The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-07-27
THE GOEBEL MURDER.
Lieut.. ]. Ricketts, Gives Damaging
Evidence in the Powers Trial.
"itneHs sRid Youtsey Declared al
200 Was R~-ds 90 lie Paid for the
AssassinRtion From the Ex-
ccuttVc Building.

Georgetown. Ky. July 2i.-The
most sensational and damaging testi-
mony yet given in the trial OF ex-sec-
rotary OF State Caleb Powers wns
given by Robert Noaks. an l.. & y.
railroad conductor. OF Corbin, whit
ley county.
Noaks said that early In January
he met Caleb Powers on a train.
Powers asked him 10 raise a military
.comnany az Corhin. and told him "to
take In only such men as would stand
by a. in any emergency. Powers also
asked me where he could get smoke
less powder cartridges. / told him
guessed he couk only get them In a
United States arsenal. lie then asked
me " ! could go 10 ~ Thomas and
make an effort 10 get them. After
that John Powers asked me about the
cartridges, and I told him ! could not
get them. lie said II made no differ
ence, az he thought they would be
too large for the purpose anyway.
Also talked with Caleb Powers again
about the military company. and he
cautioned me 10 only take into II re-
publicaus who would fight"
Witness had another talk with John
I. Powers. who said "this g. life
and death struggle with us. but we
intend go hold our own even II We
have 90 Kin some one. found a com
pany Of the kind suggested. and Gov.
bradley sent us a man who mustered
the company in"
Witness said Finley went 20 Louis
Vile. saying that. rather than capture
trains. be would pay for them him
self. That day a telegram from5 .ouis-
willie was received. asking N Finley's
check was good for $1,000. Caleb
Powers heard Of % aud said Finley
',yas getting too id shaky."
did Powers ever say anything 10
you about Gocbcl2'' was asked.
eyes lie was on my train one DAY"
said the witness. II asked him about
the contests. and he said. The con
tests won't amount 10 d-n. and
uAcr Go.hel u dead aud in HI there
o. mot another man in the state who
can hold his party together"
Witness. continuing his story. said:
"finley sent us the train from Louis.
Vile which carried the men there
January 90. We had i5 coaches.
when We got 90 Richmond. Culton
got on the train and told us that
when we arrived az Frankfort we
should give II out that we were going
10 petition the legislature. when we
got there | told the boys 20 scatter
out and 20 carr their guns as nat
urally a. " hunting. and not ia milf
tary position. After we got there I
was standing out In the state house
yard talking 10 John Powers. lie told
me 20 stand closer TO the executive
building. az I might get hurt. lie
said: some OF our men are upstairs.
and when Goebel aud those other fell
lows come in they are going TO do
the wave for them
This excited me and I told him
this must not be done. lie tapped me
on the shoulder aud told me 10 keep
cool 4 few minutes later | started
10 the capitol hotel. My purpose In
going there was 90 prevent Goebel
from being killed. On the way I met
John b. Hurst and we stopped 10 take
a drink We also sat down and took
a lunch. I was very nervous andrf ook
seat where could see the State
house. went back TO the state
house. as the actions OF two men who
followed me made me think | was in
danger. | went back into the secre-
tary Of states office. Caleb Powers
called me over and said: Bob. I I'M
dcrstand YOU have two men in your
company who would kill a mai II you
wanted them 20 do it, | told him !
did not believe l had such a man In
my company. and he then mentioned
Caldwell and Jones. / told him l did
not believe they were men OF that
kind. That afternoon. when the men
were being sent home. Caleb again
came 10 me aud told me TO keen 10
or Il OF our best men there. and 20 be
sure and keep Caldwell and Jones.
Georgetown. Ky, July 22.-Capt.
Robt. Noaks, the railroad conductor,
whose sensational testimony In the
Powers murder case. commenced
Friday. resumed the stand Saturday.
Judge Tinsley conducted the cross
examination. The witness said he
had made complete statement of
his testimony to Col. Campbell, Of
the prosecution. and also one 70 j. c.
Maynor, attorney for the witness,
prior 20 going on the stand. Asked
Il he had been accused at the time
he had made the first statement. he
said that he made II when he found
that detectives had been at Corbin
looking up matters against him. Wit
ness had a conference with Col Camp
bell az Big Stone Gap, Va. prior to
his arrest. Campbell passed himself
of as Mr.. Kamar. and witness did not
know who he was till he had partially
committed himself.
Witness was arrested on June 30
at 4 o'clock a. IN. Campbell did not
promise witness immunity or any
thing else.
Asked how his men were armed the
day they went TO Frankfort, witness
said they carried guns, the property
OF the state militia; about half OF
those in his squad were militiamen
in citizens clothes. Witness repeated
that John Powers told him 10 stand
-. A,.tlltpur ammo of Our