The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1910-04-21
him with indecent haste.

to go to the penitentiary his enemies
would probably have charged him
with not having nerve to do what he
would like to do.
The governors own reasons for his
act are stated by himself as follows:
"Being thoroughly familiar with the
record, having read all the testimony
and testified to certain facts within
my personal knowledge, it is neither
desirable nor necessary to delay action
for petition to be presented, asking ex-
ecutive clemency.
ain my opinion, neither of the de-
PENDANTS is guilty and they have not
had fair and impartial trial, but
were convicted contrary to the law and
evidence, The action of the supreme
court in vacating the judgment as to
Robin Cooper, leaves the sentence of
final conviction as TO his co-defendant
The proof showed that Robin Cooper
killed the deceased and that ID. b. Coop
er did not fire a shot. Without re-
Election upon the court, it is inconceiv-
able to my mind and repugnant to ev-
cry principle of justice that man
should be found guilty of murder who
was not in conspiracy to kill and who
in fact, did not kill"
If Gov. Patterson'S act, then, is in
line with his conscientious conviction,
his friends will claim for him that he
did his duty courageously in following
his conscience.
The people of Tennessee are entirely
familiar with the main facts in this
deplorable tragedy.
Carmack and Cooper had been polit-
cal and personal friends and they be-
came political, personal enemies. Pat
terson and Carmack were opposing
candidates for Governor, and Cooper
was Patterson friend. Carmack bit
terly assailed Cooper on the stump and
criticised him in newspaper. Friends
who sought to make peace made con
fusion instead, with the result that
there was a collision and tragedy
The passions of the campaign, politi-
cal hatred and other elements entered
in the trial in the lower court. 1t was
alleged that there had been conspir
acy between the father and the son to
murder Carmack, and OH this theory
the case went to jury.
1t was alleged by the defense that
the son was in the role of peacemaller,
and that he was acting in self-defense
and trying TO save his fathers life
when he killed Carmack, who, on see
ing the father AID son approaching
him, probably assumed that they had
come for hostile purpose and opened
fire.
One judge separates the act of the
father from that of the son as to the in
tent-af1irms as to one and reyerses as
to the other. This seems to do away
with the theory of conspiracy.
The actors in this tragedy were all
concerned in Tennessee politics. The
verdict of the highest court and the ac-
ton of the governor bring about re-
suit that does not eliminate the case
from politics.
1t is an unfortunate condition that
intemperance in speech and intemper
ance in action in political contests and
often in the private affairs of life in the
South result in conditions that Gull
inmate in tragedies like this which
brought about the death Of the brilliant
Carmalcl,.
There is nothing in this case nor in
the result that will increase the re-
spect of men for law, and the lack of
respect that men have for the law was
at the foundation of this tragedy and
in many Others whose story is daily |
in Southern newspapers.
AS long as men go about ,armed-as |
long as men take the law in their own |
things us this killing will
occur.
Human life is cheap in this country, |
because men refuse to surrender an |
opinion that they alone must decide !
for Themselves what they will do, re-
CARELESS of the rights of others.
The ties of personal friendship cause
men to forget the letter of the law,
Just as the fires of political opposition
engender personal hatred, and until i
men become less reckless in speech and
in action-until they measure ques-
lions on their merits rather than upon
their prejudices-there will be TRACE
lies like this which has ended to the
Of no man. And until men
trusting TO pistols and TO physical
'orce to Vindicate their grievances, or
'ancied grievances, these things will go
IN, and until all of us have a higher
respect for the law and recognize it as
he supreme tribunal in all questions
here will be divided verdicts inEcourts
and pardons by governors.
We are all creatures of the same en-
and until our standards OF
ife are changed and until all men rec
,gnize the fact that human life is a
precious thing and men cease TO act
lpon impulse rather than upon judg
nent, human lives will be shot aWaV.