The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-05
DULL DAY IN THE POWERS TRIAL.
Re 1ben Miller Declares Goebel Was Not Shot
From Powers Office.
(By the Associated Press. }

Georgetown, KY, August 4.-Reuben
Miller, chief clerk of Caleb Powers, while
he acted as Secretary of State was the
chief witness in the Powers trial today.
Miller had been brought back from In
diana by the defense and he proved a
good witness. He expressed the belief
that the shot which resulted in the death
of Governor Goebel was fired as were
those which followed it, outside the exc
cutive building. He was the person
closest to the private office of Powers,
and he said the shot did not come from
that room.
Miller located the spot where Goebel
fell about 10 feet away from the point
fixed by the prosecution and stated that
the militia did not appear on the scene
for 80 minutes. He declared that Pow
ers was not in his office during the after
noon of January 9th, the day on which
the mountain petitioners arrived at the
State capital, and at which time Witness
Noakes charged the defendant with
making several statements of a threat
ening nature and of comforting with
Youtsey Culton and others.
Ben Rowe, colored porter of the exc
cutive office, also brought back from In
diana by the defense, corroborated the
statements of Miller about movements of
persons in the public office of the Secre-
tary Of State at the time of the shooting.
Miller quoted Governor Taylor as saying
as he ran from his private office into
the room on hearing the shots, What
is the matter?" and on being told man
was shot said: This is horrible
General Collier on cross examination
told of keeping soldiers at the State ar
senal at Frankfort prior to the shooting.
but could not remember whether he had
brought any arms into the State Capt.
tol grounds. He admitted having refused
to allow civil officers to go into the exc
cutive building to execute the writ of
habeas corpus, saying that he had or
ders from Governor Taylor to do so.
Over the objection of the defense,
Judge Cantrill allowed the prosecution to
show by the witness that on two occa-
sons prior to January 30th, that is on
the day of the Colson- Scott duel, and on
the arrival of 200 armed mountain pc
titioners, the feeling at Frankfort was
intense, but that no soldiers were then
called to preserve peace. Witness said
that he never before the shooting, heard
any one say the best way to settle the
contest was to kill Goebel Witness told
of preventing, by military force the as
sembling of the Legislature in the city
of Frankfort on the day following the
shooting After an objection by the de-
Tense which had been overruled, witness
said that he went to the Capitol Hotel
and warned the proprietor that he would
close his hotel if he permitted the as
sembly to meet there
General Collier left the stand after two
hours, and Rev. C. 7. Cody, of George
town, was called. He testified to meeting
Wharton Golden about March 21st at the
home of Witness John Stamper, and OF
Golden saying that he had made con-
fession only for his own protection On
cross examination prosecution sought to
show that the witness had displayed much
interest in the case on the side Of the
defence