The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-01
POWERS STILL ON THE STAND.
He Still Denies That He Had Any Connection
With the Association.
(By the Associated Press.)

Georgetown, KY. July 31.-Former Sec
rotary of State Caleb Powers resumed
the witness stand in his own behalf to-
day in his trial for alleged completely in
the killing of Governor Goebel. He said
on the morning of the assassination he
was preparing to go to Louisville to
make arrangements for bringing more
people to Frankfort. He locked his Of
fee door as described by witness Col
den, but denied that anything suspicious
was said. At La Grange the party heard
that Goebel had been assassinated and
that the shot had been fired from the
second or third story of the executive
building.
81 said it was shame and outrage"
continued the witness, "and that it would
blight the chance of all of us whose OFF,
ces were in contest / expressed similar
sentiments to other people that day."
81 thought it my duty" Powers con-
tinued, ''to return to Frankfort as soon
as possible and with my key, the only
one l ever had to the office, unlocked
the door. found that the lock had been
battered and had difficulty in getting.
the key of it. l did not take the locff
off and supplant it with new one, as has
been by the prosecution.
Witness said his attorney advised to
him to make his way to the Mountains
and remains there until public excitement
died out before giving himself up for trial.
fore giving himself UP for trial.
The witness denied that he ever had
any one of half dozen or more con-
versatic..s with Warren Golden about
which the latter told on the stand last
deck and denied that he had never talked
with him or any other person about the
killing of Goebel or any other member
of the Legislature.
In regard to the testimony of Rob
ert Noakes, witness said he never had
a conversation with Noakes in regard to
the smokeless powder cartridges and
never saw Noakes at Frankfort on jan
uary 25th, when Noakes alleged that the
witness made SO many damaging state
ments to him.
In regard to guns in his office, which
Governor Taylor's Private Secretary. Nc
Kenzie Todd, referred to in his testimony,
the witness said he did not know how
they came there, but understood that one
or two were left there at the end of
Governor Bradley's administration. The
others were put in there later, he sup
pOSeQ, by some Oh the
Powers said he wrote the letter to Pro-
fessor Stevens of Barbourville, February
10th, saying in substance:
'"The present demoraliZed condition Of
the Democratic party is due to me more
than to any other man in the State. They
know l am in favor OF an open declara-
tion of war"
Former Governor Brown, who was con-
Quoting the direct examination asked
Powers what he meant by this expression.
The prosecution objected to any eXplana-
tion of the letter on the ground that
there was no ambiguity about the words
used and that it should go to the jury
to be construed by it. The court sus-
tanned this contention, holding hat as
long as the defendant and other witnesses
had given the same testimony in regard
to the contents of the letter that the jury
should Judge as to the meaning of it. The
defense made an exception.
The winess told of a letter which he
said he received from Robert Noakes,
in March. In the letter he says Noakes
offered his services as witness,
saying that he would disprove the charges
made against witness by Wharton GAiden,
whose confession was being given great
attention by the newspaper at that
time