The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-03-19
(By Associated Press. }


Nashville, Tenn, March 19.-John
D. Sharp was acquitted today of the
charge Of numbering Former Sena-
tor. Carmack, but two of the prin-
cipal actors in the now famous ira
gedy, Robin and Col. Duncan B..
Cooper, are still in jail pending the
action of the jury, which reported
as unable to agree, whereupon Judge
Hart sent them back to the jury
room to further consider the evil
dence. Sharp received the verdict
Indifferent.
The Cooper-Sharp trial, just COM
pieted, has been one of the most re-
markable murder cases in the his
tory of the south, not only because of
the prominence of the principals in
the tragedy, but because of the rea-
sons that led to the killing.
Col. Duncan B. Cooper, former
officer 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,
at ColumbacmhM. vHVj, oQgwit. +.
a young lawyer, who also did some
newspaper work. Cooper bought the
Nashville American and induced
Carmack to come to Nashville as its
editor. Whether the men were in
thorough accord is disputed point.
Carmack's friends say not. Colonel
Cooper swore on the stand that the
were close friends until Governor
Taylor opposed Carmack for re-elec-
ton to the senate This fight was long
and bitter A feature of 1t was p
series of joint debates, and Carmack
lost. Cooper supported Taylor, but
Robin Sharpe, the boy who killed .he
senator, supported the latter.
Malcolm R. Patterson, the COVER
nor of the state at the time of the
'Carmack-Taylor fight, and he an
nounced his candidacy for reelection
Carmack, just beaten for the senate.
was urged into the race for COVER
nor against Paterson. This was last
June, and the fight between the men
for the democratic nomination was
the most spectacular ever seen in Ten
ressee Again, joint debates were ar
ranged, and again the feeling be-
tween the factions grew very bitter.
In these debates, Cooper charged that
Carmack assaulted the colonel's good
nafe. Cooper was an arden Patter
son mantle governor on the stand
described him cas- my closest person
Carmack ostetashrdletaoshrd
al and political adviser" Again
Carmack lost, and, a bonth before
the election, became editor of the
Nashville Tenessean. He had made
the race on the prohibition platform.
and, while he did not get the nomina-
ton, he did secure enough represe T.
tatives to assure the passage of the
so-called state wide liquor bill.
In the meantime. Governor Patter-,
son ana former Governor Cox. once
deadly enemies, were reconciled. The,
Tennessean charged that Colonel
Cooper brought this reconciliation
about, and referred to it in humor-
GUS and sarcastic vein in its editorial
columns. Carmack also intimated
that, to save Governor Patterson, the
democratic leaders were preparing to
trade Bryan for the governorship.
Colonel Cooper was chatting under the
comment, and becoming more in
censed every day. On Sunday, Nov.
s, the day before the killing, bitter
editorial appeared in the Tennessean.
Colonel Cooper, upon reading this
editorial, sent the famous message to
Carmack: eff my name appears in
the Tennessean again, one of us must
die" The warning was delivered to
Senator Carmack by Ex-State Treas
urer Craig. Carmack said that Col.
Co0per's threat had made a cessa-
ton Of the editorials impossible; that