The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-07-25


| Indicted for forgery n Jackson county.
He answered that BE was indicted for
the technical ofense Of signing another
mans name to petition for the build
ing of a new court house.
Witness was asked about visiting
Col. Campbell aud others of the prose-
cution. He denied that he had been
promised immunity.
In becoming witness in the Powers
case he was following the advice OF his
father-Judge Culton. Mr.. Owens
asked hoa it happened that the witness,
although in jail at Frankfort, is here
merely under guard. Cu!ton said the
commonwealth consented that he might
remain under guard appointed:
A colloquy followed, the defense at
tempting to show intimacy between
Culton and the prosecution and that
discrimination was being made between
Culton and the other defendants.
A number Of questions were asked
by the defense to show that Cultons
evidence is nov at variance with that
given in his application for bail at
Frankfort
During the severe fire of interroga-
tives on cross examination of CultoD,
the defendant, Powers, sat with his
eyes riVeted on the witness.
Culton was asked to again relate the
conversation between him and ex Gov.
Bradley regarding a report that Goebel
was to be killed Culton said Bradley
told him he understood II men had
been picked for that purpose and said:
That must rot be done under any
circumstances.
Culton was asked if powers did not
cone to him after the assassination aud
ask him if he knew anything that
would lead to the discovery Of the as
sassin. Witness could not recall such
a conversation. Culton concluded his
testimony at 2::30, having been in the
witness box total of over seven hours
MORE DAMAGING TESTIMONY.
Miss Aunie Weist, of Louisville,
State Auditor S8eeney's stenographer,
testified that Henry Youtsey came into
her Office the day Of the Van Metre
Berry contest and told her she would
better leave the state house, as trouble
was likely to occur. Youtsey had a
rife in his hand at the time. Shortly
after the shooting Assistant Secretary
of state Matthews stationed two men
with guns at the door of the building
with orders to allow no one to enter or
leave the building,
Robert Noaks, railroad conductor,
was called. Noaks said John and Ca
leb Powers and Cbas. Finley conferred
with him in November after the cleo
ton relative in bringing armed men to
Frankfort at the time Of the meeting of
the State election commission board.
They told him they wanted him to
bring as many men as he could, and
that wheD they reached Frankfort they
should act in such a manner as to give
the governor a chance to call out the
militia. The object was explained
to the witness as an effort to intimidate
the election commissioners.
Noaks told Of being asked by Caleb
Powers to get company Of militia
composed of men who would fight. He
also asked Noakes to get smokelss pow
der cartridges. He secured company
and it was mustered in. Then Powers
directed him to charter two trains and
bring his company to Frankfort. Chas.
Finley objected and warned Noaks not
to do that, and proposed to hire the
trains. Noaks' next statement created
a sensation.
He was asked:
''Did Powers ever say anything to
you about Goebel?"
Yes, he was on my train one day
and said: The contests won't amount
to anything and when Goebel is dead
and in h there is not another man in
the State who can hold his party to-
gether.
Finley sent US a train from Louis
Vile, which carried the men on Jan.
25. At Richmond, Culton got on the
train and told US when We arrived at
Frankfort We should say we were going
to petition the legislature. l told the
boys to carry their guns as naturally as
if hunting, and not in military POSI-
ton. After We got to the State house
John Powers told me to stand closer to
the executive building, as l might get
hurt. He said: Some of our men are
are upstairs and when Goebel and those
other fellows come in they are going to
do the work for them.
Il told him this must not be done.
He told ne to keep cool. l vent back
into the secretary of states Office.
Caleb Powers said: Bob, | understand
you have two men in your company
who would kill a man if you wanted
them to DO it.
I told him 1 did not believe had
such a man, and he mentioned Chad
we'll and Jones. l told him I did not
believe they were men Of that kind.
That afternoon, when the men were
being sent home, Powers again told me
to keep 10 or II of our best men and
to keep ChsdWell and Jones. My mill
tary company was taken with me-.
they wore citizens clothes with their
uniforms under them. We were told by
Powers to do this, so we would be
ready for military service. W. H. Cul-
ton told me I must keep six of my men
uDder arms all the time. | went to As.
sistsnt Adjs. Gen. Dixon and told
him | wanted to turn over my company
as had become satisfied they Weresgo-
ing to seat Goebel as governor and | did
not want to serve under him.
Dixon told me not to be dlscour-
aged, as Goebel would not be governor.
I was tired and asked Powers hoH long
this was going on. He said not much
longer, as Goebsl would be killed, and