Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-04-20
CARMACK'S SLAYER PARDONED.
Executive Clemency Followed Su-
prrnle Courts Decision.

ted States Senator Edward w. Car
mack as shot and killed Oh prom
inent street in Nashville, was ere
ated by the pardoning by Governor
Nj. r. Patterson to-day of Col. Dun
can b. Cooper, who, with his son,
Robin J. Cooper, was convicted OF
the murder OF Carmack. The issu-
ance OF the pardon on the Governors
own initiative, without q formal petit
ton before him, followed quickly the
reading Of the opinion of the Tennes-
see Supreme Court affirming the
verdict OF guilty in the case Of Col.
Cooper, under sentence Of twenty
years in the penitentiary, and re-
versing the lower court in the case
Of Robin Cooper, who was sentenced
to like period for the Carmack
murder.
The news Of the courts action and
that Of the Governor in pardoning
Col. Cooper spread quickly through
the city, causing intense excitement
and heated discussion by numerous
groups Of partisans.
Patterson Promptly Purtions.
Governor Patterson wrote the full
pardon for Col. Cooper and filed it
with the Secretary Of State, while
Chief Justice Beard was yet reading
dissenting opinion in the case OF
Col. Cooper. In a statement given
to the press almost Immediately, the
Governor said:
In my opinion neither of the de-
PENDANTS is guilty, and they have not
had a fair and impartial trial, but
were convicted contrary to the law
and the evidence"
Court Divided.
The conviction and sentence of
Col. Cooper was affirmed by Il divid-
ed court. In an entirely different
lineup Of the justices, the court split
as to the guilt Of Robin Cooper BY a
vote Of 3 to ., the lower court being
reversed and the case rcmanded for
new trial.
Patterson's Close Friend.
Cooper Is the close friend and al
legged political adviser OF Patterson,
who is the leader Of the anti-prohi-
bition forces in Tennessee. Carmack
was the chief Of the prohibition
movement. Patterson was a most
important witness for the defense at
the trial Of the COopers for the kill
ing Of Carmack, whose death, his
friends allege, was the outcome OF
political machination. Now, on the
verge OF an election of the judiciary,
the Supreme Court was called on to
pass finally upon the case over
which, 1t seems, the party factions
have actually aligned themselves on
one side or the other. For sixty
nine days the court had the case and
the State has been on the tip-toe Of
expectancy as opinion days came and
went without its being referred to.
Pardon No Surprise.
The pardon was not unexpected.
From Governor Patterson's testi-
mony in the court below there could
remain no doubt as to his personal
conviction of the innocence of the
defendants. Such being the case
there was never any doubt in the pub
lie mind that he would grant par
don to both defendants should the
Supreme Court affirm the sentence.
But while this action did not come
AS surprise, it created all Of the
interest and all Of the wild excite
ment that a totally unexpected de-
nouement to the whole series OF
events could have done.
Effect Politically.
AS to the result politically, in Ten
nessee, OF the State Supreme Courts
decision in the Cooper case, and the
pardon Of Col. d. B. Cooper by Gov
ernor Patterson, opinion seems gene
raj that the old factional lines-Pat-
terson and anti-Patterson, the latter
representing the prohibition or State
wide element of the State Democra.
cy--are unchanged. In fact, they
are more taut Ii that be possible.
The Governors friends claim that
his action has served to cement more
closely than ever his following
that it has given them a rallying cry
10 battle. On the other hand, 1t has
embittcred to an even intenser degree
the hostility to him on the part Of
his political enemies.
Carmack was the leader and idol
of the State-widers. His friends,
charging that his killing was the out
come of a political scheme, made 1t