The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-31
POWERS ON THE STAND
Accused Secretary of State Tes-
titles i'm His Own Behalf.

Georgetown, KY, July 31s-In the trial
of Caleb Powers on the charge OF com
picity in the Goebel ASSASSINATION,
Powers resumed the witness stand IN
his own behalf today and took up the
testimony where he had left off yester-
day afternoon. The witness said that
on the morning of the assassination ne
was preparing to go to Louisville TO
make arrangements for bringing more
people to Frankfort. He locked his
office door as described by witness
Golden. He had no recollection OF any
thing being said concerning suspicious
actions which Golden had referred to
and was certain nothing of this sort was
said. AT Lagrange the party heard
that Goebel had been assassinated and
that the shot had been fired from the
second or third story of the executive
building.
The witness continued:
Il said it was a shame and an outrage
and that it would blight the chances OF
all of US whose offices were in contest.
1 expressed similar sentiments to other
people that day. We went on to Louis
Vile, but as the assassination OF MI
Goebel had upset our political plans, we,
of course. abandoned our idea Of bring
ing more men to Frankfort"
Witness said that the statement OF
Golden that he spoke derisively when
told of the shooting was absolutely
false.
81 thought it my duty" he continued,
"to return to Frankfort as soon as pos
sible and did so that afternoon. I went
to the executive building and with my
key-the only one l ever had to the
Offce-unlocked the door, ] found the
lock had been battered and had difficulty
in Withdrawing the key. 1 did not take
the lock off and supplant it with a new
one as has been stated in the defense.
]. b. Matthews put on the new lock-"
The witness said he never heard any
sort of violence talked of in any of the
many conferences in which he partici-
pated except in one held in the commits
sioner of agriculture Office in which
Sheriff Burton of Breckenridge county
talked in an incendiary manner and was
reproved by witness. The day after the
assassination witness said he began an
investigation to learn where the shot
was fired from The newspapers We're
intimating that the shooting was done
from his office. He employed ]. B.
Matthews and Detective Griffin of Somer-
set to assist in the investigation.
81 made no statement to Golden that
I was satisfied shots came from my
office and did not tell him was think
ing of going to the commemorative at
torney to tell him all knew. did have
a talk with Governor Bradley about go
ing to see Franklin, but he advised
against it and I did not co.
Powers then detailed the events i'm
mediately preceding the arrest of him
self and Captain Davis. He said his at
torney, Judge Yost, advised him to
make his way to the mountains and re-
main there till public excitement died
out before giving himself up for trial.
1.-The legislature had appropriated
$780, 900 for the prosecution of persons
charged with the crime, and 1 did not
believe it was possible for men to get
a fair trial in Franklin county. More
over did not believe the civil authorf-
ties there would protect me, I did not
know that I could get change of venue
and these were the reasons which sug-
gested flight from Frankfort"
OF the 81. 300 in money in his pockets
at the time of his arrest, $500 of it was
his own personal money and $500 of it
belonged to the Republican campaign
fund. The witness denied that he ever
had any one of half dozen more CONVEX
sations with Wharton Golden about
which the latter had told on the stand
last week and denied that he had ever
talked with anybody else about the kill
ing of Goebel or any other member of
the legislature.
In regard to the testimony of Robert
Noakes, witness said he never had a con-
versation with Noakes. in regard to the
smokeless powder cartridges and never
saw NOakeS at Frankfort January 25,
when Nolxes alleged that the witness
made so many damaging statements to
him. The witness was kept busy deny
ing statements made by the witnesses
Noakes, Golden, Culton and Anderson.