Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-02-26

WAKES WARM
AGED DEFENDANT DISPLAYS
TEMPER ON WITNESS STAND,
BUT NEVER LOSES HIS HEAD
SEEMED SATISFIED WITH HIS
SUCCESS IN ANSWERING THE
PROSECUTION. 4A

Nashville. Tenn. Feb. 26.-After
nearly two days. under one Of the
mot searching. cross-examinatlons
ever heard in Tennessee court
Cooper Is easily the most strikink fea
rendered TO his own counsel last
night by the state.
The cross examination OF Colonel
Cooper Is easily the most stirling fea-
ture Of the trial thus lar. The col
onel has the reputation OF being
high-spirtted and easily moved TO
anger. Il wac. common rumor that
no Took, the stand against the adj
vice OF hts counsel. but in Tennessee
hs-defendant who does not take the
stand Is looked upon with suspicion.
Nevertheless ali efforts OF the state
to confuse the w.tne-s on the sub
1ect matter OF his direct examiaa-
ton failed.
The prosecution did some execu-
ton In its efforts 90 show that COL
onel Cooper as clerk and master in
chancery court was short 500, 900,
and that legislative Investigating
committee charged that default
ing state treasurer used nearly 800
900 Of the states funds In promot-
Ing Mexican silver mine and wal
nut. log company which Colonel
Cooper managed. The witness insis-
ted, however. that every dollar OF
the chancery shortage, due to faa.-
ty office system, had been repaid,
and that he did not know that tho
state treasurer. NJ. T. Polk, was us
ing the states furnds In the invest
ments.
Colonel Cooper gave frequent dts
plays OF temper. and disregafded the
orders of his own counsel. s
Witness said Carmack attacked
him nearly every day In the debate
with Patterson.
What were the facts of this at.
tack--the words?" Fltzhugh asked.
I do not recall except the one
about the angel with the smell OF
hell on his wings"
Don't you know he never .aid
help"
yes"
You use the word hell often?"
II certainly do. Its fayorite
word OF mine and / use 1t whenever
I want to-"
Fitzhugh was on his feet firing
questions rapidly and Judge Ander-
san said: II wish counsel would
avoid these exciting demonstra-
tons"
Let him alone" said Colonel
! Cooper. Let him alone. He can't
frightea me; can parry his at
tacks."
Il can stand 1t week IL you can"
was anotheri II Cooper's shots on
his cross-exa4aAation.
Cooper said the first attack in
these~-debates was when Carmacx
called him a boltef. Witness ex-
| plafRsd that in voting for General
Russeb against Governor Bates for
governor he did not bolt. because
there were two regular Democratic
tickets in the field. He also objected
he said, TO Carmack's statement that
he dominated Governor Patterson,
"a man who was a bigger MAJ THAI
am and who was my friend. Il
/ wac aimed to hurt and slur at him."
Cooper was asked why, II he re-
sented critical editorials, he took
no action against those in papers
other than Mr.. Carmacks.
well, 1 felt the personal poison
and resented IL mentally" Cooper
said he did not send note in thu
Carmack case for months and
months after the stump attacks and
editorial attacks had been going on"
You objected 20 the editorial
saying the Democratic committee
was trading Bryan for Patterson"
II did, because It was untrue"
"But It appeared FIRST In the
American, didn't it?"
II don't care II It appeared In thu
Holy Bible, Il was lie"
Fbzhugh mentioned many edltoFi-
ais IA which Cooper's name was not
mentioned, but in which witness said
his name was implied Colonel
Cooper SAID he would not consider
It disgrace to have brought Cox
and Patterson together, but that ne
resented the charge because Il was
untrue.
GsE on Politics
4 ''Yod had better get OF politics
fara 90 on with the facts" the court
intefbosed. Immediately the line ot
Questions changed.
II you got a message from a
man who said the town was too big
for both OF you. what would you
understand" Fitzhugh asked.
The defense objected, but the wit