Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21
KNEW OF THE PLOT
Strong Evidence Against Powers in
Goebel Murder Case.
TESTIMONY o. ROBERT EoAKEs
John PowersfWarned Him to Keep
OFT Of Range.
SHOTS CAME FROM LOBBY

GEORGETOWN. KY, July H.-Robert
Noakes, who testified against Caleb Pow
ers, charged with completely in the Goebel
shooting, was cross-examined by Judge
Tinsley today. He said he was deceived
into talk with Col. Campbell at Big Stone
Gap, Va. prior to hts arrest, where the
latter met him as Mr.. Kramer. interested
In mining. The conversation led into pol
,itics and then to the Goebel assassination.
Later he found he was talking to the at.
torney for. the prosecution. He said Camp
bell did not promise him anything for his
testimony.
Witness said he had an idea that Goebel
was to be killed, but he thought 1t woui1
be in fight ana not by assassination.
When told by John Powers to keep out OF
range, as some fellows in the lobby were
going to do the work for Goebel when he
came in," he hurried of to prevent The
assassination.
Noaks' Direct Testimony.
In his direct testimony yesterday after
noon, Noaks, who Is a railroad conductor,
said John and Caleb Powers and Charles
Finley conferred with him in November
after the election relative to bringing arm
ed men to Frankfort at the time of the
meeting of the state election commission
board. They told him they wanted him to
bring as many men as he could. and that
when they reached Frankfort they should
act In such manner as to give the COVER
nor chance to call out the militia The
object was explained to the witness as an
effort to intimidate the election commits
sfoners. - g.,
Noaks told Of being asked by Caleb Pow
ers to get company of militia composed
Of men who would fight. He also asked
Noaks to get smokeless powder cartridges.
HE secured a company. and 1t was mus
tered In. Then Powers directed him to
capture two trains and bring his COMPANY
to Frankfort. Charles Finley objected, and
warned Noaks not to do that, and proposed
to hire the trains. Noaks' next statement
created senation. Asked if Powers ever
spoke to him about Goebel, he said yes
Powers. he said. declared the contest would
amount to nothing: and that when Goebel
was dead no man in the state could hold
the party together
Witness had another talk with the pris-
oners brother, John Powers. who said:
This Is a life and death struggle with us,
but We intend to hold. our. own, even If we
nave to kill some one. Some formed
company. and said Governor Bradley sent a
man who mustered IL in.
Message From. Caleb Powers.
On January Z witness received a message
from Caleb Powers. who asked him to take
his company to Frankfort. Powers said it
had been arranged to. capture train No. so,
of the Cumberland division. and train No
- of the KnoxEile branch. to take the men
to Frankfort. 1t was intended to send 800
in all. On the Rights-o January % and %
charles Finley awakened him. Finley was
not SATISFIED with the arrangement for 60
ing to Frankfort. aad opposed capturing
trains. He warned him to take no part in
1t, aud said he would go to Barbourville
and try to get Powers to abandon such
plans.
Witness said Finley went to Louisville.
saying rather han capture trains he would
pay for them himself That day tele-
gram from Louisville asked If Finley's
check was good for $1,000. Caleb Powers
then said: Finley was getting too shaky"
about Goebel?'
Yes, he was on my train one day and
said.
" The contests won't amount to anything
and when Goebel is dead and in h there
hold his party together
Finley sent us the train from Louisville,
which carried the men on january % At
Richmond Culton got on the train and told
us when we arrived at Frankfort we should
say we were going to petition the. legisla-
ture. 1 tod the boys to carry their guns as
naturally as If hunting and not in a mill
tary position. After we got to the state
hohse,John Powers told me to stand closer
to thet executive building, as might get
hurt. He said: Some of our men are IN
stafrS, sdfn when sGofbel and those other
fellows come In they, are going to do the
waive for Them,
Two Who Would XIII n Man.
Il told him this must not be done. He
told me to keep cool. went back into the
secretary of states office Caleb Powers
said Bob. understand you have two men
In your company who would kill a man if
you wanted them to do it | told him T
did not believe had such man. and ha
mentioned Chadwe1 and Jones. | told him
did not believe they were men of that
Kind. That afternoon, when the men were
being sent home. Caleb Powers again told
me to keep ten or twelve of our hest mon
and to keep Chadwen and Jones
My military company was taken with
me. They wore citizens clothes with their
uniforms under them. We were told nv
Powers to do this so we would be ready for
military service w. H. CuIton told me 7
must keep six of my men under arms all
the time. l went to Assistant Adtutant
General Dixon and told him l wanted TO
turn over my company, as I had become
satisfied they were going to seat Goebel as
governor, and 1 did not want to serve nm
der him
Dixon told me not to be DISCOURAGED a.
Goebel would not be governor. I was tired
and asked Powers how long this was going
on. He said not much longer, as GoebeI
would be killed. and that would settia II
That morning l checked two large njstoIs
and rifle for Berry Howard. 1 saw GOV
Taylor that morning l went into his ofics
and took my pistols or and put them into a
bookcase l passed some words with him
a hal fjrna