The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-01
DECLARE GOEBEL ELECTED
Official Act of the Legislature on the
Kentucky Contest.

Official Act of the Legislature on the
Kentucky Contest
Frankfort, KY, Feb. AT a secret
joint session Of the Democratic mem
Ders of the legislature last night the
following were adopted:
Whereas, The undersigned members
OF the senate and house of representa-
t1ves, composing a majority of the gen.
eral assembly of this commonwealth
and of the two houses therefore on this
day, January 81, 1900, did go to the
capitol in the city of Frankfort for the
purpose of holding sessions of the sem
ate and house pursuant to adjournment
and were then and there met by a large
Dody or armed men, who had taken
forcible possession of said building and
then and there with arms, prevented
the members of said general assembly
from entering and holding a session of
either house in the senate chamber or
the hall of the house of representatives;
and
Whereas, The undersigned members
of the general assembly, as aforesaid,
Immediately adjourned from the Cap
1tol building to the opera house in the
said city of Frankfort, and were in like
manner forcibly prevented from hold
ing sessions in the court house in the
city of Frankfort, to which the under
signed adjourned, said opera house and
court house both having been forcibly
and unlawfully taken possession of by
armed men; and
Whereas, The contest board which
has been engaged since January Is, 1900,
in hearing the contest between William
Goebel, contestant, and William S. Tay-
lor, conteStee, for the Office of governor
and between ]. CIV. Beckham, contest
ant, and John Marshall, conteStee, for
the Office of lieutenant governor, had
decided said contests in favor of the
contestants in each case and had pre-
pared in each case a report signed by
more than seven members of each
board, finding that in one case William
Goebel' had received the highest num-
Der of legal votes cast at the November
election, 1899, and was then and there
legally elected governor of the COM
monwealth of Kentucky and entitled to
said Office, and that William S. Taylor
had not been elected governor as afore-
said and was not entitled to said Office
and in other case finding that J. G. w.
Beckham had received the highest num-
Der of legal votes cast at the November
election, 1899, and was then and there
legally elected lieutenant governor of
the commonwealth of Kentucky and
entitled to said office, and that John
Marshall had not been elected lieu
tenant governor as aforesaid and was
not entitled; and
Whereas, The said William S. Taylor,
now acting governor of this common
wealth, having learned said facts, and
the further fact that the said contest
board would on this day make report
of it's findings in the said cases TO the
two houses of the general assembly for
its action thereon, the said Taylor for
the fraudulent and unlawful purpose of
preventing said reports from being
made to said house andfOr the unlawful
purpose of preventing the general as
SemblJ from considering or determin-
ing the said contests, or either Of them,
did WrOngfully and cOrruptly, in VIOLA
ton of his oath of office, and violation
of the law OF the land issue his certain
proclamation falsely, declaring that "a
state of Instruction now prevails IN the
state of Kentucky, especially in Frank
fort, the capital thereof, and unlaW-
fully and corruptly attemptedto adjourn
the general assembly to meet at Lon
don, Laurel county, Kentucky, February
6, 1900, the undersigned members of the
senate and house do now declare that
no violence has been done or attempted
or has existed in the city of Frankfort,
save that which has resulted from and
been the act of the bands of 1awless
armed men which said Taylor has
brought to the capital and quartered in
the capitol and executive office from the
window of which last named building
on January 80, 1900, an assassin fired
and mortally wounded William Goebel,
a senator from the county of Kenton,
and contestant for the office of COVER
nor, while walking to the capitol to
attend a session of the senate upon said
date.
BY force, fraud and corruption, the
said conteStee, Taylor, has prevented
our meeting at any place in the city
OF FRANKFORT ana announced through
| the lawless men acting under his or
ders, that we shall not assemble nor
consider the said contested election
cases as a legislative body. In view of
the facts we do now adjudge, determine
and declare that the said William
Goebel was elected governor of this
| commonwealth on the 9TH day of No
vember, 1899 and then and there re-
ceived the highest number of legal votes
cast at said election and is now legally
entitled to said office; that William S.
Taylor did not receive the highest num-
Der of legal votes cast at said election
for said office and is not now entitled
to hold the same; that J. G. w. Beck
ham at said election, received the high
est number of legal votes cast at said
election for the office of lieutenant gov
ernor and is now entitled to said office,
and that John Marshall did not receive
the highest number of legal votes cast
as aforesaid and is not entitled to said
| office, and we do now declare that this
| resolution and determination be entered
upon the journal of each house.
And we do now in the name of the
people of Kentucky, whose representa-
tives we are, most solemnly protesting
against the unlawful acts of the said
| William S. Taylor, acting governor of
Kentucky in filling the capitol of the
state with reckless armed men who
have assassinated an honored member
| of this general assembly, and in calling
out the militia without cause excluding
| the general assembly from the legisla-
| tive halls and in preventing it from
meeting to transact the business Of the
commonwealth
Signed by the Democrats, senators
and representatives.
Stood Deat Off
II q NTundav a LAWYER of Henrietta.