Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1900-10-12

1
purpose of intimidating the contest
board and reducing by assassination
the Democratic majority in the gener-
al assembly. They we're menace,
not only to peace and good order, but
to life itself. When arrested for open
and confessed violations Of the law,
Taylor pardoned them as fast as he
could learn of it, and turned them
loose upon the community again with
a warrant to defy the law. This is an
other one of the efforts" of Taylor
ipdorsed by his party platform.
The Assassination.
Another effort of Taylor and his
co-officials" was the assassination
The world knows from the evidence
that he had guilty knowledge of the
intended crime. Caleb Powers furn-
ished the Office and details for con-
summating the crime. Taylor stood
in thirty feet of where the assassin
knelt when he fired the fatal shot.
Dressed in the brief authority of gov
ernor, he used it's power to the utmost
to prevent the apprehension or dis
covery of the assassins by the civil au-
thorities. He surrounded himself
with the militia of the commonwealth
and inaugurated reign of terror.
Fearful lest his brave adversary
might live long enough for the con-
| test board and the general assembly
to determine the contest, he prepared
a proclamation, in which he attempt
ed to adjourn the general assembly to
meet February in London. There is
no language strong enough to express
the horror with which many honest
citizens viewed this fragrant violation
of the law. No attorney Of respecta-
biltty at the bar, insofar as l am
aware, except upon one occasion, has
ever sustained this infamous effort
of Taylor.
Not content with having driven the
general assembly from its historic
chambers, where for well nigh a CEN
tury it has convened to enact laws
for the commonwealth, Taylor, by
force and arms, drove the members
from the public buildings in the city,
and threatened if the general assem-
bly, should meet therein, to occupy
with the military the hotel wherein
his victim lay dying. This effort" of
Taylor has also been indorsed.
On the sixth day of April Taylor
said, in his published card: 'T am
not criminal; neither shall / ever be
a fugitive from Justice" 1t was well
known that the supreme court would
decide the case Of Taylor VS.. Beckham
on May %. The first train that left
Frankfort that morning bore Taylor
to Louisville, and lodged him in the
bosom of Collector Sapp, in the GUS
tom house. There he remained secret
ed until the electric spark flashed the
decision Of the court at Washington.
A closed carriage was hurriedly sum-
moned to the back entrance, and Tay-
lor, with Sapp and Cureton, entered
and were driven rapidly to the Jeffer-
sonville ferry, and thence crossed to
the state of Indiana. That night he
reached Indianapolis, and said:
81 am tired and worn out and need
rest. don't know where l will get
it, but since Gov. Mounts action in
Finley's case believe Indiana will do
for the present"
No doubt he still sighs for "rest." 4"
The assassin's rife will ever ring in
his ears, while in his midnight dreams
and MONDAY visions he sees the form
of his murdered victim as it sinks to
the earth.
TayIor's AbIeet Flight.
This abiect fight of Taylor, from
Kentucky to Indiana was his last SUI
preme effort" in behalf of liberty.
He was so deeply in love with liberty
that he was determined to have it,
even if he had to go to Indiana for it.
All Of these efforts of Taylor and his
co-oficals have been indorsed by the
Republican platform, and Mr.. Yerkes
stands upon and approves this plat
form. He must bear the odium and
infamy of it all. If elected governor
he proposes to administer the govern
ment according to it's principles, and
will act upon the assumption that
Taylor was both honest" and "patri-
otic."
Do the people of Kentucky want
any more like efforts" in behalf of
civil liberty, and do they want the
government of the state administered
as Taylor did? Do the doubling, hesi-
tating Democrats of Kentucky feel
that the politics Of the state will be
purified and the commonwealth bene-
fitted by the success Of that party,
which in the past has disfranchised
entire states, and now stands for Nc
in the nation and Taylor
ism in the states?
Over and against this party Of greed
and blood stands the Democracy-the
party Of the constitution and the law.
Every voter will be compelled to ans
wer at the polls the solemn question:
Shall the commonwealth be governed
by law or by force and arms? ap-
peal to you to answer like brave Ken
tuckians.
J. ,,, - z