The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-12
YOUTSEY ON TRIAL
The First Witness for the State on the
Witness stand.

Georgetown, KY, October S-A Jury
was completed today 10 try Henry (.
Youtsey ON the charge % being \ prin-
bel. The taiesmen were sworn and
Commonwealth Attorney Bradley
proceeded with the opening statement.
The defense moved 10 discharge the
jury on the ground that tie jurymen
are all democrats. Judge Cantrill over
ruled the motion. de :laring that the
defendant is indicted for murder and
not for any political cffense. Another
motion was then made by the defense.
asking that the commonwealth elect
whether IL viii try Youtsey fer &C
tuaily firing the shot c. for aiding ana
abetting b man who did fire the shot.
To this the attorneys for the state re-
piled they simply wished to try Gout
sey under the Indictment and let the
jury say whether he fired the shot. A
demurrer was then fl<d by the defense
on the ground that the indictment.
named no n as firing h shot and
that il did not sufficiently describe the
offense charged against YouSsey. Judge
Cantrill overruled the demurrer. TAX
ing of testimony was then begun. The
o important evidence was given by
Mckenzie Todd. who was private sec
rotary to w. S. Taylor il January, who
said:
"On Saturday. January 9Th. my at
teDtion was called 10 Youtsey by
Secretary Fay IN the reception room
of the secretary OF state. He was Sit
ting by h middle window with a gun
in his hand. 1 nad just entered the
room. l had seen some armed men in
the hall and said there was trouble in
The 1aOiC1o frrro .0Fnr IN rha ln,y r nrv
YoutSey in Caleb Powers private
office with a gun sitting by the win
low. The wind)w was raised a little
and the curtain pulled down. 1 asked
him what he was doing with that gun.
He said: There IS trouble up there
pointing to the legislative building. L
don't intend to start any trouble, but if
it starts 1 will be prepared for it, He
pulled back a long board standing
against the wall disclosing some guns
and said to me: They say Powers is
a brave man, but when there are signs
of trouble he hides his guns JUS af-
ter that Powers himself came in and
Youtsey again a he woul not start
anything but was prepared for trouble.
I told him he ought not to him OF
shooting out that window and Youtsey
said: That's right. it would never do
I left Powers and YoutSey in there
when I came out. Saw Youtsey again
Monday morning before Goebel was
shot. He was out in the main hall near
the west door of the executive build
ing. Caleb Powers was present and
Youtsey asked me if We had any chance
to win the contest. When / old him
the attorneys were hopeful he seemed
satisfied and walked towards his office.
I was in my office mex TO the govern
or's office when the shot was fired.
Some N said a man was shot. I
looked out my window and saw a man
lying on the pavement with Colonel
Jack Chinn rec him."
j. 3. Matthews, assistant secretary
of state, under Powers. sal Youtsey
came into his office about a minute
after h shooting, with a pistol in his
hand. Some ten minutes after the
shooting Matthews broke open the
transom and climbed into Powers
office, saw a rifle lying on the floor
near the west front window. another
leaning against the wall and a carbine
in the southwest orner nex to the
bookcase. He said after Youtsey vas
arrested he told him that he knew the
front window in Powers office was no;
raised but bolted down on January
Goth.