The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-03-09
Nearly Caused the Court House
Building to Collapse This
Morning
STIRRING ADDRESS TO JURY
WORKS GREAT DRAMAS END
Fitzhugh for the Prosecution Deliver.
ed a Masterpiece In the Opening Ar.
gument, Bristllng With Logic and
Rhetoric-No Demonstrations by the
Audience Allowed.

Nashville, Tenn, March $50
great was the throug which tried to
crowd into the court room this morn
ing to hear the arguments in Cooper
Sharpe trial for the murder OF form
er Senator E. W. Carmack that the
architect of the building appealed to
the judge and declared there was
danger of serious accident. Long
after the room itself could hold no
more, the curious people continued to
push into the corridors and up the
stairways. So great became the
crowds that fears were expressed
least the ratings gave way and pre-
cipitated those On the stairways down
upon those beneath them. Judge
Hart hurriedly sent deputies into the
corridors and soon cleared them en-
tirely. Judge Hart again admonished
the audience to refrain from any kind
OF demonstrations and General Meeks
began the opening afeument for the
defense. General Meeks has been i'll,
and he seemed scarcely able to stand.
His preliminary remarks were spoken
in such low tone that even the
jurors failed to catch them. AS he
warmed up he said that he never saw
a witness so shamefully treated as
was Colonel Cooper by Captain Fitz-
hugh. He said the whole scheme of
the state was not to convict Colonel
Cooper of the murder but to disgrace
him publicly on his record.
Captain Fitzhugh made the open
ing argument for the prosecution yes
terday afternoon and occupied more
than five hours in its delivery. It was
masterpiece in rhetoric and logic
and held the jurors spellbound from
start to finish. His peroration was as
follows:
There will be many arguments
made to you," he said, Ito touch your
hearts. You will be asked to be gen.
erous and sympathetic. They will
talk to you of this boy Why gen.
tlemen, he is 27 years old and some
of the greatest achievements of men
have been accomplished before a man
is thirty, and they will point to Col.
Cooper as a gentleman of the old
school, as the last flower of the old
southern chivalry.' Do you believe
it? Was he gentleman when he
used that awful language in the pres
ence of Miss Lee? And when they
talk to you of sympathy, just look
over there. You see in sable gar
ments the widow of E. w. Carmack.
You see on her arm the 1O-year-old
boy who was the pride Of E. w. Car
mack's life. Did Duncan Cooper of
Robin think of this widow or this boy
when they shot down the husband and
the father? Would it not have been
better if Robin Cooper. instead of
shooting the senator. had said to his
father. Father, do not kill the father
of this little boy; do not slay the
husband Of this fond wife, but he did
not. The question to be decided is
whether or not the law is to be en-
forced. That question is to be decid-
ed by you. If murder is to be COM
nlitted In the streets of our cities
without fear of punishment, can you
tell who will be the next victim? The
very liberty Of the press is at stake,
the security of the common people.
1t all rests with you and into your
hands'I place it unreservedly."