The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-04-20
PARDON COOPER.
The aaa Hko Assassisatea Ez,Ssaaia7
carnaek IS Set Free By
PARTzAN GOVERNOR

PARTIzAN GOVERNOR
Who Signs Pardon Before the Opia
ION OF the Supreme Court Su>tain
ing the Verdict Of Guilty Ia .b,
Lever Court as Read to tsss. ED<
By the Judges.
A dispatch from Nashville. Tenn.
SAYS a sensation equalling ,aat which
.nnamed in November. 1908. whcr
Sormer United States Senator Ed
ward Ward Caruack was shot AM
killed on prominent street in Nash,
Vile. vas created by the pardonirs
by Governor u. R. Patterson. We'd
nesdaS Of Col. Duncan B. Cooper
who. with his son. Robin ]. Copper
was convicted Of the murder OF Car
mack
The issuance Of the pardon oa the
Governors own initiative wi.hou: q
formal petition before him. followed
quickly the reading OF the opinion
Of the Tennessee Supreme Court at
nrmiag the verdict Of guilty IN the
case OF Col. Cooper. under sentence
of twenty years in the penitentiaEy.
and reversing the lower Court In
the case OF Robin Cooper. who was
sentence to q like period for the
Carmack murder.
Governor Patterson wrote the full
pardon for Col Cooper and Eled II
With the Secretary Of State. while
Chief Justice Beard was yet read
Ing d.sseatins opinion in the case
Of Col. Cooper. In a statement CIV
en- to the press almost immediately.
the Governor said: I'm my opinion
neither Of the defendants is guilty.
and they have not had fair and
impartial trial. but were convicted
contrary to the law and the evil
derce'' -
The news OF the Courts action
and that OF the Governor in pardon
ing Col. Cooper spread quickly over
the city. causing intense excisemen:
and heated discussion BY numerous
groups et partisans. The conviction
and sentence Of Col. Cooper was af-
arrred by q divided Court In an
entirely different line up Of the jos
tees. the Court split as to the guilt
of Robin Cooper. by vote Of 3 70 2.
tie. lower Court being reversed and
the ease remanded for new trial.
The reversal in the case OF Robin
Cooper S based on assignments OF
error IN the tris, Judges failure to
charge separately as to Robin Coop
er,s theory OF sels-deience. linking
the defence OF the two defendants
together: excluding testimony OF
Governor Patterson as % talks w.t.
Robin Cooper. and advice given him
us to Col. Cooper before the tragedy:
and the admission on cross exaraiaa-
ton OF Robin Cooper as to the iH-
tent Of certain States witnesses In
eessifying as 20 certain incidents.
Col. Cooper was still at the Cap
ttal when the pardon was entered tn
the Secretary OF Sta*e's Office. Ee
was as calm. and even cheerful.
through 1t all. as II he had received
An acquit.al. The reversal IN his
sons case seemed to interest and
please him to the exclusion Of his
own fate.
81 wanted Robins vindicatson
more than I wanted pardon. was
his smiling remark. when told OF
the Governors acton IN behalf OF
hinse!f. Leaving the crowds gath
cred about him. be entered car
rage with his daughter. Mrs- Lucius
e. Buech. and his sister-in-saw. Mrs
Jsmes c. Bradford. and accompanied
bv Marshall Robert Marshall. was
driven to the county Jail. where for
u,alieies In the Connection with the
pardon were gone through With and
he was released. He reached the
tail at EGO P. M-. leaving there
about $50 for the residence OF his
daughter, Mrs Burch. Robin Coop
er is under 3 $25.eeo bond His
friends freely predict that he vii
not again Be arrained for trial
Should he be. It would be most
dsftcuh undertaking to secure jur,
in Davidson County under the laws
requirements
The opinions were read before
Court room packed to su1ocaticn
the corridors being crowed with thos'
unable to gain entrance. Every wor'
wss listened to with breathless IN
serese, and the scene was memor
able one. L marked an epoch II
no. only the legal annals OF TIT
State. but the political as veil. tn
Democratic party Of Tennessee ha
been rent into bitter factions owe
the prohibition question. and as
wheel within 8 wheel. 1.-The Coope
case. has played conspicuous par!
Cooper Is the close friend and Al
legged political adviser OF Patterson
Who is the leader OF the ant'-psoh'
bition forces In Tennessee. Carmac
was the chief OF the pToh1oitio
vas the che.f Of the prohibition move
ment- Patterson was most ampo'
tant witness for the defence at IN
trial o. the Coopers for the killing
Carnack. was the outcome OF poh'
cal nachininaticn. Now on the vere
OF an election Of judiciary. the 81
prene Court was called on to pas
finally upon the case over wnic!
q seems. the party factions have a
tually aligned themselves on OF
side or the other. For s,xeS-nit
days the Court had the case ano u
State has been on the up-toe
e-ectancv as opinion days came ar