The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-02-07
Ord 4 81 r elyl! . q q
The Mans Own Acts Brought on
His Death by the Pistol.
From The Ne,D York Sun.

Goebel began in June, 1899, when
Goebel determined to make himself
| governor of the state. When the
delegates to the convention to nomi-
nate a candidate for governor were
elected, Goebel was clearly beaten.
He had control of the Democratic
State Committee, and alta most dis
graceful convention enough anti.
IGoebel delegates were thrown out
to give the control Of the convention
to Goebel. He was denounced as a
| liar, a thief and a murderer in the
campaign by the respectable ele-
ment in the democratic party. The
last charge grew out of the fact that
Goebel had had differences with
Col. John Sanford. an opponent Of
his in the democratic party, and,
meeting him on the street, had shot
him dead. He pleaded that Col.
Sanford was about to draw pistol
and he shot in self-defence. Though
it was proved that Hol. Sanford was
not armed, Goebel got off. The un-
provoked shooting drove Mrs. San
ford, Col. Sanford's wife, insane,
and she has never recovered her
mind
The manner in which Goebel
seized the democratic convention
and forced his own nomination, led
to a big split in the party, and an
other convention was held and an
opposition democratic candidate. ex-
Gov. John Young Brown, was put
up. Thereafter throughout the
campaign Kentucky was on the
verge of gun fight. The daily ex-
pectation was of murder and an up
rising. 1t was a campaign of bill
ingsgate IN which the terms liar,
thief, murderer and the like were
common, and the statesmen on each
side, including Goebel, publicly
promised that after election they
would wipe out the various insults
like Kentucky gentlemen-that is 60
around shooting at one another.
The campaign resulted in an al
most overwhelming victory for
Taylor, the republican candidate.
GoeDel had, however, arranged for
such an emergency. He had got up
and had caused to be passed by the
state legislature the Goebel election
law. He was land still is a member
! of the state senate. This election
law put the final canvass Of the votes
in the hands of the three state COM
missioners, and then his friends APP
pointed the commissioners. In
every district in the state where the
Goebel men mad the machinery of
the election votes for his opponent
were thrown out or counted for him.
How many there were Of these is not
known, but there were not enough
to carry the election. There had
been a miscount somewhere and
when the election commissioners
went to count up the returns, in
spite of all the cheating. Taylor still
had a majority.
There is still possibility of max
| ing Goebel win That was by
throwing out the vote of some Re
publican counties. This was con
sidered seriously but the Republi-
cans got out their guns and word
came from the mountain country
4 where Taylor had had a big major
ity that an army was ready to march
on the State Capitol and see that he
was not cheated out of his seat. The
swindle would have been SO bare
faced that the idea was given up
and the State election commission
ers, friends of Goebel though they
were, gave the certificate of election
to Taylor and he was sworn in as
Governor. " " 1873.
i Even then Goebel would not give
: ii up. His election law provided
that in case of a contest the election
might be taken to the Legislature
land he announced that he woulc
} contest Taylor's election. To dc
that successfully it was necessary
to get a bigger Democratic majority
: in the legislature aud the work Of
Going that was begun this month
There was no question about the
determination Of the legislature tx
seat Goebel There was farcical
investigation in which alleged evi
4 dence was presented of Republican
!, / n - Ill