The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-21
SATURDAY. APRIL p. 1900.
The Indictment of Taylor.

The grand jury of Franklin County,
Kentucky, is reported as having indicted
William S. Taylor for a short time de
facto Governor of the State, as an Access
sorry before the fact to the assassination
of William Goebel de jure Governor, af-
terward recognized as such by the consti-
tutional authority while on his dying bed.
The fact of he indictment has been so
long and so widely discounted that it will
create no surprise in this country, though
1t is probable that it will produce some
small sensation abroad.
We are sorry. because of the opening it
will give enemies Of our nation and of
its institutions to sneer at and revile both,
that it has been deemed necessary by
the Kentucky authorities to take this
step in order to vindicate outraged JUS
tice. But no man, no matter what his
position or the intimacy of his relations
with the rulers and managers of the
Union, must be held immune from the op-
GRAFTON of law, and the action of the
grand inquest at Frankfort is certain to
be endorsed by all honest Americans, if
the circumstances are as they are re-
pm leu III ouE dispatches from the Dlue-
grass capital yesterday.
Although, as was natural enough, the
Republican members of the grand Jury
opposed and voted against the Indictment.
1t is stated that they admitted the evil
dence involving Taylor to be as strong
as that upon which they had approved of
the indictment of his companions This
if true, and we see no reason to doubt
it, will have the effect of preventing par
tisan argument that Taylor is being vic
timized for political effect.
His indictment is another step toward
the final scene of one of the darkest dra-
mas in the history of crime in America.
Whether Taylor was party to the muir
der of Governor Goebel or the general
assassination conspiracy or not, there is
no longer any question that certain Repub-
licans in Frankfort did plot to dispose
of the Democratic majority in the Legis-
lature By shooting down members in their
seats, and did conspire to assassinate the
legal Governor of the State on his way to
the State House. The latter crime was |
committed as planned. Some of the con-
spirators have turned states evidence, |
and their testimony duplicates Taylor. The |
whole miserable story is blstering COM |
mentary upon what a political faction |
which has lost its respect for constitution, |
law, and decency, will do to maintain itself |
in power. Kentucky Republicanism has
been demoralized by examples of the bru-
tai means used to carry elections in Ohio
and other pla -es of late years, and has
placed the popular construction upon such
phrases as good politics. and sound
business methods"
Taylor appears to have left Washington,
but it is not thought likely that he has
started for Kentucky in existing circum-
stances. Perhaps he may be headed fer
Indiana, or possibly he may have assur-
ances OF protection which would make
retirement in this locality equally as com
Portable as flight TO the arms of Governor
Mount. The fact remains that the man
who claims to be Chief Magistrate of a
great American State, is under Indictment
for completely in the murder of the man
who really held that high station a few
weeks ago. What will the world think and
en- of Eto