Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-02-17
EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES
PROCEEDING RArmLy-sEN.
sATIoNAL FEATURES OF FIRST
DAY.

Nashville. Tenn, Feb. 17.--After
weeks spent in getting jury. the
FIRST real progress in the Cooper
|Carmack trial was made yesterday.
The courtroom was packed when
the examination began. The first
witness for the atate was the widow
of Carmack. Her appearance was
The first sensation OF the day, and
while her testimony was OF small
Importance. t created a great I'M
preston on the jury and specta-
tors.
When the Attorney General read
the Indictment and as he reach I'd
the words Ibid willfully, malicious
'ly and with malice aforethought.
5 ay and murder the body OF Il. w.
Carmack," the widow collapsed aud
the eyes of the two daughters of
ColQnel Cooper. who sat near the
defendants, filled with tears.
Call the first witness" said the
court.
Then to the rurpr Sc OF every cns
Attorney General McCsrn said:
Call Mrs. Carmaek."
The widow was hat carried to
the stand by Frank Lander. She
told her name and her husbands oc-
.cupation in trembling voice.
When did you last see your hus-
band alive?"
''Oh, Cod oh, God!" she sobbed,
''oH sunday the day before he was
killed" For several minutes she
was unable to- speak, her agitation
was SO great.
when did you hear from him
last?"
"By telephone on Monday, lit
tie while before ne was killed."
What was that conversatson?"
The defense objected and wa, sus-
tanned.
The defence declined to- CROSS
examine Mrs. Carmack, and she was
led back to her seat.
Craig's Testimony.
The state next called Z. b. Craig,
former state treasurer. He saw
Colonel Cooper the evening of No
yember 9Th by appointment.
After Osmissing the personal
matter which led me to Colonel
Cooper, the latter began to discuss
the editorials in the Tennesseean.
I soon learned that Colonel Cooper
was greatly agitated and very an
cry. He said: I am an old man,
private citizen, anC 1t makes
little difference whether I go or
not, but IL my name appea.s again
in the Tennesseean either / or Sen
ator Carmack must die. He said he
had written Carmack a note that
could not be misunderstood.
II told Carmack what Cooper
had said. then returned to see
Colonel Cooper and tod him of my
errand. I said: Colonel, I can
accomplish nothing"
What reply did the defendant
maker"
Then, by Cod, this note goes. Z"
The note referred 10 was the one
written by Colonel Cooper TO SEN
ator Carmack threatening the lat.
ter with death IL the editor refeire
ter with death IL the editor referred
to him again.
The court refused to let Craig tell
how Carmack received the inforna-
ton about Cooper's attitude or say
whether Carmack expressed regret.
The Fatal Editorial
The state next introduced IN ev-
ideLce the Tennesseean OF Noyem-
Der 8 containing the editorial which
led TO the killing and which re-
ferred to Colonel Cooper as "ths
q plomat OF the Zweibuad." Craig
said he did not know whether Car
mack had ever received the note
that Co'onel Cooper would not be
misunderstood
Mrs. Eastman's Testimony.
The state passed cross ex-amlna-
ton until later, and next called
Mrs Charles n. eastman. the star
witness for the state. Mrs. East
man Is nearly sixty years old Her
hair rs snow white, but her feat
ures are those of girl and she =
active and graceful When called
upon to do so she eelzsd the revol-
yer said to have been found near
the dead editors body and re-enact-