The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-03-23
Wharton Golden Alleged to Have
Confessed to a knowledge of
the Awful Conspiracy.
A SERGEANT IN THE STATE MILITIS,
"Im Saving Myself From the PEN;
Maybe From the Gallows," He is
Reported 10 Have Said.
The Assassin of Goebel Hired to Fire the
Treacherous ShOt.-A Suspect Now
Under Arrest InvOlved.-As-
founding Revelations.

Darboursville, Ky., March 10.--It
was said here Sunday thct Sergt. f.
W. Golden, of the local company of
state guards, has allied himself with
attorneys for the prosecution of the
dssassins of William Goebel, and has
divulged much information concern
ing the men now in custody at Frank
fort. His cousin, Green Golden, of
the state guards, returned from
Frankfort Saturday night and gave it
out that Wharton Golden, the SER
gent, had turned to the other side,
and that Caleb Powers had told him
to keep Wharton from going to
Frankfort. But Wharton had left be-
fore the arrival of his cousin. Among
present in Frankfort when Goebel
was assassinated were NlIlt Trosber
John Golden and a young man named
Ricketts,, all of whom reside on farms
adjoining that of Caleb Powers faith
er on Brush creek.
Wharton Golden is said to have
stated here few days ago that one of
the men now held at Frankfort had
offered these three boys $1,000 if they
would put Goebel out of the way. He
Wharton Golden also said that he was
afraid that these boys would tell on
the men when the trial came up.
JOHN l.. Powers, brother of Caleb
Powers, and for whom there is a war
rant of arrest, came into town Sunday
on the assurance of Sheriff Reese that
he would not arrest him. lie has been
! hiding in Harlan county and on his
fathers farm. Many of the republic
ans here are very much incensed over
the arrest of Caleb Powers, and de-
clare that they will go to Frankfort
! if necessary and take him out of Gus
tody. The majority of these people
say that even if Powers had some con
nection with the assembling of the
mob at Frankfort on January 25, he
is not guilty of the crime of asSas
sination, because, as they say, he die
not fire the shot. 1t became known
to the republicans at Frankfort last
week that Capt. j. f. Hawn, of Com
pany d, 2d regiment of the state
guards, had informed Mr. .Becl<han
that he would recognize him, and wa!
ready to make whatever disposition
he saw fit of the S4 rifles and 800
rounds of ammunition in his posses
sion.
Mr. Bcckham sent one of his Off
GERS to Barboursville, with instruc
tions to have Hawn pack and slip tn,
rifles to Capt. Longmire at LeXing
ton, but before this could be don
Lieut.. Col. Morrow came here with or
ders from Gen. Collier to Hawn, tell
ing him to turn the rifles and am
munition over to Lieut.. Gibson. Thi
Hawn refused to do, whereupol
Lieut.. Gibson, with an armed force
broke open the arsenal and took tn
rifles. The ammunition, however,
stored in the vault of the bank o
Miller d Miller, who have refused t.
give it up except on the verbal orde
of Capt. Hawn. A stenogrpaher j
the employ of the attorneys for tn
prosecution of Powers and other
came here from Frankfort to tax
the dispositions of several witnesse
who have been summoned to the tr
ais of these men. When his presenc
and purpose became known crow
of about 20 wanted 90 lynch him. II
was saved from the mob by Serg
Wharton Golden, who, under the pre-
tense of becoming the leader of tn
mob. so arranged matters that th
stenographcr got away.
Lexington, KY. March 19.-For se'
3 eral hours Sunday Thomas c. CAM
bell, of New York; Robert b. Franl
lin. commonwealth attorney, an
James Polsgrove, county attorney, {
Franklin county, and f. w. Colder
Barboursville, were in consultauo
at the Phoenix hotel. The first name
three are attorneys for the prosec'
tion in the case Of those accused {
, completely in the assassination
a William Goebel, and Golden is Sc
+ reant in the Barboursville compan
+; of mountain militia, of which job
l l.. Po-sers is the captain.
80 -'"lock SUNDAY afternoo
Campbell went TO CINCINNATI and
I couple of hours later Franklin an
Polgrove returned to Frankfort. Go
den left Sunday night on the eas
hound {. & o. train. At the dep'
he was asked by a militiamen as
his mission here. 1t is stated that h
e replv was: Il am saving myself fro
n term in the pen, and maybe q
gallows.'
He refused to talk TO newspaP
men at all.