The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-03-29
A DEEP LAID PLOT
EXPOSED BY GOLDEN AT
FRANKFORT
In the GOebel Assassination Trial-Tay-
lOr and Powers Named Desperate
Men Secured to do the Deed.


nervous on the stand, but did not hest
tate in his replies to questions, and his
testimony made a deep impression.
According to Golden, Caleb Powers
was one of the prime movers in the
bringing to Frankfort of the mountain
GERS just before the assassination of
Goebel, and that although Powers
simply instructed him to bring "wit-
nesses" who were mountain feudists,
vet Golden understood that they were
to come to Frankfort for a possibly
more sinister purpose, that of cleaning
out" the democratic majority in the
legislature.
Golden also brought in the name of
Gov. Taylor in an incidental way; also
the names of Culton, John Powers,
Capt Davis, Charles Finley, Judge
Bingham and others, the plan to bring
the mountaineers to Frankfort having
taken on wider scope than expected.
1t is expected the commonwealth will
rest at the conclusion of Golden testi-
mony. Golden was seized with slight
hemorrhage during the morning and
adjournment was taken earlier than the
usual hour, the examination finally go
ing over to Monday.
Secretary of State Powers was the
only one of the defendants brought into
court this morning. Capt. Davis and
Culton remained in Jail.
GOLDEN SWORN.
| J. Wharton Golden was sworn as the
first witness. He said he had known
Secretary Powers for II or 1S years;
also knew Mr.. Culton. He was also
acquainted with Gov. Taylor and Capt.
John Powers. He said he was good
friend to all of the defendants. He
was in Frankfort in January and Feb
ruary, and saw Secretary Powers and
John Powers nearly every day. He
was in Frankfort Jan. IA, and went to
Harlan county on the 18th; then went
to Laurel county for two or three days,
from there returning to Frankfort.
"Where then did you go, to Barbour
ville?" asked Attorney Campbell,
The witness hesitated, and then said
81 won't answer that.
"When did you have a conversation
with Secretary PowersP"
"When Mr., Powers and 1 left here
together. Col. Powers told me to go tc
, Harlan and tell Postmaster Hirst tc
/ send down ten witnesses in the contest
case"
Glow were these witnesses to be Sc.
lected, and in what manner were they
to Gomez"
Irregular mountain feudists."
"Give the exact conversation between
3 you and Secretary Powers relative te
getting witnesses in Harlan county,"
"He told me to go to Harlan county
, and tell Mr.. Hirst to send down ten
men who were mountain feudists.
"Did he understand what you meant
} by that, and, if so, what was your un'
3 derstanding of that request?"
Objected to, but overruled.
81 don't answer that" said Golden.
After some parley Golden said:
KILL THEM OFF.
"Well, men who would stand up and
if necessary, go into that Legislative
8 hall and kill off enough to make it il
. our favor.
81 did not see Mr.. Hirst. 1 saw
Hamp Howard. / told him we wanted
ten regular mountain feudists for wit
} nesses. This is all 1 told him. I tolt
3 Hamp the kind of witnesses wanted
. were men who had good Colts ass"
9 "Were the Colts ASS to beput in evi
dence?" asked Attorney Campbell.
: "Most assuredly they were," an
! swered Golden.
g In reply to question Golden said hi
did not know the witnesses who came
g to Frankfort. He delivered the message
to Howard few days before Goebel'i
shooting, on Sunday preceding thu
: shooting.
: "When did you next see Caleb Pow
I ers?"
81 saw him on Tuesday. / got OF
the train at Ferris Station, Laure
county. He had a couple of men OF
the train named Pease and Locket. H
t told me to take care of them | mex
+ saw Powers in Frankfort. / don't re
i member what conversatino we ha'
g then"
|. "Who selected the men who cam
from Harlan county?"
clamp Howard. He selected thirt,
! men besides the ten. Caleb Powers,
o think, selected the men from Kno
}. county There we're about seventy 0
II eighty. Jim Sparks, county attorne,
n in Laurel county, selected the mel
! from Laurel county"
o POWERS RIGHT IN IT.
"When was it determined to brin,
" the men to Frankfort"
9 81 don't know"
s "Who informed you they were want
q edP"
; "Caleb Powers. / saw him in Lon
i don. Caleb said he wanted regula
army to come to Frankfort.
"Do you mean United States arm!
men?"