Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1900-03-25

FRANKFORT, KY, March "a
"John Powers told me they had two
niSgers here to kill Goebel. They
were Hooker Smith and DicL
COombsi'
The statement was made to-day by
F. Wharton Golden, a frail, consump-
overlooking Kentucky mountaineer
while on the witness stand in the pre-
liminary examination of Secretary OF
State Caleb Powers, charged with con-
spiracy to kill Goebel
Golden told story of the events
leading up to the murder, that, if sub
stantiated, will in the minds of those
connected with the prosecution at
least probably go far toward proving
the contentious of the commonwealth
that the murder was the result of a
plan in which several prominent men
were involved. Whether the defense
will seek to impeach Golden's testi-
mopy in this preliminary examination
is not known, as the attorneys for the
defense will not talk on the subject,
but unless such attempt is made the
commonwealth will rest its case, both
county. Attorney Poisgrove and Attor-
ney Campbell being satisfied that
enough evidence has been presented to
hold the defendant on the charges.
Golden, who claims to have been a
friend TO Secretary Powers and his
brother, John Powers, for years, gave
testimony that was particularly dam
aging to John Powers, but he also
brought in the names of many others,
including Charles Finley, w. H. Culton
and Governor Taylor in his story OF
the bringing of the mountaineers to
Frankfort previous to the assassina-
ton. Governor Taylor, however, was
not directly implicated and the at
tcrneys for the commonwealth init
mated to-day that they do not expect
to have his name brought forth prom
inently In the story of the alleged con-
spiracy.
Golden was not cross-examined to-
day and adjournment was taken at
an early hour this afternoon on ac-
count of his physical condition, the
witness having a slight hemorrhage
this morning, becoming SO weak under
the strain of the examination in the
afternoon that he begged to be allowed
a respite. He was quite nervous at
times.
Golden's testimony tended to show
that a plan was made to bring sew
eral hundred regular mountain feud-
/ lists" to Frankfort, who would, if nee
essary, as Golden expressed it, go
into the legislative hall and kill off
enough Democrats to make it our
way"
The testimony did not show that the
alleged plot to kill Goebel was part
of the original plan, nor did it con-
tain the names of those who conceived
that idea. But the Commonwealth
sought to show by Golden's converse
tion with various people that not only
John anw Caleb Powers, but others as
well, had full knowledge of the al
heged plan of assassination
FRANKFORT, KY, March 24.-The
prosecution in the case against Secre-
1tary of State Caleb Powers, charged
with completely in the Goebel assassi-
nation introduced its principal witness
to-day, F. Wharton Golden, of Knox
county, an intimate friend of Secretary
Powers, and who is said to have maze
a confession duplicating number of
people in the murder
Attorneys for the commonwealth say
that Golden's testimony is practically
the capstone of the whole structure of
evidence and expect to prove by his
testimony not only that a conspiracy
existed, but also who were implicated
in 1t.
The court room was TANNED long
before the hour set for the examina-
ton and when finally the Adoors were
closed a large crowd remained outside.
Secretary of State Powers was the
only one of the defendants brought
into court, Captain Davis and Culton
remaining in Jail.
F. Wharton Golden, of Barboursville,
was sworn as the first witness. He
said he had known Secretary Powers
for seventeen or eighteen years and
was a good friend of all the defendants.
Witness was in Frankfort in January
and February and saw Powers nearly
every day He was in Frankfort on
January 14th and went to Harlan
bounty on the 18th, then went to
Laurel county for two or three days,
kroms there returning to Frankfort
Where then did you go?-to Bar
oursville?" asked Attorney Campbell.
The witness refused to answer.
Powers told him to go to Harlan
lunty and tell Postmaster John airst