The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-03-29
POWERS ON TRIAL.
kentucky Court Proceedings Inter-
rupted.
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN FRANKFORT.
\ Flan Drops His Pistol, Which Is
Discharged by the Fall and Rush
is Made for the Scene.

Frankfort Ky. Spec:al.-Ths p-e-
liminary examination of Secretary OF
State Caleb Powers, charged with abet-
ting ';he assassination of William Goe-
be-. began Friday before Judge Moore.
The court was guarded inside and out
with militia and scores Of deputy sher
ifs. armed with Winchester rifles, 20
prevent possible interference from
"mountaineers." wao were reported Oh
their way to Frankfort but their pres
ence was unnecessary, as the noun
ta;neers failed 10 appear and no dsor-
der occurred. The Commonwealth
Witnesses were called, numbering 40.
Golden was net in the list. The wit
nes:es included Warden Eph Lilla-d.
Detective Armstrong. Sheriff Bosworth
I OF Fayette county, who arrested Secre-
tary Powers and Captain John Davis,
and Silas jones, CT Whitley county,
who are new under bonds charged with
completely in the murder. The tesii-
mony tended to show TIA. the shots
CINE from that section of the execu-
tive building in which Secretary Pew
erS' Office IS located although no one
Swore that The she's were from the
Secretary's Office F.. Wharton Gold
en-. wlo is said to nave made a confess
son. Will be put on ;.le witness stand
later. Prosecuting Attorney Polls
grove said that sufficient evidence had
already been heard to warrant holding
Powers, but that the case would be
much stronger before ne was through.
Former Governor Brown, for the de-
.ense. says the evidence so far is de-
c!dedly weak. 1t is probable that all
of the witnesses for the prosecution
will be heard by Saturday afternoon.
During the afternoon a soldier in the
rear court yard dropped his revolver on
The stcne tagging and i; exploded. In
an instant every man in the crowded
court "oOm was on his feet. fully a
third OF them with their hands to their
rear packets.
Eph Lillard. warden of the Frankfort
penitentiary, testified that he walked
just a little ahead Of Senator Goebcl
and wnen the fir.t shot was fiered he
saw that the second window in the Of
flee CT the Secretary of State was slight
IL raised. The Cher shots, he said, did
net come from the same place. The
first SHOT was evidently from a rife,
while the others seemed to be from pis-
tolS. Policeman Wingate Thompson
testified that as the crowd was carry
in- Senator Goebel ont OF the yard. he
saw armed men a; tae entrance TO the
executive building and recognized John
Davis and Berry Howard among them.
Detective Armstrong, of Louisville.
said that Secretary Powers refused any
information whatever at the time Of
the shooting as to who was IN the
building.
Clptain John +. Hawn. Of BaTbourS
Vile, testified tn2t Powers had asked
him to turn over his ammunition and
company to Lieutenant Gibson previ-
Gus to the shooting. Governor Brown
made the point that a man can not be
convicted "a an alder Of a crime unless
some principal is convicted Of the
crime. AS the actual murderer of Goe-
bel has not ye; been named, the point
possibly involved the liberty of Secre-
tary Powers. Judge Moore ruled
against the defense