
In his manner. His voice Is soft and
well cultivated. He speaks slowly.
almost WIN a drawl. He answered
every question with a deliberateness
and caution that mt times seemed to
exssperate his counsel. Judge An
derson. and put him I'm the light of
IN unwilling witness. Eut there Is no
doubt that his evident sincerity and
Dissatisfaction to take advantage OF a
situation made a very strong i'm
preston on both jury and spectators.
His cross-examination was postponed
until Monday. when II will consume
probably most OF the day.
He said that he practiced law In
the once OF his uncle. James Brad
ford. and that on November .. the
day OF the Carmack shooting. his
father called at Bradford's Office In
the forenoon. Young Cooper. who
gave his age as twenty-seven. refer
red TO his father as papa"
when papa told me-" he testified
'.he wan afraid ne was going to have
trouble with Mr. Carmack."
After a long argument of counsel
Cooper was allowed TO explain such
parts OF his conversation as had been
previously testified to by Miss Lee
who said she overheard parts of the
conversation. The witness continued
speaking OF his father:
HE said he was afraid OF trouble
asked him why. He said In sub
stance that Mr.. Carmack. In his pa.
per. had been printing editorials at
tacklng his character. and as he put
u. shooting poisoned arrows. III
said n was becoming unendurable HI