The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-25
PLOT DO KILL 0)EBEL
TESTIMONY GIVEN IN COURT BY
STAR WITNESS GOLDEN CAUSES
A SENSATION
ASSASSINS EMPLOYED NAMED
DISTINGUISHED PRISONERS NOT
DIRECTLY IMPLICATED IN
THE CRIME
MADE DAMAGING STATEMENTS
Threats Against the Democratic
Members of the Legislature Are
Repeated by GOINen-Wft-
ness Grows Ill.

| FRANKFORT, Ky, March 4.-"John
| Powers told me they had two niggers
here to kill Goebel. They were Hooker
Smith and Dick Coombs.'' This state
ment was made today by F. Wharton
Golden frail, consumptive-looking Ken
lucky mountaineer, while on the witness
stand in the preliminary examination of
Secretary of State Caleb Powers, charged
with conspiracy to kill GoebeI. Golden
told story of the events leading up to
the murder that if substantiated, will, In
the minds of those connected with the
| prosecution, at least, probably go far
| towards proving the contentious of the
commonwealth that the murder was the
result Of plan in which several promi-
nent men were involved.
| Whether the defense will seek to i'm
peach Golden's testimony in this prelim-
| mary examination is not known, as the
| attorneys for the defense will not talk on
| the subject, but unless such attempt is
made, the commonwealth will rest it's
case, both County Attorney Potsgrove
and Attorney Compbell being satisfied
that enough evidence has been presented
TO hold the defendant on the charges.
Golden, who claims to have been a
friend to Secretary Powers and his
brother, John Powers, for hours gave
| testimony that was particularly damaging
| to John Powers: but he also brought in
the names Of many others, including
Charles Finley, w. H. CuIton and Gov.
Taylor in his story of the bringing of the
mountaineers to Frankfort previous to
the
was not directly implicated, and the at
torneys for the commonwealth intimated
today that they do not expect to have his
name brought forth prominently in the
story of the alleged conspiracy.
GOLDEN'S ILLNESS. ..t..
Golden was not cross-examined today,
and adjournment was taken at an early
hour this afternoon on account of his
physical condition, the witness having a
slight Eemorrhage during the morning
becoming SO weak under the strain OF
the examination III the afternoon that he
begged to be allowed a respite. He was
quite nervous at times. Golden's testi-
mony tended to show that a plan was
made to bring several hundred regular
mountain fe'Idists" to Frankfort who
would, If necessary, as Golden expressed
1t, go into the legislative hall and kill
way
The testimony did not show that the al
legged plot TO kill Goebel was part of the
original plan, nor did it contain the
names of those who conceived that idea
But the commonwealth sought to show
by Golden's conversations with various
people that not only John and Caleb Pow
ers, but others as we'll, had full knowl-
edge of the alleged plan of assassination
STATo IE71rHTr-c. o,AJYrr
Secretary Powers was the only one of
the defendants brought into court this
morning, Capt. DAVIS and Culton remain-
ing in jail.
j. Wharton Golden, of Barboursvil!e
was sworn as the first witness He sad
ne had known Secretary Powers for sew.
entecn or eighteen years, also knew Mr.
Culton. He was also acquainted with Gov
Taylor and Capt. John Powers He said
he was good friend to ali of the defend
ants. He was in Frankfort in January
and February, and saw Secretary ana
John Powers nearly every day. He was
in Frankfort on Jan. H. and went to Har-
Ian county on the 18th, then went to Lau-
rel county for two or three days, from
there returning to Frankfort.
Where then did you go, to Barbours-
| Vllle?" asked Attorney Campbell. The
witness hesitated, then said:
II won't answer that"
When did you have a conversation
! with Secretary Powers?"
when Mr. Powers and I left here to-
gether. Col. Powers tod me to go to
Harlan county and tell Postmaster John
Hirst to send down ten witnesses in the
| contest case"
How were these witnesses to be &C.
lected, and in what manner were they to
| Gomez
Regular mountain feudists.'
| Give the exact conversation between
you and Secretary Powers relative to get
! ting witnesses in Harlan ccun.y?'
| He told me to go to Harlan county
| and tell Mr.. Hirst to send down ten men
! who were regular mountain feudists.''
Did you understand what he meant by
/ that, and if so, what was your under
standing of that request?''
Objected to, but overru1ed.
/ II won't answer that" said Golden.
After some parley Golden said:
MEN WHO WOULD KILL.
"Well, men who would stand up, and
| If necessary, go into that legislative hall
and kill off enough to make it in our
! favor. l did not see Mr.. Hirst 1 saw
! Hamp Howard. 1 told him we wante
ten regular mountain feudists for wit
nesses We wanted men who had good
| Colts forty-f1ves." "
| w SiS the SOIiS IOIly-INSS TO De put
In evidence?" asked Attaorney Campbell
Most assuredly they were,' answere
Golden.
In reply to a question Golden said he
did not know the witnesses who came to
Frankfort. He delivered the message to
Howard on Sunday, few days before
Goebefs shooting
When did you next see Caleb Powers?'
Il saw him on Tuesday. 1 got on the
train at Ferry's Station, Laurel county.
| He had couple of men on the train
named Pease and Locket. He told me
| to take care of them. l next saw Powers
/ in Frankfort I don't remember what
| conversation Ye had then.
Who selected the men who came from
| Harlan county?"
"Hamp Howard, He-selec: ed thirty men
! besides the ten. Caleb Powers, l think
selected the men from Knox county.
| There were about seventy or eighty jim
! Sparks county attorney Of Laurel county,
| selected the men from Laurel county,"
When was it determined to bring the
men to Frankfort"
II don't know
who Informed you they were wanted?'
| Caleb. Powers. / saw him In London
Caleb said he wanted a regular army IN