Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-02-18
STATE MAKING 'STRONG
CASE AGAINST COOPERS
EvEIsAL LADIES GIVE INFORMANT TESTIMONY REARING ON
rHR THEORY OF A coNsfrsscY-CoIoNEL VERY
AGAINST oArxA<k--HE DISCHARGED ONE OF THEN.
MUST Observation-Disclosures rHRArEs A sESsAT1ox WHEN HE
STATES CLOTHES HAVE nEEN rAMpERED WITH

Nashville, Tenn, Feb. is.--
Marked by bitter Quarreis between
attorneys and by new and stsrtilnc
test mony. the second day OF the
Cooper-Sharp trial for the murdsr
of former Senator Carmack closed
last night with the .tate highly Ella
ted and the defense visibly disturb.
ed.
Bitter Talk In and Out OF Cou<t.
The tension between the factions
has frightened vlsibly too. This Is
ind Gated In the court room by bit
ter passages between opposing ooun-
sci and outside by mora bitter talk
by partisans. VIII . it was alsariy
a field day for the prosecution, Il
must be remembered that the tssti.
mony was given by the states wit
nesses only and that the defense 10
yet TO be heard from.
There were three star Witnesses
and all OF them women. Mia, Mary
Seffngton. the state librarian and
a young woman OF excellent pos' :
ton socially. was the frat. She told
how, on the day OF the murder, she
eft the state library and walked
down Seventh avenue when within
two hundred feet OF the scene OF the
shooting she met John Sharp, one
OF the defendants, whom Ghe had
known for ten or twelve years. Just
as she greeted him she heard three
shots and asked Sharp what II mesat
Without turning around to learn,
she says, Sharp replied:
That's Dune Cooper shooting
Senator carmack.''
BY the second WI tness, Miss Daisy
Lee, the state laid the foundation
upon which 1t will base its contea-
ton that the Staying OF Carmaok
was the result OF a conspiracy. Mss
Lee is a stonographer In the office
Of James Bradford, one OF the attor-
neys for the defense. Rohn Cooper
had his Office with Brsdford's law
firm.
Trembling With Fright.
Miss Lee, trembling with fright
and almost sick with worry, told how
on the morn ng OF November o, the
day of the tragedy, when she ar
rived at the office she found Colonel
Cooper already there in conference
with his son. She heard the Colonel
denounce Carmack for using his
CCooper's) name and d clare he had
a right to protect himself. Later
she heard Colonel Cooper apply to
him (Carmack) epithets so vile that
the cred when ordered to repeat
them. The court permitted her 10
write them and when they were read
she covered her face VI tn her hands
Miss Lee then told how at 3 D. m.
there began a conference In Brad
ford's office between the two Coop
ers, Bradford and Adjutant General
Tulley Brown. This conference last
cd until after p. m, when It broke
up and the Coopers left together.
She sad that there was a look OF
worry and trouble on the boys
face that she had never seen thers
before.
Miss Lees duty among other
things, was to answer the telephone.
There are desk extensions isto the
private offices of the msmbsYs If
the firm. It was her custom 70 an
swer the telephone and call by an
electric button such members OF the
firm as were wanted. A half an
hour after the Coopers left the office
the telephone rang, and as usual,
MISS Lee answered VI. She heard
voice say:
rs that you Jim" and heard At
torney Bradford oay, Yes"
She hung up the receiver, but
not before she rscogniz d the voice
as that OF Colonel Cooper. A mo.
ment after she heard Bradford Gay
over the telephone.
EWpObd OF Jne StAtcs
And did Robin kill himY wei,
I'll be right up there"
She fms sted that Bradford was
not in the habit of answering the
telephone unless called by her. It
appeared to be the intent OF the state
to have the jury believe that a con
ference to slay Carmack was held
and that the killing resulted from
this conference.
The third star witness was Mss
Don 9 Braxter, q maid in the SER
vice OF Mrs Duclus Bureh, q dough
ter Of Colonel Cooper, with whom
he made his home. The witness
heard Colonel Cooper come into the
D rch homo about noon the day af
the tragedy and heard him tell Mrs.