The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-08-20
POWERS GUILTY
AND SENTENCED
LIFE PENALTY is IMPOSED BY
THE KENTUCKY JURY.
Result of the Goebel Murder Trial
at Georgetown-The Jury, After a
Brief Session, Returns a Verdict
That Is a Surprise to the Prisoner.
No Demonstration When the Ver-
dict Was Announced.

ulCJ was
Georgetown, KY, Aug 1S.-"We, the
jury, find the defendant guilty, and
fix his punishment at confinement in
the penitentiary for the rest of his
natural life"
This was the wording of the verdict
rendered today in the case of eX-Secre-
tary of State Caleb Powers, charged
with being an accessory before the fact
to the murder of William Goebel. The
jury retired at 1872 p. m. and returned
its verdict at 2.25 p. M, having been
out only fifty-three mlntes. The vote
in favor of life sentence was unani-
nous. When the jury retired Che be-
lief was general that It's members
would fail to agree, and in this opin-
ion the defendant himself was firmly
convinced.
When the verdict of guilty was re-
turned Powers, for the first time in the
weary six weeks of the trial, betrayed
his feelings. Under all of the trying
incidents of the trial he had main
tanned a changeless expression. The
verdict of guilty, however apparently
staggered him. He was sitting near
the door of the jury room, and when
the jurors knocked on the door sum-
moning the sheriff his face took on an
anxious look. When the twelve men
filed into the room and took their
seats and as Clerk Penn called the roll
of jurors, the prisoner did not appear
to be more excited than the vast
throng of spectators,
"Have you made a verdict, gentle
men?" inquired the court.
1--WE have" the Jurors replied, and
at the same time Mr.. Stone, the fore
man, passed the verdict up to the clerk.
who read it aloud. Powers, always
pale. grew ghastly white as the verdict
was read, and his face betokened great
mental anguish. Then. somewhat, re-
gaining his composure, he turned to the
Misses Dangerfeld, who had been in
conversation with him, and said: "I
was not expecting that. The verdict is
unjust"
No Demonstration.
There was no sort of demonstration
following the verdict, and the vast
crowd filed out of the court house al
most in silence. Powers remained in
the court room for some time after
the verdict was rendered, in confer
ence with his attorneys, who will at
once move for new trial, and, falling
in that, will take an appeal
When the jurymen entered the jury
room, I. G. Stone, the oldest man on
the panel, was elected foreman. ]. c.
Porter, the only Republican on the
jury, the first to speak. said: Cen
tlemen, | am Republican, and I
have said that / did not believe that
Goebers murder was the result of a
conspiracy. l did not think that Ca
leb Powers could be guilty. but l have
heard the evidence, and | am con-
WINGED that he is
Others also talked, and it is said
one of the members of the jury inti-
mated that he thought the death PEN
atty ought to be inflicted. However,
when a ballot was taken all twelve of
the jurors voted for life Imprisonment.
The jury which heard the case was
composed of eight Democrats, three
anti-Goebel Democrats, and one Re-
publican, as follows: |. G.. Stone, far
mer, anti-Goebel Harris Mussellman,
farmer, anti-Goebel; w. o. finder,
farmer, anti-Goebel; \. w. Craig,
merchant, Democrat; W. p. Munson,
farmer, Democrat: w. II. Oldham,
merchant, Democrat; Benjamin Ford,
| farmer, Democrat; George Murphy,
| Democrat; j. 4. Mulberry, farmer,
Democrat; J. T. Crosswait, carpenter,
| Democrat; Alonzo Kemper. farmer,
| Democrat, and ]. c. Porter, school
| teacher, Republican.
| one of the jurors said tonight that
the jurymen were influenced in maxi
| ing their verdict by many things in
| the evidence, but that some of the
chief points We're Powers own admis-
sion on the stand that he organized
| the crowd of twelve hundred armed
mountaineers which came to Frank
| fort on January Is, his confederation
of parts of the testimony of Noakes
! Golden and Culton, the proof that he
gave Youtsey the key and that the
| shot was fired from his office. It is
doubtful whether the Youtsey case
will be tried, although it will be called
on Monday.
Powers Makes Statement.
Georgetown, KY, Aug. 19.-Caleh
Powers issued a statement this even
ing as follows:
To tie public: | am asked my opinion con
ccrning my trial and the verdict OF the jury
OnlU / nave nut one bl'Nons Ndn any ldll
minded man or woman of this state have bu
one? That one Of the greatest judicial farce
known to history has been enacted here in III,
trial under the forms OF law no well informed
man can doubt. Innocence is no shield with
one hundred dollars and the methods of Camp
bciSm against you. The rectitudes of past lifj
counts for naught They say Tavlor Is guilt
because he was at his office and that | am guilt,
because | was away from mine. This has becl
a political trial for political purposes and II,
greater mistake has been made by the Demo
cratic party since they robbed us Of the Of
fees To which we were fairly elected by the pco
pie. There are good men and noble women il
the Democratic party and many Of them. The!
are not all bad far from IT, A great many O
them do not indorse these acts. \ great man,
more will not endorse this farcical trial, thi
prostitution Of the courts Of justice for certail
ends. From the beginning Of the campaign un
hl now | have stood with what little merit
have had for the rights aand liberties of the pee
pie. This is my crime. That is the only OF
fcnsc | have committed. That is the only thin
proven against me. | swore TO that mysol
in my testimony. | have never and | now hay
no apology TO make for being true to tn
trust imposed upon me by a majority of IN
voters Of this state. History will draw its line
around those who lave outraged me an
disgraccd the Judiciary and blckcncd the hi