The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-02-01
Senator Goebel, Democratic Candi-
date for Governor Probably
Fatally Wounded by an
Assassin!
WOULD BE SLAYER ESCAPES
Great Popular Excitement and Horror Over the
Outrage Contesting Board Decides to Seat
Goebel in the Gubernatorial Chair-Ac-
count of the Shooting.

Frankfort, KY, Wednesday morning,
Jan. 31.-A physician from Goebel's bed
side at 2:10 this morning says there has
been no change in the condition of Goe.
bel for two hours, and that he is in
precarious condition.
Other information from the senator's
room is that should his wound prove
fatal, it will be between 6 and o'clock
this morning.
Frankfort, KY, Jan. 3O.-While walk.
ing through the capitol grounds on his
way to the capitol building at 10 min
utes after II o'clock this morning, Will
liam Goebel, the democratic contestant
for governor Of Kentucky, vas shot
down and very dangerously wounded.
Harland Whitaker, a farmer from
Butler county, the home county of Gov
ernor Taylor, is now in Jail at Louis.
vile, charged with the crime.
There is no direct evidence against
Whitaker and he was placed under
arrest more because he was caught
around the capitol building when the
shots we're fired than tor any other APP
positive manner that he had any con.
nection with the shooting, or knew any
thing about it. He was running to.
ward the scene of the shooting, not
away from it, when arrested.
Senator Goebel was wounded by
rife ball of small caliber, not over 80,
which struck him in the right side just
below the arm pit. The bali passed
through the back part of the right lung,
across the body on diagonal line,
passing out below the left shoulder
blade.
Senator Goebel was on his way to the
senate chamber in company with Col.
Jack Chinn and Warden Eph Lillard, of
Frankfort prison. Lillard was few
feet in advances of Goebel and Chinn,
who were walking side by side.
4 How 0oebel was Shot.
From the outer edge of the capitol
groundsto the steps Of ihe capitol build
ing is distance of st6ut three hundred
feet. Two.thirds>fof this had been
, PASSED .sAd tile men were walking slow
ly, when suddenlyia shot rang out from
large three story building which stands
fifty feet east 81 the capitol building.
4 This building is used for offices by
nearly all the leading officials of the
state, Governor Taylor and the secre-
tary Of the state having rooms on the
first floor.
j As the shot was heard, Goebel gave a
q uick. involuntary exclamation Of pain
and made an Effort to draw his own re-.
volver. His strength was unequal to
the task however, and he sank upon
the pavement.
/ With great rapidity several more
shots were fired the bullets all striking
the brick sidewalk close to where Goe-
bel lay. None of the shots touched him
however.
Iillard hastily turned around to aid
Goebel, who was supported by Chinn,
, soon as he fell.
sect help" said Chinn to Lillard, and
! turning to Goebel he asked; care you
hurt, Goebel, did they get your
"They have got me this tine," said
Goebel 81 guess they have killed me.
physicians Summoned.
In less than q minute crowd Of men
we're around Goebel. He was losing
much blood and becoming very weak.
> He was hastily carried to the Office Of
. Capitol hotel, about thousand feet
from the spot where the shooting occur.
j red. Here he was laid on sofa while
/. DR.. Hume made hasty examination,
pronouncing the wound of nature that
must cause death in q short time.
Goebel, who showed great fortitude
and courage throughout, smiled weakly
as he heard the verdict and feebly rolled
} his head from side to side in token of
3 dissent from the opinion expressed by
! the physician.
Senator Goebel was then carried to
/, his room on the second floor of the Cap.
t ital hotel and In addition to Drs. Hume,
j Ely and Mccormick of this place, who
! were in attendance upon the wounded
man, Drs. j. G. Mckenzie, N. P. Dun.
J bridge and +. w. Walker were summon.
J ed from Cincinnati, and DR.. McMurtry
; came from Louisville.
AS soon as the physicians from Louis.
j, vile and Cincinnati had examined the
patient q consultation was held, at the
} conclusion of which DR.. Hume announc.
ed late tonight that the chances had
, turned very much against the wounded
! man and he probably would die before
morning.
Wound proAounced Fatal.
"He has internal hemorrhages" said
DIR. Hume, "and We are unable to stop
them. Unless we do so, death ISL ques.
ton Of very short time. We have
taken from him over a pint of blood
and there are symptoms Of the gravest
character. There is hardly chance
that he can i've through the night, and
practically none that he RECEIVERS.
Carefully 4. LAG Plan.
That the shooting Of Goebel war the
result of q carefully laid plan is without
|question. There has not, so far, been
discovered the slightest evidence point.
ling to any man, and It is not likely that
any ever will be found. The man who
fired the shots took precaution to con.
ceal bis location by the use Of smoke.
: less powder cartridges.
The republican state officials and
msmbers Of the legislature without ex.
eeption denounced the shooting in the
most unmeasurable terms. Governor
Taylor Immediately cent orders to Ad.
ljutant General Collier, directing him to
take steps for the preservation OF order
and twenty minutes after the shooting
Captain Wolcott and his men marched
across the front Of the capitol building.
Orders were issued to outside compa.I
MES throughout the state to make ready
ct once to come 10 Frankfort, the entire
state guard being called into seryice.
4
q g.