The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-08-05
Witnesses for the Defense Contradict tue
Prosecutions Witness.
ApJurANr GENERAL COLLIER TESTIFIED
He Testified that Under Taylor's Or
ders He Prevented the General
Assembly from Meeting.

had been brought back from Indiana by
the defense. 1t was his opinion that the
shot which resulted in the death of Gov
ernor Goebe was fred. as were those
which followed 1t, outside the executive
building He said he was the person clos
est to the private office of Powers. aud
said the shot did not come from Powers
room. He located the spot where Goebel
fell about fifteen feet away from the SPOT
fixed by The prosecution. and stated that
the militia did not appear on the scene
for thirty minutes. he also said Powers
was not in his office during the afternoon
OF January 90, The day on which the
mountain petitioners arrived at the State
capital, ana at which time witness Noakes
OF the prosecution charged him with max
ing several statements of a threatening
nature and OF comforting with Youtsey,
Culton and others of the alleged conspira-
tors
Ben Rowe. colored porter OF the execu-
tive Office. also brought back from lndi-
ana by the defense. corroborated tho
statements OF Miller about the movements
OF persons IN the public office of the sec
re.afy of state at the time OF the shooting.
Miller quoted Taylor as saying as he
ran from his private office into the room
on hearing the shots: What is the mat
ter?" and on being told That nan was
shot. said. This is horrible"
On cross examining General Collier the
prosecution was allowed much latitude.
The court, however, first admonishing the
jury that statements concerning incidents
which occurred after the shooting would
De considered only to show the interest
OF the witness VINO was placed on tho
stand by the defense. The prosecution
orough. out that General Collier. by order
VI Taylor, kept civil officers from enter
ing the capitol grounds for several days
after the firing OF the fatal shot. He also
testified that ny Taylor's orders he pre-
vented the general assembly from meet
ing at any pcint in the ely OF Frankfort
Tor several days after the Taylor proclu-
nation adjnurning 1t to London.
Adtutant Generu Collier. whose direct
examination was concluded at the a1-
IournmeDt of coart yesterday evening.
was placed on the stand his morning TOR
cross examination. Witness told OF keep
ing soldiers at the State arsenal at Frank
fort prior to the shooting, hut could not
remember whether ne had brought any
arms into The State capitol grounds. He
admitted having refused TO allow civil
officers TO so into the executive building
70 execute the writ of haosas corpus, say
Ing that he had orders from Taylor 10
DO SO.
Over the objection OF the defense. Juage
Cantrit allowed he prosecution to SHOW
by the witness that on two occasions prior
10 January 80, that is on the day of the
Colson-Scott duel and of the arrival or
lOO0 armed men from the mountains to
petition me Legislature, the feeling at
Frankfort was intense, hut that no SOL
dlers were then called to preserve peace.
Witness said that he never before the
shooting of Governor Goebel heard anyone
say that the best way TO Sc tie the con-
test was TO kill him. Witness told OF
preventing by military force the assem-
ping OF the legislature in the city OF
Frankfort on the day following he Shoot
ing. After an objection by the defepss had
Deen oYerruled, witness stated that he
went to the Capital hotel and warned the
proprietor that he would close his no eli IL
ne permitted the assembly to meet there
Witness Collier left the stand after two
hours and Rev. Cody of Georgetown was
next called.
He testified 10 meeting Wharton Golden
about March Fl at the home of Witness
John Stamper and of Golden saving that
ne had made confession once for his
own protection. On cross examination the
prosecution brought the fact that the
witness had displayed much interest 10
ing in conjunction with the attorneys.
Reuben N. Miller OF Breckenridge coun
ty, but later of Indianapolis, Ind. was
next placed on the stand He was in the
general reception room of the office Of
the secretary Of state. next to the private
Office of the defendant when Goebel was
shot. He heard i've shots The first s,ot
seemed to come from the outside OF the
executive building. Taylor came from Ills
n Fha
what was happening outside.
Al this juneture the court adjourned
until the afternoon.
The examination of Miller was resumed
at J O'CLOCK. He said the occupants Of
the executive building received warning
few moments after the shooting of Coz
bel that the persons outside were threat
enlhg to mob them To protect them
serves they broke open the door of Pow
ers' private Office and secured guns kept
there He estimated the crowd outside
the building at 800, He said the soldiers
ala not appear oh the scene for thirty
minutes. He occupied a room with Pow
eis IN boarding house and said that
the defendant was not at his office in
the executive building during the after
noon OF January 70. when witness Noakes
claims TO have seen him and talked ia
him in that office.
At another point in his testimony the
engineers plat of the capitol grounds was
brought into the room and the witness
loaated the spot where he said Goebe
tell as hfteen feet nearer the front en-
trance than the spot marked by the prose-
cution witness.
On cross-examination Collier said that
IN conversation prior 10 the shooting
with sherin Burton OF Breckinriige coun-
", Burton said that he thought TAYLOR
ana defendant Powers were towards; that
ne displayed some cartridges TO Powers
ana suggested one OF them as the best
way to settle the contest Powers would
not listen to him Witness could not
state positively whether any one entered
the private Office OF Powers on the morn
ing OF the shooting. He saw Henry Yout-
sey In the general reception room of the
once Two minutes after the shots but
could not remember anything that yout-
sey said or did.
me prosecution at another noint
Drought out that Miller went to Indiana
on March and the court ruled out az
incompetent question asked 10 whether
OF not ne had discussed the assassination
since that time. either with Tavlor or
FINLEY. Before the objection Was heard
"iIness said that he had not.
u w X Foster OF London. Ky. was
ns~. called TO the stand Foster was oYe
W me men who witness Golden OF che
prosecution told OF meeting In Winchester
several days after he had made III go