The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-12

sentative OF the Commercial he has
granted a pardon to each Of the peF-
SONS for whom warrants have been Is
sued. charging them with being acces-
sories to the assassination Of Governor
Goebel, including Secretary Of State
Caleb Powers and e1-secretary Of State
Charles Finley. In his statement, Gov
ernor Taylor recites the conditions un-
der which he claims to have been
elected and charges the Democratic
contestants for state osRres with con-
spirncy 70 secure control Of the goy-
ernment. He continues;
Notwithstanding these conspIratorB
were defeated at the polls as to the
state omees. they succeeded in secur-
ing a majority in each of the two
houses of the general assembly ana in
retaining in power the state canvass
ing and counting machine.
while many Democratic members
were honestly elected, yet others were
elected by the manipulation Of dishon-
est precinct officers and county cam
vassIng boards before and during the
election. by a system Of counting in
and counting out, until the majority
aforesaid was obtained. AS thus constl-
tuted, the general assembly and can
vassihg board have declared that the
win Of the people. as expressed az the
polls, shall be set aside. It Is needless
to say that such conspiracies as this
almost Inevitably produce revolution.
because free people win not willingly
be deprived Of their right OF suffrage or
consent that the minority instead Of
the majority shall rule.
Pending this unfortunate struggle,
the Hon. William Goebel, the contest
ant for the office Of governor, wns as
sasslnated by some person whose iden-
tity is unknown. Thereupon a conspI-
racy was formed to fasten this heinous
crime upon all or some Of the state ON
GERS elected by the people, the purpose
being to obscure and cover the political
robbery and to terroriSe and destroy all
opposition. In order to carry out this
foul conspiracy they procured an act
appropriating 100000, ostensibly for the
purpose OF detecting the criminals, and
have employed a lawyer whose course
in the criminal practice in Cincinnati
was so odious as to cause riot result
ing in the destruction OF the courthouse
and the loss Of over forty lives.
Following this, an employe Of the
Cincinnati Enquirer has made afidavlts
charging that Hon. Caleb Powers, sec
retary OF state, his brother, John Pow
ers, a captain Of a company Of state
militia; w. N. Culton, clerk IN the
auditors ofIice; Hon. Charles Finley,
ex.secretary of state, and Captain John
w. Davis, policeman OF the state house
grounds, conSpired. aided and assisted
in said assassination. Warrants were
issued and said W. II. Culton was, dur
ing The night OF March 8, taken from
his home, where his wife and children
were sick, and incarcerated IN the coun-
ty jail without ball or given an oppor-
tunlty to secure ball. On the day OF said
assassination HarlRnd Whitaker, whose
residence Is in Butler county, Ky, ,was
arrested and charged with said crime
and assassination, and was placed In
jail and kept confined without trim for
over one month, In defiance Of the pro
visions Of law requiring a speedy exam
lining trial, and that person charged
with crime shall be brought out every
two days. Upon the trial he was held
over without bail, Notwithstanding
there was absolutely no evidence intro
duced showing his guilt. For some
cause, or without cause. our courts.
composed almost entirely Of Democratic
Judges, have become 50 partisan that
It Is practically, II not absolutely, i'm
possible for any man not OF their per-
suaslon to obtain fair trial, AS organ
iZed the courts are courts Of conviction
instead Of courts OF trial.
Under this state OF affairs, believing
that each one OF said persons is lnno-
cent of any completely in said crime,
and further believing that the enormous
reward will secure the conviction Of
these men, however innocent, deemed
It my solemn duty to issue par1ons 10
them In order that these political con-
spIrRtOrs might not be enabled to de-
prive them OF their liberty or their life.
The guilty men should be punished, btIt
designing men controlling the courts
should not be enabled TO shed the blood
Of innocent men, and II 1t IS in my power
to prevent It ] pledge myself. in the
name of God and humanity, that 1t shall
not be done"