The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-24
Witness Says Youtsey Told Him
That Goebel Had to BE Put
Out of the Way.
UNWiNDiNG THE CONSPIRACY.
Startling Testimony Made by Lien
tenant John Ricketts, on the
Plot Which Resulted in
the Assassination.

Georgetown. Ky. July os-The courtroom
was only half flIel With spectators when
the Powers case was caiiad to-day. The
prosecution gave notice that r. would excuse
half dozen persons Summoned as witnesses
for that side. Among those excused wss Ike
Golden. brother OF Sergeant F. Wharton
Golden
Lieutenant John Rl-l5'tts. an officer in the
BarbourvilIe militia company OF which John
Powers was Captain. was the first witness
to-day He arrived IN Frankfort on January
q with the trainload OF mountaireers. Be-
fore the train reached Frankfort. witness
said the men were told 70 report 10 " IL
Culton for rat'ons. The men wers armed
with guns and pistols. Arriving at Frank
fort, they took possession of the Acricul-
tural building and stacked their guns there
Witness said that each morning crowd
Of from goo to en- mountain men occupied the
yard In front Of the Legislative building
Witness had conversation with Youtsey
the day before the assassination. Youts.v
said Goebel had to be put out Of the way
and he Goutsey) had 500 which he would
give for that purpose and knew ten or
twelve others who would also contribute to
such fund. Youtsey also said Goepel could
be killed from the Executive building; tina,
the assassin could escape through the base
ment and never be detected He said his lob
depended on Goebel haing killed Fifteen
minutes before the assassination witness
saw Youtsey. and the latter told him he
wanted twenty five thirty men TO accom-
panv him to the Executive building. Con-
tiny'ng, the witness sail:
''Youtsey PIT US inside the Executive
building. near the stairs lie told us some
thing was going to happen and we must re-
main there. When he started through the
hall left and went into a private residence
across the street from the building | had
been there few minutes when / heard the
shots. did nor know any OF the men whom
/ left at the foot OF the stairs in the Bx.cu-
tive building.
Witness explained that the men whom
Youtsey placed were just outside the office
of Secretary OF State. He said he left be-
cause he did not want TO be present in case
Of killing.
Cross-examined. the witness said that
when Youtsey placed the men In the nail.
he told them that as soon as Something
steps and so away with them.
Witness said when You,sey left the men
he went In the direction OF the Governors
office.
r. F.: Coonlbs, private secretary Of Ar-
pelIate Justice Hobson. the next witness.
told OF a conversation between two noun
taineers in the House lobby a dav two
before the assassination In which they
Democrats.
During the cross-examination OF Coombs
Ex-Governor Brown objected TO testimony
that mountaineerS went to Frankfort armed
as the right TO carry arms was a coas.itu-
tional privilege The court took ;ssJse en-
this point and said that the law did not
permit crowds Of armed men not IN the
military service and called out in the resu
lar way 10 gather for any purpose.
Assistant AdJutant General Murray read
a letter which he found on file In his Office
at Frankfort. II having been left there at
the time OF the evacuation of the Taylor
troops II was from Powers TO Adjutant
General Collier. dated January q. in which
Powers says:
I'VE have undertaken a serious matter.
We must win. We must have the men and
guns"
w p Re.der Of Knox County saw
Charles Finley at the depot at Barbour
Vile on the evening OF January q, when
the mountaineers we're being made up 70
60 to Frankfort Witness asked Finley II
Goebel would not be killed. Finley replied
that It would possibly happen in less than
five DAYS Witness said the conversation
with Finley took place In the presence OF
Wharton Golden.
Wade H. Watts one OF the janitors in
the Adjutant Generals building. said that
on Saturday before the shooting Green
Golden Lieutenant Ricketts, and others
we're In the building. One of them said
there was likely TO be a fight any minute.
Green Golden said they should be prepared
to stand off the police and a sentinel was
placed outside to watch the gate. Repre-
sentative Lilly came into the office and one
OF the men told him that signal shot was
10 De fired in the house. that the Republican
members should not rise from their seats:
that the Democrats would rise Up In the
excitement, and that the men In the Hobbies
would shoot them down. Witness said he
did not know the name OF the man talking.
but knew his face we'll and knew that he
was one OF the mountain men who arrived
January %.
on the day Of the assassination witness
said no was I'm the barber shop In the base
mant of the executive building. Imme-
diatelv after the shooting. he said. Henry
you,sev ran into the basement. coming
from the steps leading up to the Secretary
NJ States Office Youtsey was running. and
as he passed exclaimed:
Great God! wha, Is that shooting
about He did not stop. He held his coat
as ~ he had some kind OF an object con- |
cea,ed under it, The shots sounded TO the |
witness as II they were fred from the |
Secretary OF States office.