The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-10-18
TRUE ACCOUNT
OF The KILLING OF SANFORD
BY GOEBEL.
Malicious MISREPRESENTATION SET at Rest by
Statement Of Coroner Tarvin.

Senator Goebel.
In other counties the same tactics
have been employed. Particularly has
this been true in Henderson county
At the request of friends and in order
to get true statement of the difficulty
between Sanford and Goebel, of which
so much has been written and said. Mr.
B. S. Morris, of Henderson, wrote w.
w. Tarvin. then and now the coroner
of Kenton county. asked him for tn,
facts. Mr.. Morris received from Coro
ner Tarvin the following reply;
''Oflice BIZ Madison Avenue-Tele.
phone No. 405O-Residenc ia f. Fiji
teenth street-Coroner of Kenton coun
ty, KY, w. w. Tarvin, NJ. ID.
"Covington, KY, Sept. 25. 1s99.-B.
s. Morris, Esq.-Friend Morris: Yours
of the 22d received and I'll try to give
you the information you desire, as you
are correct in suppOsihg that l was
coroner at the time of the Sanford
killing, and that held the inquest in
that case.
81 am unable to state the cause of
the beginning of the enmity between
Goebel and Sanford, as opinions differ
widely. Some say it was because Of a
proxy at a convention; some that it
was on account of the law Goebel had
passed reducing the tolls on turnpike
in which Sanford was n stakeholder;
and some that it was because GoebeI
was instrumental in having the city
funds removed from Sanford's bank
and deposited in another bank.
AT any rate, after the feeling first
started, it grew steadily, and the fact
that some of Sanford's closest friends
were identified with the faction which
always opposed Goebel, did not help
matters any, and Sanford said he would
rather kill Goebel OF be killed.
"But to come down to the actual
cause of the killing. The daily Com
mOnwealth had for several months
been publishing articles roasting Goe-
bel at every opportunity, and GOebel
was informed that John Sanford was
the author of those articles. In fact,
if 1 remember rightly, Gocbel was
shown the original copies, and they
were in Sanford's handwriting. AT
last, probably exasperated beyond EN-
durance, Goebel wrote and caused 10
be published, in a little weekly sheet
issued every Saturday, an article in
which he referred to Sanford in severe
terms, and that was the immediate
cause of the meeting.
"On the day of the encounter, about
o'clock, Goebel and w. J. Hendricks
at that time attorney general, were
coming to town together and on Fifth
street met Frank Helm, president o.
the First National bank, and as Hen
bricks wished to get a check cashed
they all three continued out Fifth anc
Ip Madison avenue toward the bank
As they came In the vicinity of the
bank they saw John Sanford standing
at the foot of the steps leading into III,
bank, with one foot on the lower step
and leaning upon the railing at on'
side. Sanford was leaning upon tn,
railing with his left arm, with hi
right hand in his front pants pocket
The three (GOedel, Hendricks anC
Heinz came up to the foot of the step
and halted. Helm spoke TO Sanford
who responded, and after reminde
from Helm, Sanford spoke to Hen
bricks, held out his left hand. with hi
right still in his pocket, and SHOOT
hands with him. Then, turning tOwar'
GOebel, who was standing three or fou
feet from him, with his overcoat owe
his left arm and his right hand i'm hi
front panis-pocket, Sandford said: $
understand that you assume the re
sponsibiliiy of that newspaper article,
"Goebel answered promptly, i do
whereupon Sanford withdrew his RICH
hand from his pocket, holding a revol
yer, thrushed it forward quickly towar
Goebel's abdomen and fred. the bal
cutting through GoebePs coat an
lower edge OF his vest. Goebel mad
one step backward, dropped his over
coat and withdrawing his hand fright
from his pocket, also holdinga revo
yer, threw his hand up and fired, al
swering the first shot SO quickly tina
it almost sounded as an echo, and tn
ball struck Sanford in the forehead
making fatal wound. Besides He'll
and Hendricks, there was number {
people upon the street who witnesse
the shooting, some Of them stranger
to both men, and the evidence clearl
proved that Sanford drew his revolv,
and fred the FIRST shot.
my jury was composed of six geo
citizens, one an ex-sheriff (actinq), or
; the principal of district public schoo
: and enc WHO has since served ter
as president Of the board of alderme
and is now county assessor. and n
other three we're honest, reliable worl
ingmen; and that jury brought in
verdict that the shot was fred by Go
bel in self-defense.
Z 'The county judge, a Republica
: held a preliminary examination al
: discharged Goebel. as The eviden
showed that Sanford had threatened
/. kill Goebel and had drawn and fir,
{. first. Two attempts were made to j
y dict Goehel, but the grand iuries !
!, fused to return true bills each Tin
!, Hoping this is clear explanation
= very unfortunate matter, T. will clio
= with best regards. Yours truly,
4. wv. w. TARvIN, C. X. c.. KY
1T did mo more good than anythi
= ever nead Nv dvauancia Was