The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-03-30
Such Is the Deduction Drawn
From GOlden'S Testimony.
HIS STATEMENT CREATES STIR
According to Golden, Caleb Powers
Was One of the Prime Nov
ers In the Plot,

+. Wharton Golden, OF Barbours-
Vile, was put on the witness stand
Saturday at Frankfort, KY, in the
examination of Secretary of State
Caleb Powers, charged with con-
spiracy to murder Senator Goebel,
and gave some sensational testimo-
ny. Golden was rather nervous,
but did not hesitate in his replies to
questions, and his testimony made a
deep impression.
According to Golden, Caleb Powers
was one of the prime movers in the
bringing to Frankfort of the mount
aineers just before the assassination
of Goebel, and that although Secre-
tary Powers simply instructed him to
bring witnesses" who were mountain
feudists, yet Golden understood that
they were to come to Frankfort for q
possible more sinister purpose, that
of Cleaning out" the Democratic ma
jority in the legislature.
Golden also brought in the name of
Governor Taylor in an incidental way,
also the names of Culton, John Pow
ers, Captain Davis, Charles Finley,
Judge Bingham and others, the plan
to bring the mountaineers to Frank
fort having taken on a wider scope
than was expected.
Golden was seized with a slight hem
orrhage during the morning and ad-
| journment was taken earlier than the
usual hour
Golden began his testimony by say
ing that he had known Secretary
Powers for seventeen or eighteen
years, also knew Culton. He was also
acquainted with Governor Taylor and
Captain John Powers. He said he
was good friend to all of the defend
ants. He was in Frankfort in January
and February and saw Secretary Pow
ers and John Powers nearly every
day. He was in Frankfort on January
14th, and went to Harlem county for
two or three days, from there return
ing to Frankfort.
Golden resumed his testimony at the
afternoon session. He said he saw
John Powers and a red black mus
tached man talking concerning the
closing of Secretary Powers's office
during the latter's absence.
81 had my back turned" said Gold
en-, "but when 1 turned I saw John
Powers give the key to the man.
John Powers said to me:
"'Goebel is going to be killed this
morning. I said: This must not be
done.
'DO you know a man named DicI
Coombs?" asked Attorney Campbell.
Il do. He is colored and lives il
Beattyyille. He came down with thu
Lee county contingent"
''Did you have any talk with Calel
or John Powers about Dick Coombs?'
> 'No; but they had two niggers there
| to kill Gobel John Powers told mC
3 so. They were Hooker Smith anC
g Dick Coombs. 1 saw Coombs at tn,
drug store near the depot every morn
ing for week OF so previous to thu
I shooting. Coombs, talking to a mar
/ named Wallace in my presence, said
On him, know him as far as
can see him, and can kill him as fa
t as 1 can see him." He was talking o
D Goebel.
! This conversation was in the ad
: jutant generals Office.
t Golden told a story of the event
leading up to the murder, which,
: substantiated, will in the minds G
e those connected with the prosecution
at least, probably go far toward prov
: ing the contentious of the common
g wealth that the murder was the resul
2 of plan in which several prominen
s men were involved.
o The testimony did not show that th
n alleged plot to kill Goebel was part {
e the original plan, nor did it contai
: the names of those who conceived til
e idea, except so far as Golden's remark
IS about John Powers gave the impret
sion that the latter was one of til
q movers The commonwealth sougl
V to show by Golden's conversation wit
various people that not only John an
). Caleb Powers, but others as well, ha
-e full knowledge of the alleged plan
r. assassination.
Whether the defense will seek
Q, impeach Golden's testimony in tn
y preliminary examination is not knowi
as the attorneys for the defense wi
not talk on the subject, but unle
such attempt is made the common
g wealth viii rest its case, both Coun
D Attorney Polsgrove and Attorn,