The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-28
THB CALEB POWERS TRIAL
Taylor Said TO Have Advised TAX.
ing Gosbers Life.
Wharton Golden Gives Sensational
Testimony in the Kentucky Court
RoOm-Confirmed by Another Wit
nes~-Plots of the Conspirators-
Promise to Call Ont the Troops.

! GEORGETOWN, Ky. July 27.-Twice in
the Powers trial today sensations were
created by the testimony Of witnesses on
/ the stand. The first of these was the
statement by Wharton Golden that Tay-
! loT had said to him: 1t is a terrible thing
| to take human life, but it looks like Goe-
bel and that gang must be killed before
this thing can be ended
This startling statement was confirmed
| by T. W. Hampton, Republican member
of the Legislature from Knox County, who
| declared under oath that he had heard
Taylor use language of similar import.
Hampton stated that he had talked sew
eral times with Taylor, and that the latter
once said:
Some life must be sacrificed, but can
not go over there (meaning the legislative
hall as my life would be in danger"
Witness said Caleb Powers told him that
If Goebel was seated he (Powers) would
be killed. GoebeI would pardon the as
sassin. Another time Powers said to him:
Taylor wants me to violate the law, but
won't do it."
After the opening Of court this morning
several witnesses were called, and among
them was George F. Weaver, the stroll
ing barber" He testified that he was in
Frankfort January 30, walking through
the statehouse yard when a shot was
fired. He said he turned at once and saw
part of a man in the Secretary of States
Office with a gun in his hand in the act
OF pulling ii In. He heard bullet strike
a tree neaE him. On cross ss-examinatioa he
got SO nixed that it weakened his testi
mony.
whaftopr Golden was the principal wit
ness OF the day. He said Powers sent
him to Scott Green. whose son married
Powers q sister. TO tell him to get up men
to go to Frankfort. Green said: IF l
go down there l will kill Goebel and end
this damned business. II l don't go
will send a man who will kill him.
The witness then continued: 'On the
morning OF January 20. I saw John Powers
ard told him Caleb and l were going to
Louisville. AS we walked through the
hall OF the executive building Henry Yout-
sey stopped John Powers and asked him
about a key to Calebs office, and John
got him a key. John then came back to
me and said: 'Goebel is to be killed to-
day by two negroes. Tallow Dick Combs
and Hooker Smith
81 expressed surprise, and he said.
Keep cool. gave him the wrong key
L went over to General Golfers office TO
tell him what John had told me and found
Combs and others over there talking.
Combs said he could kill Goebel as far as
he could see him, as he knew his, every
movement I did not see Collier.
Next morning. January 80. John, Caleb,
and l went to Louisville. Treasurer Day
was also on the train. At some station l
heard Goebel had been shot. and I told
Caleb and Day. who were sitting together.
Day kept on reading the paper said moth
ing. and did not even look up. Caleb
Powers, in a sarcastic way, said, That's
damn outrage and a shame on the peo-
pie John Powers laughed about it.
"Afterward Caleb Powers said we had
made mistake in coming to Louisville,
as it looked suspicious. leaving Frankfort
the day Goebel was killed. On the train
going to Frankfort that afternoon Caleb
told ne to put all our pistols in my valise
as he might be arrested for the murder
when he got off the train and he must not
be caught with a pistol. Caleb told me
his scheme early in January was to haze
some men board at the hotel with Goebel
and let them XIII him in the dining room.
l objected to this plan, and told him Eli
Farmer wanted 10 kill Goebel. and Ii would
be better to bring Farmer down and let
him kill GoebeI in a fight Oh the street.
When WocisOn. the civil engineer, was
surveying from the bullet hole in the
tree TO Powers Office in February. l was
in Powers office and asked him about its
purpose and he said there was no doubt
about them proving the shot was fired from
his Office and ssid he believed he would
send for the Commemorative Attorney
and tell what he knew about it. l told
him to see Judge Yost first. Taylor asked
me early In January II we had any man
in the Legislature who would start a fight
in that body. / told him l thought Hale.
OF LouIsyille, would do it. and we had
men to back him up IL he did. Taylor said,
1T is a horrible thing to kill men, but Il
looks lie Goebel and that gang must be
killed before this thing is over.
THE day before or on the morning OF the
shooting E. J. Howard said to Governor
Taylor in his office: Why don't you call
ont the troops and Taylor replied:
MY God. you fellows must act first;
then / viii be ready with the troops"
The oss-examination had just begun
and few questions asked about where the
witness had been living since last March.
when court adjourned until tomorrow.