Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-31
duplicates TAYLOR
Kentucky's Fugitive Governor
Involved Through Powers
Evidence.
HE ENCOURAGED THE MoBs
Accused Admits all He Did on the
Advice of the Pre-.
tender.

NSOISelO"u' N.Y. oo'y
Secretary of State Caleb Powers took
the stand in his own behalf yesterday,
but did not complete his testimony on
direct examination. His defense is
an admission that he organized the
body of mountaineers who went to
Frankfort on several occasions last
winter to influence the state contest
board and the legislature, but not to
intimidate them. He stated that w.
S. Taylor advised the bringing of
armed men and promised to pay the
expense.
He entered a denial of the damaging
charges made against him by Wit
nesses Culton, Golden. NOAH es and
others. He denied that Henry Yout-
sey had the keys to his office on the
day of the assassination. but, said
that there were two keys to the office.
one of which was in possession of
former Assistant Secretary of State
w. j. Davidson and another in poss es-
sion of Ben Rowe. Gov. Taylor's
colored porter. Powers says neither
of these keys were ever in his pos
session and that he had his own key
in his pocket in Louisville the day of
the assassination. Davidson is in the
state of Washington, and Rowe. the
colored porter, is somewhere in Indi-
ana, probably at Anderson.
Soon after court convened the jury
was polled and then excluded. during
which ex-Gov. Brown for the defen e
made motion for peremptory instruc-
tions for a verdict of acquittal. The
motion was submitted without argu-
ment and was promptly overruled by
the court.
In regard to the bringing of the
mountaineers to Frankfort Powers
said:
There were three crowds of men
brought to Frankfort and had some
thing to do with the organization of
each. The purpose was to show the
interest of these people in the mat
tiers at issue at that time and not to-
intimidate either the state election
board or the legislature. l instruct
ed the men to do no acts of violence,
and so far as l know none was COM
mitted by them"
Acted on TsyIor's Advice.
Continuing, the witness said he
had received information tina. Mr..
Hill. the contestant for secretary of
state. would not wait till the contests
were settled in court. but would I'M
dertake to take forcible possession as
soon as the contest board acted.
IF that sort of thing" said he,
chad been attempted we intended to
hold the offices. 1 had a conference
with Gov. Taylor and he advised the
bringing of a large body of men to
show their interest in political affairs.
He also advised that they be brought
armed and promised to pay the ex-
penses. / acted on this"
At the afternoon session The defend
ant told of the Barbourville confer
ence, at which Finley, Powers and
others discussed the arrangements
with John A. Black. who strongly op.
posed the movement.
In regard to sending the men home
from Frankfort the evening of Jan. 20,
about which Witness Noakes testified
last week and told ola breach between
the witness and Gov Taylor, Powers
said:
Il heard that they were going to
send the men home and l opposed it,
as the men had been up all the night
before. l went to see Gov. Taylor.
He told me it had been decided to send
them home. as their presence was
having a bad effect. Some of the
anti-Goebel democrats in the legisla-
ture had strongly disaprroved of
bringing the men armed and had
thu eatened to desert Gov. Taylor in
the contest unless he sent the men
home"