The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
PATTERSON, WHO STIRS A STATE
TepneS TaesS But OepOweg Governor Running Again. Has Swept
Things His Way Upset Dignity of Supreme Court

been editor OF a newspaper. Defeat left
| its sting. and GarmRek's polished irony
continued TO appear on the editorial page
of the Nashville Tennesseean as the fall
wore on. One inoffensive looking article
poking fun at Col. Robin cooper's ''zwei-
bund" changed the whole course OF Ten
nessee politics.
On the morning of the tragedy Gov.
Patterson's telephone rang and he found
! that he was talking to Col. Cooper S
daughter, Mrs. Lucius Burch
Daughter Foresaw Tragedy. E
mfr. Patterson" cried Mrs. Burch. in
much agitation according to the gov
! ernor's testimony on the stand later,
father is furious about Mr.. Carmack' 5
editorial I'm SO afraid he and Robin
viii do something rash. Do see what
you can do. I'm so worried"
Patterson put on his hat, took his
secretary with him. and searched all the
familiar corridors for his old-time friend
and supporter Finally he found Col.
Cooper and Robin. his son, at the Max
well House, at noon. Col. Cooper had
been writing a note 10 Senator Carmack.
couched in such belligerent terms that
the governor persuaded the old man not
to send H. IN fact, Col Cooper sur
rendered the draft to Patterson's secre-
tary and promised to come up TO the
capitol that afternoon at O'Clock and
talk the matter over.
On the way TO the capitol Col. Cooper
and his son saw carmack approaching on
the opposite side OF the street II any
moving picture Of the meeting were avail
able, 1t might be possible to settle a great
moral controversy which is destined to go
down In Tennessee's history unsettled.
To be sure, the jury which tried the two
Coopers decided that they were guilty Of
murder and sentenced them to twenty
years IN prison. But there are those half
or more Of the men who grew from the
dragons teeth who say that no murder
was committed
Witnesses said that they had heard Col.
Cooper say just before the shooting be-
gan: We've got the drop on you, Car
mack
The Coopers set up as their defense that
thew had crossed the street TO have an
amicahle talk with Carmack: that Car
mack had been the first to draw a wea-
pom, and that Robin had fired only after
Carmack had wounded him in the shout
der. Col Cooper had not fred at all
At any rate. when the bystanders
thought 1t safe 10 rush up. they found the
long. slender figure Of Carmack lying in
the street, dead. There were several
wounds, but the bullet which the sur
geons said had caused his death had en-
tered the back OF his head.
Each Had IA Revolver.
Three pistols were collected by the po-
lice. One. that of Carmack. had had two
chambers discharged. That of Col. Cooper
was FIJI OF unexploded cartridges and
had clean barrel Robins, a magazine
gun, had several cartridges missing and
threw one exploded cartridge when snap
ped.
One thing was certain on the face OF
things: the shot which killed Carnack
could not have been the first fired
The Tennessean. having had one shoot
ing in the family, observed a certain
amount Of restraint in its comments on
the assassination; but the Memphis
Seimitar came out with an editorial which
was At TO be exhibit A IN a political
museum. Il chSrged Patterson with
being responsible for Carmacks murder.
and practically said that he had ar
ranged with his friends. the Coopers. 10
DO II. because ne could pardon them.
while If he did 81 himself. there would
be nobody 20 exercise clemency in his
behalf.
'Tt would not have been as safe" said
the Scimitar. ''for Patterson TO have
killed Carmack He could have had no
governors assurance OF a pardon.
THE governor has disgraced and will
disgrace Tennessee. He Is commander-In-
chief of the State militia sent to rebuke
anarchy on the part Of ignorant and H.
conditioned men around Reelfoot Lake
referring to the night riders). In point
OF fact, this governor himself is a more
vicious anarchist, because a more selfish
one. than those at Reelfoot Lake"
What Patterson might have done IL left
to his first impulses will never be known,
for his friends and advisers prevailed on
him not TO send any message to the
Seimitar. He issued a statement In which
he said merely;
II pity such diseased mind more than
I could censure It, and therefore. as gov
ernor Of Tennessee. I cannot afford to
notice such abuse. I have read every line
of the editorial. and feel sorry for the
writer"
The COoperx Found Guilty.
Four months later the Coopers were
both found guilty, and the jury fixed
their sentence at twenty years in prison
The country at large pretty much agreed
in this verdict, for It was felt that It
would do a great deal to stop the too
shootings and the ''gun-tot-
ings" OF gentlemen" in certain States. |
Besides. Carmack had been a notable
public man. and there was a feeling IN |
DERIVING all the more specific arguments
that Carmack was too big a man 70 take |
revenge on the Coopers ty shooting at |
them.
Appeal was taken to the Supreme Court |
and the case was held up for year.
In that year other things that had an |
important bearing on Patterson's polit- |
cal future took place. While the Su- |
preme Court is trying to make up its |
mind whether the Coopers murdered Car
mack or whether they shot him In self |
defense. let us see how well Patterson
Sept his pledge to the women wearing /
he white ribbon.
II win be remembered that he had |
'olemnly promised that he would sign /
my prohibition bill which the legislature |
night see Mt to pass. In January. 1909, |
he legislature. by a vote OF nearly two /
o one, passed a Statewide prohibition
MI GoV FatteTSOn promptly vetoed it.
Why he vetoed IL was told in a special
Message, Which is given here fully as
me OF the best Illustrations of his i'm
'ulsive smashing style OF delivery.
Governors UnequivOcaI Note.
Il veto this bill because experience has
aught the lesson, without single ex-
option, that no arbitrary prohibition law
vas ever obeyed, and that its enactment
rings no settlement Of the question. but
ather leaves it Ike burr on the body
olitic to irritate and infame.
i viii not approve a law by whatever
anne ii may be called or whatever mis-
AIKEN notions of morality may have in
uenced it. which viii destroy property
educe the revenue of the State. Increase
axation, take the money Of sur people
nd send II abroad, foment discord in