New-York tribune., 1900-07-19
CULTON HEARD IN GOEBEL CASE.
HIS EVIDENCE ADMITTED IN TRIAL OF
POWERS REPEATS FORMER STATE
MENT OF PLOT

Georgetown. KY. July 18-In the trial to-day of
Caleb Powers, charged with completely in the
Goebel shooting. John A. Black. of Barboursvile.
banker and a Republican of prominence, the
first witness. He said Powers to him in
January to advise with him to the proprety
of the mountain organization which he said he
getting up
Il asked Powers said the witness. what sort
of a crowd he getting up, and he said he
organizing armed mob to go to Frankfort. 1
discouraged this and told him it would injure the
Republican party, would be stigma on our end
Of the State and ought to be abandoned. Powers
however, insisted that the mob should be formed.
His idea that 1t would intimdate the Legs-
lature.
Il Powers later and again demonstrated
against the formation of the mob, which was going
to Frankfort. Powers told me it being formed
with the approval Of Governor Taylor, Charles
Finley and other Republican leaders at Frankfort.
Charles Finley also came to and endeavored
to get me TO cooperate with them. I protested
bitterly. Powers became very angry with me on
account Of the position took I tried TO dssuade
them to send good citizens, people of influence If
any"
A check from Charles Finley to the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad 81 900 for transportation
Of the men to Frankfort produced by Black
in response to a question from the prosecution
w. H. Culton, who Is under indictment as an
accessory to the killing of Goebe was called next
Counsel for the defence raised a point against the
competency of Culton a witness he being under
indictment along with Powers and others as a CO.
consprator and not having been tried The Jury
was excluded during the argument Of the point
Judge Cantriu ruled that while at common law
Culton could not testify that rule was abrogated
under the law OF this State. and that CuIton was
a competent witness, the right to testify being a
personal privilege. The Court instructed Cuton
that he might might not testify as he desired,
and If he did so he was not required to tell any
thing that would tend to criminate himself. CultOn
replied that he testifying of his own free will
Cuton said he knew all the persons indicted as
accessories to the Tinehe murder. He attended a
conference at Frankfort in January. at which
Powers and others were present and the matter
of bringing the mountain to the State capital
was being discussed. Hamp Howard, Frank Cecil
and other mountain there, and were
asked by Powers how many they could bring from
Harlan Belle and other counties. They promised
to bring from fifty to two hundred men from each
of the counties represented in the meeting Those
in the meeting to take charge OF the men
in their respective counties and bring them to
Frankfort armed.
Powers said. according to the witness that when
the men arrived at Frankfort they would give the
Democratic legislators thirty minutes in which to
settle the contest, and if they did not settle 1t
in that time they would kill every of them"
Culton continued: The mountain arrived in
Frankfort on January 25 They numbered from
one thousand to twelve hundred men. Those who
carried guns had them stacked in the office of the
Commissioner of Agriculture, and each had
Tag Corresponding with the number of his gun.
the larger part of the crowd was sent home
Cuton said Henry Youtsey to him and
told him he had found way GOebel could be killed
and no one find out who did it. Youtsey said it
could be done from the Secretary of States Office
and showed some steel bullets Witness told
Youtsey such thing should not be done. Ex-Gov-
ernor Bradley had told witness of hearing that
Goebel to be killed, said it must not be
done. Witness saw Youtsey again. and the latter
said the idea had been abandoned.
Powers, the witness alleged, distributed the money
among the various captains who were to bring
the mountatneers 10 Frankfort. He did not know
whence the money came. He declared Governor
Taylor furnished him (Culton) the money to bring
the Jackson County crowd. The witness said he
heard w; r. Johnson. Of Jackson County. talking
about killing Goebel with nitro -glycerine Witness
said Governor Taylor did want the mountain
men to go home. Powers said they ought to be sent
away, as they had not done what they were
brought there & for Witness i told Taylor what Pow
headed fool but he would wait and everything
would be all right.
Witness said he went to Berry Howard and others
at TaylOrs instance, and told them the Governor
wanted them to remain and not go home as Pow
ers wished. On the day of the Van Meter-Berry
contest in the Legislature the witness said. Taylor
orders by him to assist Adiutant-CTeneraI
Dixon to have the troops in the arsenal ready TO be
called out at moments notice.
The court adjourned with Culton the stand.