Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-04

GEORGETOWN, KY, August o.
''Tallow Dick" Combs, the negro who
is accused of having fired the shot
which killed Goebel, has confessed to
all he knew about the matter, alleg
ing that he was offered $1,000 to do the
shooting, but refused. His statement,
as taken by stenographers, follows:
''On January Is l went to Frankfort
from Beattyville to put my nephew to
school There was big crowd of
mountain men there that day, and the
impression had become prevalent that
came down from the mountains with
them. did not. That afternoon, |
met a great many people whom had
known in past affairs in the noun
tains. l was introduced to w. E. Gull
ton, and he told me that had better
not go back to Beattyville right away;
that l would make good witness in the
contest cases, and that If l would stay
over few days he would see that my
board was paid. I agreed and he sent
me over to Lizzie Pittman's. There l
met Mason Hockersmith, of Richmond,
tall, ine-looking man, almost white,
with long raven black hair, and a
double chin. Hockersmith and | spent
much time together. We never got
very far away from the capitol square,
staying the greater part of the time
where there was good fire. On Sat
urday, January q, the day of the
Berry-Van Meter contest, Hockersmith
left me about II o'clock in the morning
and l did not see anything more of
him until about 2 o'clock that after
noon, when he came into Golfers Of
fee
Il asked him where he had been so
long. he replied that he had been
busy and would tell me about it later.
That night at the clearinghouse he
told me that he had been over to
Caleb Powers office
with some men who wanted to kill
Goebel. He said: One of them Of
fered me 81 200 to do it, and showed me
the money and let me put my hand on
it. They had newfangled gun that
didn't know how to work, and the fell
low that had the money showed me
how it worked
Il asked him what he was going to
do about it. He said he had not made
up his mind. They want to shoot him
from a window in the office, and show
ed me how the sash can be raised up
about 10 inches from the sill and the
blind drawn over the window panes
so that l can't be seen. They will be
around so that after the shooting
can get out into the crowd of noun
taineers and walk quietly away
told him to tell those fellows if they
wanted any shooting done to DO it
themselves, and he said he would think
it over.
Monday morning I was stopped on
the walk in the state house yard by
Henry Youtsey. / did not know him
then. We talked few minutes, and
when Hockersmith Joined me | asked
him who the man was. He said: That
is the fellow who offered me the 81 200
to kill Goebel. He wants my answer.
l told him to wait until tomorrow
well. told him again to have moth
ing to do with It. Next morning, Tues
day, January 3d.
, Youtsey Came
to Golfers Office Just a little before II
O'Clock, and called Hockersmith out.
They walked away together Hooker
smith was gone about 10 or Is minutes
and returned while Dr. Prewitt was
sitting by the fire cracking a joke.
Hockersmith called me to one side of
the room and said: That fellow says
everything is ready. and that if l am
going TO do the work he wants to know
IL. iClI MN over III IONeTS 5 ONCE.
The window is all fixed, and he's got
the gun and money there. / don't
know what to do about it, Well said
l, just you stay right where you are
You are a niger, and if you kill that
man they will hang you sure. All they
want is to get rid of Goebel. They
don't care about you. When Goebel is
dead they would turn you over to the
police and swear you did the killing of
your own accord.
While | was talking to Hockersmith
we heard shot, clear and loud, then
three more, kind of muffied. In a sec
ond somebody cried out: 'Goebel is
shot There says I, if you hadn't
been standing here, Hooker. I'd a
! sworn that you killed him.
Before We could leave the room Gov.
Bradley and Judge Yost and Gen. Col
lier rushed into the room. They were
cursing the man who did the shooting.
Capt. John Davis rushed into the room
and said something about kilograms to
Gen. Collier and they ran out together.
have told this to those lawyers Mr..
Brown and Mr.. Kinkead-and have