The sun., 1909-02-21
COOPER DESCRIBES KILLING
ADMITS HE SHOT CARMACk AND
SHOWS HIS OWN WOUNDS.
Borrowed PISTOL Day Of Tragedy. Expect-
ins Trouble Because ef Fathers Quar-.
rel with Editor-wero Going 70 SEE
Governor Patterson NJ Peacemaker.


rel with Editor--wero Going 10 sec
Governor Patterson NJ Peacemaker.
NASHVILLE. Tenn. Feb. 70.-1n the
trial Of Col. Duncan b. Cooper Robin
j. Cooper and John d. Sharp for the
murder Of ex-senator Carmack. Robin
J. Cooper. the central figure Of the tragedy.
the one who. according 10 his own adnis-
sion. shot Mr.. Carmaok. was the only
witness examined to-day. .r
Young Cooper. who spoke In q clear
voice. with the refined accent OF oul-
tured man. called his father Papa
throughout his testimony, He Is
slender. boyish. clear cut looking youth.
lie gave his name. MS age II. mis- pro-
feesion as a lawyer
Six hundred men and women crowded
the floors Of the rotunda and the gallery
and even congregated outside the win
dows. The crowd became so great that
Judge Hart. having received warning
from the architects Of the new court
building that the ba.ustrade was boing
overtaxed. instructed the officers to clear
out the spectators and look the doors.
The morning mist had scarcely cleared
away before people began Fastening
toward the Court House.
The doors were opened at O'Clock. and
the throng made rush. which continued
not only until every seat was filed but
every available foot Of space within the
bar was occupied. ....
30 great was the congestion that Mrs
Carmack, who has been under q very
severe nervous strain for days. tainted.
Aside from the statement by Robin
Cooper Of the circumstances prior 10 and
Immediately after the tragedy, a notable
feature OF the days proceedings was tbs
exhibition Of the clothing he wore at the
time he shot ex-senator Carmack and was
himself wounded by two shots from q re-
volver in the hand Of the Senator. He
identified each garment. at the same time
indicating tho location OF the wound. He
narrated at length the meeting with his
father on the morning OF the day Mr.. Car
mack was killed. saying that his father
had said concerning Carmaoks editorial
references to him that Mr.. Carmack had
right TO protect himself. He said he had
suggested to his father that James G.
Bradford. an uncle Of the witness. could
probably adjust the trouble In salts
factory manner He said he had tele-
phoned to his sister and TO Gov. Patterson
in an effort to prevent meeting on the
street between his father and Mr.. Carrnack
and desoribed the accidental meeting with
NJ. Sharp. one Of the defendants, In the
afternoon. after his father had informed
him that he had decided not to send to
Mr.. Carmack the note he had addressed
to him earlier In the day. He also de-
scribed the encounter with Mr. Carmaok
near Union and Vine streets while Col
Cooper. himself and Mr. SHARP were
together. Col. Cooper being at the time on
his way TO the Executive Mansion 10 meet
Gov. Patterson at the latter's request
He said that Mr.. Cafnack fred the
first shot. which was Immediately after
his father had crossed in diagonal direc-
tion at the junction OF Union and Vine
streets to meet MIR. Carmack, who was
walking north. and after witness had
tried to get his father TO 60 to the Execu-
tive Mansion without letting him see
Carmack coming, in the hope that Car
mack would not see his father. He had
gone with his father, he said. because
he feared meeting between the two
would result In trouble, but his father
had said to him upon seeing MIR. Carmack:
-Carmack knows me and know him.
There will be no trouble
He followed his father across the street
and the next thing he remembered was
that his father spoke to Mr. Carmaok
In in instant. he said. Carmack drew q
rev oil, er and shot the witness in the right
shoulder. At the time the first shot was
graph posts. The second shot came an
instant later. the bullet passing through
his coat, six or seven inches below the
shoulder.
Mr. Cooper identified the revolver
which he got from his uncle. Robin Jones.
and with which the shooting was done.
together with the clothing he wore ut the
time Of the tragedy. lie denied having
made the statement attributed to him
In regard to a conversation on a street
car. when he was said TO have referred to
the Senator in uncomplimentary terms
He said that at that time he had no ami
mostly against Carmack.
His entire action. he said. was gov
erned by the fact that his father was In
trouble. and he considered 1t his duty TO
assist and protect him,
Cooper said that he lived with his
uncle, JS,nes Bradford. Of counsel for the
defence and practised Law in the lattsrs
Office He said he came to town on Mon
day, November Q. with his uncle. Mr.
Bradford. arriving at O'Clock.
Did you see your father that morn
ing?'
HE came to my ONCE soon after I
arrived. He came into Mr.. Bradford's
private office. where was In conference
with Mr. Davis
Here the defendant described the loca-
ton and the plan Of the law Office. From
the moment her favorite brother began 70
talk Mrs. Lucius NJ Burch leaned for
ward in the chair. looking eagerly into his
eyes and seeming scarcely TO breathe as
he talkei The jury betrayed great in
terest
Il talked a while and some one called
me TO court, where had case. Theu
papa told me he was afraid he was going
TO have some trouble with Mr.. Carmaok.'
aaid Rohin