The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1900-02-07
ASSASSINATION OF
GOVERNOR-ELECT COEBEL
POLITICAL CONSPIRACY AND
TRAGEDY.


His Way to the State foute
Viii am Goebel the Democratic
contestant for Governor of Kentucky
was slot down and dangerously wound
ed while walking the capitol grounds
at Frankfort, KY, on Tuesday, Jan
30th.
Senator Goebel was wounded by a
rifle ball Of small calibre, no. over 38
which struck him in the right lung,
across the body in : agonal line,
passing out be ow the left shoulder
blade. The vital organs were not In.
JureC, with the exception of the right
lung.
Mr.. Goo bel was on his ways to the
Senate chamber in company with Col,
Jack Chin and Warden ED Liilard
Ci the Frankfort penitentlary. Mr..
Lillard WAS few feet In advance of
GoeDcl and Chinn, who were walking
side by side, Goebel being on the right /
and Chinn on the left. From the outer
edge Of the capitol grounds to the step
OF the capitol building the distance is
about three hundred feet. Two.thirds
of this had beeu passed and the men
were walking slowly, when suddenly a
shot rang out from large three story
building, which stands fifty feet east
of the capitol building. Thus building
Is used for offices by nearly all the
leading officials Cf the State, Governor
Taylor and the S, cretary of State bav
ing rooms on the ii ST Il jur
AS the shot was heard Gosbel gave a
quick Involuntary exclamation Of pain
and made an [ fort TO draw his re.
volVer. His strength was unequal to
the task, however, and he sank upon
the pavement. With great rapidity
several more shots we're feed, the
bullets all striking the Brick sidewalk
close to where GOebal lay. None of
them touch cd MIN, however.
Lillard hastily turned around to aid
Goebel, who was supported by Chinn,
who had his arms about him most as
soon as he touched the pavement.
Get help" said Chinn to Lillard, and
turning to Goebel, he asked
Are you hurt, .Goebel? Did they
get you?'
They have got me this time" said
Goebel. 81 guess they have killed
me-"
In less than minute crowd of men
WAS around Goebel. He was losing
much blood and was becoming very
weak. He was hastily carried to the
ctiice Of DR.. e E. Hume, in the base.
ment OF the. Capitol Hotel, about on
Thousand feet from the spot where the
shooting occurred. Here be was laid
on sofa, while Dr.. Hume made
hasty examination, pronouncing the
wound to De OF q nature that must eau Sc
death in short time. Gotbel, who
showed great fortitude and courage
throughout, smiled weakly as he heard
the verdict and feeby rolled his hea
from side to side in token of dissent
from that opinion. He was then
carried TO his room, on the second fl DOR
OF the Capitol Hotel, and, in addition
tn
were summoned to attend him. After
a careful examination of the wound
the doctors announced that, while ex-
ceedingly dangerous, 1T was necessarily
fatal, unless complications or blood
poisoning should set in. The patien;
himself Kept up his courage, Insisting
again and again that he WAS not going
to die
1t was decided by his friends to cal
In also the services of DR.. McMurty, o
prominent surgeon OF Louisville, and
urgent message were at once sent for
him. After the wound had been
dressed Seantor Goebel showed great
exhaustion and it was announced by
the physicians that he would in al
probability die In a short time. He
rallied, however, and under the H.
huence OF an opiate sank into gent
slumber, which lasted several hours.
The bullet which struck Mr.. Goebel
was hred from 3 window in the centre
OF the third story OF the office building
just east Of the capitol. That window
was raised about eight inches from the
Gill to permit an unobstructed passage
for the bullet when Mr.. GOebel should
come within range. Both Chinn and
Lillard assert that while the first shot
came In the direction of the window in
the third story, there were other shots
fired from different portions of the
same building. Some of those who
heard the shots say that at least one
shot was fred from the office OF the
Secretary of State. This, however, Ia
not true. There were several men in
the Office OF the Secretary Of State,
who rushed to the window as soon as
the shots were heard, and all of them
declare that there was no shot fired at
all from that part OF the building. The
window in the third story was left
open, no efort being made to close IT
by the wCuld-be assassin, while not
another window in the building was
opened nor were there any places
where bullets had been fred through
them.
AS soon as it was known that the
bullet hiIh struck MIR. GccDel had
come from the building to the east
group OF men gathered in front of the
door on the east side. Others ran
around to the door on the west side to
prevent the escape of any oody from
there. Several men attempted to
ented the doors from the outside, but
were prevented by groups OF noun
taincers who stood In the doorways.
Some OF these men held Winch esters
In their hands, and presented an aspect
30 generally uninviting that no attemp
was made To seach the building, and
nobody gained entrance to 1t for several
minutes alter the shooting had been
done, and the assass lon had ample op-
portunity to escape.
That the shooting OF Mr.. Goebel was
tho result of carefully laid plan is
without question. The man who did
the work had eviC Gently take his stand
at the window, which had previously
been raised in orov to al ow the free
passage OF the bullet, and waited unit
his victim was In full sight before
firing.
Ever since the |, flux OF mountai neer
ast week large number Of them hav,
been sleeping 10 the upper part OF tn,
State House. IT is not known, how
eyeHaDa&s,bnaz&ash ii csc men did tn
:! !}> q had any knowledg
y 81 :. s. & III crime. There he
X H..