The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-05-11
THE PLOT TO
KILL GOEBEL.
Taylor's Secretary, Mat
thews, Brings Out
SENSATIONAL TESTIM 0NY
Youtesey Drawn Deeper Into the
Crime Militia was Uniformed and
Ready to Answer the Assasin's Shot
Col. Chinn Testifies.

The Courier journal of last Saturday
contained the following summary of the
testimony given last night in the Goebe
assassination case.
1.-Two more men who held Office under
the Republican regime have added to
the weight of evidence against the men
indicted for the conspiracy which re-
suited in the assassination of William
Goebel. At the night session of the
Franklin Circuit Court last night Nc
Kenzie Todd, who was Taylor's private
secretary, and j. B. Mathews, who was
Assistant Secretary of State under
Powers, gave highly sensational testi-
mony, most of it entirely new. Mat
hews swore that at the time he issued
Taylor's pardons for Caleb Powers and
John Davis, when they were about to
flee, he also made out pardons for
Charles Finley, w. II. Culton and Har
Ian Whitaker. He also gave damaging
testimony connecting Youtsey as the
arch conspirator in the crime, and fully
established the fact that the assassin
| fired from the Office of Powers, to which
Youtsey had been given key. Matthews
entered the room through transom
and found three rifles, two of which had
not been fred but the Marlin was pow
der stained. One of the Windows was
partly raised and the oth'r was down
and the blind drawn.
Todd told of repeated conferences
between Taylor and Youtsey, and also
told of the placing of rifles in Powers
Office few days before the assassina-
ton. They were hidden behind a pine
board. He also swore that directly after
the assassination Taylor and George
Denno began sending kilograms t. all
parts of the State, saying 'Goebel had
been shot and the war is on
"Among the many other witnesses OF
the day was Dudley Williamson, of the
militia. His company had been assem-
bled in the arsenal in citizens clothes
the morning of the assassination, and as
early as 8 9o'clock they were ordered to
put on their uniform and were prepared
for service An hour before the fatal
shot they were drawn in line in the arse
nal prepared for active service, and
when the call came they Quilted the ar
senal and took immediate possession OF
the Executive building. This testi-
mony established positively a precon'
cerCeu ploJ.
"Other witnesses, among them Col
Jack Chinn, testified that on the day OF
the assassination the Statehouse yard
was absolutely barren of mountaineers
while on every day before they were
crowded about in great numbers. II
seemed as if general warning had beer
given to keep away and give the assassin
room for true aim.
Other witnesses, especially a negro
employe of the Executive building, tolc
of the mountaineers being in readiness
ito stand the police back" By the
testimony of the days witnesses, many
new men not heretofore connected with
, the crime have been implicated in the
conspiracy.
SAIL the other attorneys for the de
fense who were employed to defend all the
men accused have deserted Culton be
cause of his action in going on the stanC
in his own behalf, and Messrs. Ramse.
aud Hogg are conducting his case alone