The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-05
SKETCH OF aoEBE1
Statesman and Man of Iron - His
Private Life Absolutely Pure.

William Gobel, the dead statesman,
was the most remarkable politician Ken
lucky has had since the days of Henry
Clay and Breckenridge. Unlike Clay and
Breckenridge, he came of no proud
family, had no collegiate education. and
has no close personal friends. AS one
OF his admirers and workers said of
him: He was in a class by himself. He
was totally unlike any of the great poll
tictanS Kentucky has produced in all
respects save one-he had brains
Mr.. Goebel was born in Pennsylvania
Sullivan county, thirty eight years
ago. and removed when a child of 4
years with his parents to COvington.
KY, where he had lived ever since. He
received his schooling in the public
schools OF Covington, and then read
law with Ex-Governor John G. Steven
son He showed such marked ability
that Governor Stevenson made him his
law partner, and this partnership was
continued until the death Of the COVER
nor who made Mr.. Goebel his executor
without bond He left a large estate,
and the young attorney administered
it in the most satisfactory manner.
Ex-Secretary of the Treasury John
Q. Carlisle was so impressed with the
ability of Mr.. Goebel that he formed
& partnership with him after the death
Of Governor Stevenson, which lasted
number of years and was only term
mated when the gifted Kentuclzian was
made secretary of the treasury of the
United States. With two such associ-
ates as Stevenson and Carlisle it was
no wonder the young attorney rose rap
Idly In the law, and it was not long I'M
til he commanded a practice of $25 600
a year. He seemed to make a speciality
Of cases against corporations, including
railroads, and he was so successful in
them that he soon found himself with
more work than he could well do
As q lawyer, Mr.. Goebel had the rep
utat1on OF being eminently fair, and in
all the personal relations of life his rep
utation was Of the very highest. He had
always been friend of the people, and
this characteristic caused him to be en-
gagged in a fatal controversy. He
thought the bridge tolls across the
Ohio river were too high and he intro
ouced and had passed a bill through the
kentucky legislature reducing the tolls
to / cent for a foot passenger. Colonel
John Sanford, an ex-confederate SOL
der, was a large stockholder in one of
the bridge companies, and he denounced
Goebel for fathering the bill, and wrote
a severe article, which was published
IN a Covington paper. abusing Goebel
for the part he took in reducing the
IOllS- GoeDel replied in an unsigned
article that fairly took the cuticle off
the colonel, and those who knew the old
soldier said he would demand satisfac-
ton Of the writer. Goebel told the edi-
tor OF the paper to tell him he wrote it
If the colonel made inquiry and as the
colonel asked for the author before the
Ink was dry on the last papers from
lne press GOeDel was soon Informed
that Colonel Sanford had threatened to
kin him on sight. He procured a pistol,
and he and the colonel met a short time
afterward on the steps of the bank
in which the colonel was cashier. The
colonel asked Mr.. Goebel If he was the
author of the article in which he was
50 unm ercifully attacked. Goebel, with
out the least show Of emotion, and
with calm voice. replied, Yes The
colonel made a motion as II to draw q
WTNRnOn hut before he cnT1In get his
hand on his pistol Goebel had shot him
dead. He was acquitted on the exam
lining trial, as there was abundant proof
that he acted purely in self defense. But
many Of the old confederates have