The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-05

individual kept tally ON the balloting IN
| a manner similar to the way he keeps his
bets In the boolxmaker's box. As q result,
Mr.. .Goebei could tell at a glance ar any
time just how he stood and just how his
opponents stood. It was this valuable in
formation which caused him to be at all
times master Of the situation, and to re-
fuse to listen to his friends when they
wanted him to withdraw. He knew all the
details of the convention, and knew ths
standing Of every delegate. He sat On the
stage behind the secretary, with his coat
Of and his legs crossed. He appeared as
cool as a piece of ice. He never allowed
himself to be disturbed by the exciting
scenes with which the convention abound
ed. and at no time did he feel that he
would lose the nomination. Toward the
end Of the convention the gigantic Ollie
James, Stone man, rushed up to Mr..
| Goebel, and. with his whole frame shak-
ing with excitement, and In a voice Of
/ thunder, exclaimed: you must withdraw
or we viii nominate Hardinr' James was
the recognized leader of the Stone forces,
and he expected this wild declaration
would move the Kenton county man. But
Mr. Goebel never budged. He simply said,
in that quiet tone 50 well known to him:
'AH right, IL you can stand it 1 CAM
That was all; he never argued the cues
ton, he did not ask why. 1t was such a
surprising answer that James was COM
pletely nonpulsed, and he retired from the
stage without another word. 1t was the
! same way when some of Mr.. GoebePs
friends came to him later and begged him
to withdraw. saying he could never be
nominated. He listened to them calmly,
and then said in that matter-of-fact way
OF his: 'Pm in the fight to stay and
win"
In communicating with the chairman of
the different delegations Mr.. Goebel adopt
ed new method never used in a Kentucy
| convention before. Instead Of having rum
ners, as is the custom, he had a human
chain, composed OF trusty followers. One
end was near Mr.. Goebel and the other
reached out into the auditorium. A system
OF signs was also perfected, and when Mr..
Goebel wanted to communicate with a GER
tain chairman he told the man next to MIN
what to say, and the message was repeat
nearest
the chairman in question got II, and he
either used signs or went to the chairman
in person and delivered the message. In
this way he threw his opponents complete
ly on the track. They suspected that
every move made by his delegates was
done at his suggestion, but they could not
tell for their lives how he got the word to
the different delegations. His followers
had such implicit confidence In him that
his every order was obeyed at once. No.
body asked why certain thirg should be
done. 1t was enough to know that Mr..
Goebel wanted it done, and the act was
accomplished.
Mr.. Goebel Is unmarried. Unlike the
average Kentucky politician, he neither
uses tobacco nor liquor. He is absolutely
clean In his private life. Out of his earn
ings as a lawyer he has educated one
brother and has assisted the other one to
engage in lucrative business. His moth
er, who has been dead for a number of
years, was a devoted church member,
and. although he is an agnostic, he keeps
her membership In her church alive, and
pays her dues as regularly as the quarters
roll round. During his recent campaign
one Of his opponents tried to make capital
out Of the fact that ne came OF humble
parentage, and that he was born in Penn
sylvania. Mr.. Goebel answered these
speeches ever deliyere in Kentucky. He
actually flayed his opponent-P. Wat Har-
din-alive, and vet it was done in language
which would have been permitted in the
United States senate chamber. This
speech attracted the attention OF every
newspaper reader in the state, and papers
which were opposed, and are still opposed,
to him printed complimentary notices Of
the address, and the address in full.
Mr.. Louis ties Cognets OF this city, who
was one of his ablest workers in this sec
ticn. said to the Republic representative
today regarding the wonderful control Mr..
Goebel had over himself:
''Mr. Goebel does not expend any useless
nervous energy. He says all he has to say
in few words. He never speaks a word
that Is not necessary. He listens when he
has nothing to say. Even to his most in
innate friends, Il he has friends who could
ears and his brain seem better developed
than his power of speech. At the same
time, he can say more in a few words
than any man ever knew. He has a way
of saying things which admit of no ans
Encouragement / was sitting by his side
when Ollie James rushed up and demanded
his withdrawal or he would throw the
forces of Stone to Hardin and nominate
the latter. This statement, which to or
binary men would have meant everything,
had no more effect on Mr.. Goebel than II
James had said 1t was a warm day.
''Mr. Goebel never moved muscle when
he replied. all right, IL you can stand 1t I
cam and never saw a man so completely
put out as was James. At no time was
Mr.. Goebel in any alarm. When he want
ed rest he would go to his room in the
Gait House and sleep for two hours, when
he would be called. and he would be as
fresh as a daisy. His appetite was always
good. and although I have lost twenty
pounds in this campaign. Mr.. Goebel has
actually gained flesh. He Is the coolest
customer / ever saw. and IL he gambled.
which he does not. I should say he would
make the best poker-player in the world.
He has the most wonderful control over
himself of any man / ever knew, and he
is far and away the greatest politician to
show in this state since have been old
enough to know anything about the sub
ject.'
Honorable woodford G. Dunlap. a lead
ing republican. who was a member Of the
his great fight for the election Of 10 c. s