The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-04-21
ACQUIT COOPER OF
CARMACK MURDER
Irate Citizens, After Indignation
Meeting. Following Pardoning
of Slayer of Senator Carmack,
Hang Governor S Image Up
and Set Torch to It.

The greatest sensation i'm the
history of Tennessee since the
killing OF Carmack occurred at
Nashville Thursday afternoon,
when Governor Patterson. at the
very moment the state supreme
Court was confirming. the sem
tenSe OF Colonel Duncan IL. Coop?
or 90 serve twenty years i'm the
pcnitcntiary. issued a fun pardon
TO Cooper. who Is now n free man.
Robin Cooper, the son, was, as
told in yesterdays Journal. grant
al n rctrial. which. howe or. it is
believed. viii never take place
I'm other words. tina ic. go. will
go free. The preciBi axe pardon
ing OF Cooper by Governor Pat
tersOn il widely condemned.
NASHVILLE. TRNN.-Special.-
Governor Patterson is under close
surveillance by private detectives.
That an attempt on his life is
feared rs the result of the pOliti-
cal agitation following his pardon
OF Colonel Cooper. is shown by the
careful manner in which his every
step il logged.
The bond of Robin Cooper. who
was granted a new trial, was to-
day reduced from $25, 900 10 $tO,-
600.
NASHVILLE, TENN.-Special.-
After night OF wild runnOrS. in
which threats of lynChin@ were
heard from the most imprisoned
partisans, the excitement over the
pardoning OF Colonel Duncan Il.
Cooper, slayer of ex-senator Il.
W. Carmack. appears to have
subsidized, There remains, how
ever, StrOng undercurrent
Or Ill
alarm is likely TO bring on con-
flict and blOOdShcd. Colonel Coop
er was pardOned yesterday after
noon.
Governor Malcolm r. Patterson IA
Issued a statement regarding his mo
tives in pardoning Colonel Cooper af
ter the State Supreme Court had az
frmed his twenty-year sentence an
a retrial for his son, Robi
CooDer.
The Governors statement, whic'
has done much to add TO the trouble
reads:
"The following are my reasons 70
pardoning d. b. Cooper as they az
pear upon the pardon: At the Janu
airy term, 1909, of the criminal coul
for our county of Davidson, ID. l
Cooper and Robin Cooper were cor
Nicted Of murder in the second dc
gree and sentenced to undergo cor
finement of twenty years each in tn
State penitentiary. and the judgmer
of the lower court has just passed
review before the Supreme Court
the STAT resulting in an affirmanC
OF the sentence as TO ID. Il. Coopt
and reversal as to Robin Cooper.
Neither Il Guilty"
Being thoroughly familiar with III
record. having read all the testimon
and testified TO certain facts With
my personal knowledge. il is neithe
desirable nor necessary to delay actio
Tor petitions TO be presented askin
executive clemency.
In my opinion neither Of the d,
PENDANTS is guilty and they have n,
had fair and impartial trial. b,
were convicted contrary to the la
and evidence. The action Of the s,
preme Court in vacating the agre,
sentence of final conviction as to tn
The proof showed that Robi
Cooper killed the deceased. and ths
ID b. Cooper did not fire a shot.
Without reflection upon the cour
IL Is inconceiVabl BILE TO my mind an
rSpugnant 10 every principle OF justiC
that a man should he found guilty ,
who was not in a conspirac
10 iuii ana who ia fact did not kill
RMS statement had done much
spread bitterness among the advocate
of the Coopcrs and of Carmack.
is believed that the implied censuI
on the prosecute IN and courts. in snit
OF the declaration that no slight
meant can but result i'm further dis
sension Of greater heat than any q,
veloped i'm the case save by the aC
tual killing of Carmack.