The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-01-31

wouTG-be assassin, wnlIe not another
i window In the building was opened
nor were there any place where bullets
had been fired through them.
Whitaker was arrested as he came
down the steps on the outside of the
state Office building, directly below the
window from Vhich the shots had
been fired. He submitted quietly to
a search, the proceeds being three
reyolvers and one big knife. A quick
examination of the revolvers showed
that none Of them had been recently
used. In addition to this, all those
who heard the shots join in the state
ment that they were from a rifle and
from a smaller weapon. Whitaker
was quickly led away and put in jail.
AS soon as it was known that the
bullet which struck down Mr.. Goebel
had come from the building to the
east group Of men gathered in front
of the door on the east side. Others
ran around to the door on the west
side to prevent the escape of anybody
from there. Several men attempted
| to enter the doors from the outside,
but were prevented by groups of noun
taineers, who stood in the doorwayu.
Some of the men held Winchesters in
their hands, and presented an aspect SO
generally uninviting that no attempt
was made to search the building, and
nobody gained entrance to 1t for sew
eral minutes after the shooting had
been done and the assassin had ample
opportunity to escape.
That the shooting of Mr.. Goebel was
the result Of carefully laid plan is
without question. The man who did
the work had evidently taken his
stand at the window, which had pre-
viously been raised in order to allow
the free passage Of the bullet, and
waited until his victim was in full sight
before firing. He also took the precau-
tion TO conceal his location by using
smokeless powder cartridges.
Ever since the influx of mountaineers
last week a large number of them have
been sleeping in the upper part of the
state house. 1t is not known, however,
that any of these men did the work or
that they had any knowledge of the
premeditated crime. There has not SO
far been discovered the slightest evi.
dence pointing to any man, and it ia
not likely now that any will ever be
found.
The Republican state officials and
members of the legislature, without ex-
ception, denounced the shooting in
the most unmeasured terms. Governor
Taylor Immediately caused small ad-
dress to be published in which he de-
clared the affair to be disgrace and
an outrage, and calling for the most
sober condemnation. He sent orders
at once to Adjutant General Collier,
him to take steps for the
preservation of order. General COL
lier is a Republican, and is opposed
to MIR. Goebel. He declared the shoot
ing to be a most cowardly affair and |
one that upon every consideration was
to be regretted. He lost no time in
making speeches, however, and before
Goebel had been lifted from the ground |
to be carried to the hotel General Col
lier had telephoned to the armory, a
half mile distant, directing the local
infantry company to proceed at once
to the capitol grounds, take possession
of them and its approaches, allowing
Aopouy " tittl tHt EGlt5. WtHly |
minutes after the shooting Captain
Walcott and his men marched across
The front of the capitol building and
halted at the foot Of the steps. Or
1ers were issued to outside companies
throughout the state to make ready at
1Dce to come to Frankfort, the entire
state guard being called into service.
Gocbci Declared Governor.
While William Goebel lay at the
,ont of death In his room, as the re-
'ult Of an assassin's bullet, the con-
cstlng boards which for two weeks
lad been listening to the evidence in
lis contest for the governors chair de-
Jared him entitled to the seat by a
trict party vote Of 10 to /. The Beck
lam Marshall contest for lieutenant
governor was then voted upon. and q
trict party vote of to settled the
natter in favor Of the Democratic con-
estant, Beckham.
Only few members of the legisls-
ure attended the night session, at
'hich the verdict was reached. An
fort was made by number of DEM
crats to get together quorum of
9th houses, hoid night session, hear
he reports of the two committees at J
nee and adopt them and declare Goe-
ell the governor Of Kentucky before ,
forming. They were anxious to give I
i'm the honor before he died So many ,
glslators had gone to Louisville and
exington for the night that 1t was !
ound impossible to carry out the
'ogram. The Republicans, as soon as {
lie decision is rendered in favor of |
oebel, will make application for an I
junction restraining Goebel and Beck |
I'm from taking their seats. A