Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-09-18

FRANKFORT, KY, Sept. 1.-THE
first really sensational testimony in
the trial OF James Howard, charged
with having fired the shot that killed
William Goebel, was given to-day by
Bowman Gaines, local liveryman, and
James Stubblefeld, a former deputy
sheriff of Clay county. The former
identified Howard as the man who ran
out from the rear of the State House
grounds and jumped over the fence i'm
mediately after the shooting. Gaines
was positive in his identification OF. the
prisoner as the man, and said the lat
ter then wore a moustache and was fol-
lowed by a man who was tall aIt slen-
der. A boy who was nearby at tie time
will also be introduced as a witness to
corroborate Gaines.
The most sensational witness, how
ever, and at the same time the most
important witness from the prosecution
standpoint was James Stubblefield, a
one-legged and one-armed ex-deputy
sheriff of Clay county. Stubblefeld tes-
titled that Howard exultingly told him
that he fired the
Shot That Took GoebeI,s Life.
Stubblefeld lost his limbs as a result
of Clay county feuds last year. His tes-
timony in detail was that Howard
stopped at his house in February,
shortly after the shooting. Shortly af-
ter he came in, Stubblefe1d says he re-
marked to him:
Jim, you all have been having trou-
bic down at Frankfort
YES" responded Howard, according
to the witness, I'VE have raised hell
and cleaned the platter" and added, Il
never sight down my gun barrel but
what get meat or money, and this
time ] got BOTH
The witness says Howard was again
at his house several days later and he
asked him what he meant by his re-
mark on the former occasion. Howard
responded.
by God. I mean just what 1 said
Witness said he then pressed him,
putting the direct question:
Jim, do you mean to say that you
killed Goebel?"
Howard, he says, responded in the
affirmative, and said he believed his
mountain friends would stand by him
and that five hundred men could not
take him to Frankfort for trial.
Stubblefeld said he did not tell the
story of Towards confession until he
heard that Howard and his friends
Were Planning to XIII.
The defense subjected the witness to
a severe cross examination but failed
to tangle him to any extent.
]. L. Jones, of Knox county, was in
PRODUCED by the prosecution and told
of alleged remarks by Howard indicat-
ing connection with the murder. but his
testimony was entirely broken down by
the defense, who not only showed him
to have served two terms in the peni-
Tertiary, but that he had also been
promised compensation for his tabor
in looking up testimony. He said Col.
r. c. Campbell had promised him a
reasonable sum of money for his SER
vices, but that Campbell said he only
wanted the truth and did not want 20
see anything but the truth brought out.
Jones is the uncle Of Howard's wife.
During all of the testimony Howard
did not display any change of feeling.
During the damaging testimony of
Stubblefeld, which from the manner
in which it was given, must have made
a strong impression on the jury. How
ard smiled and prompted his attor-
neys.
The other witnesses examined to-day
told nothing new. The prosecution will
probably conclude its testimony to-
morrow morning.