Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-02-01
G0EBEL SHOT DOWN
BY AN ASSASSIN.
Several Shots Fired at Him From an Upper
Window Of a Building
IN THE STATE HOUSE GROUNDS.
Only One Bullet Took Effect, But it Passed En-
tireIy Through GoebeIs Body.

1 hasty examination, pronouncing the
wound to be of a nature
That Must Cause DEATH
in a short time. Goebel, who showed
great fortitude and courage through
out smiled weakly as he heard the.ver-
dict, and feebly rolled his head from
side to side. in token of dissent from
the opinion expressed by the physi-
clan.
He was then carried to his room on
the second floor of the Capitol hotel
and i'm addition to DIR. Hume, Qrs.
Mccormick and Ely were summoned
to attend him. After a careful exam
ination of the wound, the doctors an
nounced that, while, exceedingly
dangerous, it was not necessarily fatal
unless complications or blood poison
ing should set in. The patient him
self kept up his courage, insisting
again and again that he was not going
to die.
1t was decided by his friends to call
in also the service of DR.. McMurty, a
prominent surgeon of Louisville and
urgent messages were at once sent for
him. After the wound had been
dressed Senator Goebel showed great
exhaustion and it wa announced by
the physicians that he would in all
probability die within a short time.
He rallied. however, and under the in
1luence of an opiate, sank into a
gentle slumber which lasted for sew
eral hours.
The bullet which struck Mr.. Goebel
was fired from a window in the CEN
| ter of the third story of the Office build
ing just east of the capitol. That win
dow was raised about eight inches
from the sill to permit an unobstruct-
Goebel should come within range.
Both CHM and Lillard assert that,
while the first shot came from the di-
. rection 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 fired from the Office of the Sec
rotary of State. This, however, is not
true as there were 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 effort having been made
to close it by the would-be assassin.
while no other window in the build
ing,was opened, nor were there any
places where bullets had been fired
through them.
Whitaker, the alleged assassin of
senator Goebel, was arrested as he came
down the steps on the east side of the
State Office building, directly below
the window from which the shots had
been fired. AS he reached the side
walk and was Fastening toward the
scene of the shooting he was met by
John e. Miles, who is 76 years of age.
Without hesitation Miles threw him
self upon Whitaker, winding his arms
around him and calling loudly for
help. 1t was right at hand, and in an
instant Whitaker was surrounded by
a group of men, many of them with
drawn revolvers. He made nc attempt
to escape, knowing well that the
slightest attempt to do so would have
brought a dozen bullets into his body.
He submitted quietly to a search,
which was quickly made, the proceeds
being three
R~evolvers and One Big Knife.
A quick examination of the revolvers-
showed that none of the cartridges
had been used, and there was no pow
der smut upon any part of his weap-
ons, proving. c~onclusively that he could
not have used any of his three revolt
vers. In addition to this. all those
who heard the shots join in the state
ment that they were from a rifle and
not from a smaller weapon.
Whitaker was quickly led away and
placed in the Jail, while a guard was
placed at the outer entrance to keep
out all people who had no direct con-
nection with the Institution.
The prisoner is a man slightly over
! the medium size, with sandy hair and
mustache. He was disposed to take
things calmly, although he repeated
| again and again that he knew nothing
whatever about the shooting. 81 was
on the first floor of the building" he
said, when l heard Governor Taylor
! tell that man Davis, the capitol po-
liceman, to go over at once and see
| Gen. Collier. l said I would go with
him, and that was where I was going.
l wanted to know. too, what the
shooting was about. When I stepped
outside that man grabbed me and
that's all l know. and that is a fact"
Few people believe
That Whitaker is Guilty