The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-21
TRAGEDY AS AN ISSUE.
KENTUCKY KILLING Is PLAYING
A PART IN THE CAMPAIGN.


COntrasted with Recent Utter
nnces on the Stump-Pen Picture
of the Candidate against Whom
the Party Is in HevOlt-A Lawyer
whose Specially Is Damage Suits.
From the Washington Post
Lexington. KY, Aug. 1S-Oven the Ken
lucky campaign hangs the shadow of a
tragedy Four years ago William GoebeI,
the Democratic nominee shot and killed
John Sanford bank president, in Coviug-
ton. To-day the homicide is playing its
part in the heated politics of the state.
it is characteristic of the fight on Goebel
that those who are his friends loudly de
fend his action. while his enemies bitterly
denounce him as a murderer. Undoubtedly
he has the record on his side, for he was
acquitted on the ground of self-defense.
Sanford, enraged al an assault upon him
in a newspaper which Goebel owned, ask
ed him if he assumed responsibility for the
authorship of the article
4 do" said Goebel. Both men were arm
ed. Each had his hand in his pocket wnen
they met and each fred Sanford fell dead
with bullet between mis- eyes. Goebel
was arrested, was released on bail when
the coroners jury refused to consider the
case as a murder. and at night, when one
Of his friends called upon him, he was lying
upon a lounge coolly reading a story in
| magazine.
This tragic incident i'm Goebel's career is
! typical of the man Before giving any de
| tails of his remarkable career, however
there is another chapter Of the killing
hi
| Senator Blackburn were bosom friends
! Standing before an assemblage of mourn
| ers at Sanford's bier on Easter Sunday
| 1895, Senator Blackburn said:
John Sanford was 10 me like brother
I loved him. / hope God may spare me,
| and | shall make it my lifes mission to
| avenge him by buryins his slayer in the
depths Of merited public eXecrauon.'
| Last Monday, addressing an audience
| of Democrats al Wicklm, Senator Black
burn said:
"Goebel stands before the democracy of
the state a worthy leader of the cause
All over the state these two utterances
are being printed side by side, while the
spectacle of Blackburn al the travelling
| companion of the slayer of his friend is
| only one of the many unique features of
the campaign.
Used to Arouse Prejudice.
Fatal alterations in Kentucky are not
so unusual as to be long remembered, and
| even the killing of Sanford would pass
| into oblivion were il not for two reasons.
The first is that Sauford's wife who is
said to have left her husbands grave lean
| ing on Blackburn's arm, is at present an
| inmate of a madhouse in this city. Since
| she has been brought into court to be
adtudged insane, and rs her last appear
| ance was only recently, the friends of
| Goebel do not hesitate 10 charge that her
sad condition is being publicly exhibited
for political effect. They do strange things
| in Kentucky campaigns, but one can hard
| ly credit such ghoulishness of purpose
! There is no doubt however, that oft-re-
peated references TO Mrs. Sanfords pitia-
bic plight do not appear in print without
a purpose,
To excite sympathy for a woman crazed
| by her husbands sudden death is one
way of bringing the Sanford case into the
campaign; to play upon the sentimentality
of the ex-Confederates is another. Sanford
was a great friend of the eX-Confederate
| soldier. He was rich and generous, and
to his old comrades his purse and heart
were ever open. His memory is just now
| being lauded with more than usual vigor
| by those Democrats who are opposed to
| GoebeL l talked to-day with Maj. w. H.
| Thomas, who lived for fifteen years in
| Washington, who is an eX-Confederate
veteran, and whose denunciation of Goe-
bel as "the murderer of the best friend
the ex-Confederates ever had" was ex-
tremely bitter Maj. Thomas said that
to his mind there was one paramount
reason why Goebe should not be elected.
The next Confederate reunion" he said
lis to be held in Louisville. 1t will be the
duty Of the Governor to welcome the vet
Grams TO the state and to grasp their
hands. Who of US wants to take the
hand of Sanford's slayer"
GOebeI Not Disturbed.
With the unquet ghost of Sanford thus
stalking through the state conjured up
to arouse prejudice and passion, Goebel,
nevertheless, pursues his own undsturb-
ed way. This, too, Is characteristic. He
was cool and prompt when he shot San
ford. His nerve never deserts him. A
man would have to be quick on the trig-
ger to get the drop on him. His eyes are
as cold and hard as steel. His smooth
shaved face is a mask. He looks as If he
could hear his own death sentence with
out moving a muscle or letting his eye
lids drop.
GoebeI is not a Kentuckian. He is a
Pennsylvania Dutchman. This is one rea-
son, perhaps, why he is not liked. He
dritted naturally into politics and has serv-
ed for several terms in the state Senate.
An sorts of stories are told of his leGisla-
tive career. many of them not to his cred
it, He has always posed as the foe of cor
porations and the friend of the people. His
enemies lInpuSn MS motives ana say that
his wealth-he is said TO be worth $500, 0G0
has been acquired through ques tionabe
means. His adherents swear that he is
an honest man. One thing, however, is
agreed upon by all. His inordinate ambi-
ton is universally conceded. In the fur,
therance of this ambition he would sweep
all things aside as the house-maid brush
es the crumbs from the table. He is re-
lentless in achieving his object His man
ner of securing the subernatorial nominal
ton at Louisville indicated his character
and methods. That, however, was the eli
max. His course before had made him in
| Vulnerable enemies; but when he rode
roughshod over an entire convention he
famed the smoking fax Of resentment into
a flame.
LiI<ened to German and Hill.
In Kentucky | find that Goebel is liken-
ed TO German and TO David b. Hin. He