Lower coast gazette., 1909-03-27
CONVICTED
SHARP ACQUITTED

reported the following verdict:
Duncan B. Cooper, guilty, second de-
gree; penalty, 20 years.
Robin ]. Cooper, guilty, second degree;
penalty, 20 years.
The trial ju~t completed has been one
of the most remarkable murder cases in
the history of the South, not only be-
cause of the prominence of the princl'
pals in the tragedy, but because of the
reasons that led to the killing.
Sharp Acquitted.
Nashville, Tenn.-John D. Sharp was
| Friday acquitted Of the charge OF muir
dering former United States Senator f..
W. Carmack, but the jury reported that
an agreement had not been reached as
to the two principal actors in the now
famous tragedy, Robin and Coz. Duncan
3. Cooper.
The receiving of the verdict as to MIR.
Sharp came after a morning OF nervous
ness and suppressed excitement in the
courtroom. Judge Hart opened court
promptly at 9 o'clock and began his US
ual grind of hearing criminal cases. The
court had announced soon after court
opened that there would be a verdict IN
the Cooper case during the day, but 1t
was a quarter after IL before his honor
turned his attention to the case and
sent the sheriff to bring the jury into
the courtroom. The jury, instead OF ac'
companving the court officer on his re-
turn, however, sent word that they were
unable to agree, and saw no necessity
for their appearing in court.
But Judge Hart summoned them any
way, and soon the result Of the dellb'
erations of the twelve men was known.
As soon as the court had heard what
the Jury had done, he ordered the dis
charge of Mr.. Sharp, and ordered the
jurv to return to their room for fur
Their deliberation. This occupied but a
few minutes, after which court was al
iourned until 2 p. m. The verdict IN
Mr.. Sharp's case was received with IN
difference by the defendant, but one
outside the courtroom he was compelled
to hold an %impromptu reception and re
ceive the congratulations of his friends.
Judge Hart sent to ask the jury, a
- minutes after noon, if it wished t.
report. Promptly the word came bacl
that no agreement had been cached. LII
court considered a moment, and said:
81 will bring in the jury anyho"
Bring in the Defendants"
There was a hustle and scurrylng
deputies through the corridors, and tn
defendants entered. The courtroom wa
nearly empty by this time, the thron
disappearing gradually as it seemed tina
there would be no report. Mrs. Bur(
and Mrs. Wilson, pale and wan, we
with the Coopers, and faithful MI
Sharp was, as always, at her husband
4 side:
q The jury was polled, and Judge Ha
said:
Il "Have you reached a verdict, gent
d men,"
q "We are hopelessly tied as to t
n Coopers," said Foreman Burke, "but
find John Sharp not guilty"
"You will retire, gentlemen, and
consider further as to the other defer
ants. Is there any reason, Gen. McCa'
- why John Sharp should not be d
charged?"
ion "None, your honor"
OK. "Mr. Sharp, you are discharged :fr
lity custody-acquitted," said the court, W
ich a smile.
VII. Sharp sat stolid and Indifferent. \
ose- 80 his wife. The foreman spoke in a
tone. and for a minute she didn't gr'
will the significance of it. When she {
VIII her eyes filled up, and she grasped
[ore husbands left arm with both hands,
ser seemed about to break down. Her
oof ter soothed her, and others seated n
'ne them shook hands with Sharp.
eve want the exact words of the
recorded" said Judge Anderson, OF
+ha Tense. "We understood the report
lien hopelessly tied?"
the 81 do not recall the exact langu'
mer. but l an told by the clerk and a nj
ured PAPER man that those were the wo
nian Let the clerk so record them"
"Is that a verdict, your honor"
sVet Anderson.
pose "It is a verdict as far as John 81
sew is concerned, but it certainly is not
aces far as D. B. and Robin Cooper are
win cerned. l sent the jury back for fur
!. +ha considerations"
~. The defendants counsel advised
,,;s,, gether for awhile, and assented.
Judge Hart adjourned court until 2 I
word, Sharp, accompanied by his wife
sister.in-law, father and mother, the
ter two reaching the Jail after the
yern- dict. went to the room he has occ.
} Mr.. for several months in the Jail, and
A. held a little reunion with the Coope
con. With tears Of disappointment in
to ewes, the two daughters Of Cooper
unity. CONGRATULATED the Sharps heartily
their good luck, and listened in retu
Id be .ho cood wishes in their own behalf
atoms
them A., B. & A. RECEIVER NAME
under "