The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1900-03-29
f. Wharton Golden Gives Some
Very Sensational Testimony
at Frankfort.
duplicates Caleb Powers in a
Conspiracy to Kill Sena-
: tor GOebel.
Also Tells of the Plan to Make a
Republican Majority in the
Legislature.

FRANKFORT, KY, March 26.-F.
Wharton Golden Of Barboursville was
put on the witness stand in the exam
ination of Secretary Of State Caleb
Powers, charged with conspiracy to
murder Senator Goebel.
Golden was rather nervous on the
stand, but did not hesitate in his replies
to questions and his testimony made
deep impression. According to Golden,
Caleb Bowers was one of the prime
movers in the bringing to Frankfort OF
the mountaineers just before the assas-
-sination of Goebel, and that although
Secretary Powers simply instructed LIN
to bring witnesses who were noun.
tain feudists, yet Golden understood
that they were to come to Frankfort
for possibly more sinister purpose,
"that of cleaning OUT the Democratic
majority in the legislature.
Asked exactly what he meant by
cleaning out the Democrats, Golden
replied:
"Well, men who would stand up and
if necessary go into that legislative hall
and kill off enough to make it in our
favor"
In all about 1900 or 1900 men were
brought to Frankfort. They were fed
back of the state house, Captain Davis
and Charles Finley provided the provis-
ions. Continuing Golden said: "We
sent most of them back that night. By
we mean myself, Caleb Powers, Cap
tain Davis, Bill Culton and Governor
Taylor Finley, Taylor and Powers de-
cided to send them back, all except 10
or Is from each county. selected the
men to be kept from Knox county, IL
of them, well armed. Deputy Marshal
George Thompson secured the men
from Laurel county. About 175 men of
the mountaineers brought to Frankfort
remained here to see that we got JUS
tice.''
"Did you have any further converse
ton with Powers regarding the work to
be done by the men remaining here?"
"No, sir, we understood what they
were kept here for. We knew that
those men were here to go into that
Legislative hall and If necessary clean
out those fellows"
"What fellows?"
"The Democrats, enough to make
majority on our side"
1t is expected the commonwealth will
rest at the conclusion Of Golden's testi-
mony. Golden was seized with a slight
hemorrhage during the morning and
adjournment was taken earlier than the
usual hour.
More Sensational Testimy.
Golden resumed his testimony at the
afternoon session. He said John Pow
,ers and an unknown man had talk
concerning the closing Of Caleb Pow
.er's Office during the latter's absence.
II had my back turned, (" said Golden,
'"but when / turned I saw John Pow.
ers give the key to the man. John Pow
-ers said to me, 'Goebel is going to be
killed this morning. I said, This
must not be DONE He said, Don't get
excited, I gave that man the wrong key
! said, I'VE must go and see Caleb.
John Powers saw him, didn't"
AFTER John talked to Caleb Powers
on that Monday morning what was next
done?"
1--WE all went back to the state house.
I did not go to Louisville that morning.
] can't say why"
Were There to XIII Goebel.
"Do you know man in the building
named Dick Coomhs?" asked Attorney
Campbell
II do. He is colored and lives II,
Beattyville. He came down with the
Lee county contingent"
'"Did you have any any talk with
Caleb or John Powers about Dick
Coombs?"
sNo, but they had two negroes there
to kill Goebel John Powers told me
80. They were Hook Smith and Dick
Coombs. I saw Dick Coombs at the
drug store near the depot every morn
ing for week or SO previous to the
shooting. Coombs, talking to a man
named Wallace in my presence, said:
ON him, I know him as far as /
can see him, and I can kill him as far
as can see him."
Was Talking Of Goebel.
s'He was talking of Goebel. This con-
versation was in the adjutant generals
office. He also said:
"sI know his every movement and
can hit him as far as can see him.
'.He carried Colts 80 that shoots a
Winchester cartridge, six or eight
inches in the barrel. Coombs was in
the assistant adjutant generals Office
81 the morning of the shooting with
Hook Smith and Jim Wallace. saw
the man who got the key from John
Powers during the morning. The fellow
was little man. When we Caleb and
John Powers end myself) went back
there he said: You have given me the
wrong key I don't remember what
John said to him. No reference was
make to the key. The key was to
Caleb's Office"
"On Tuesday did you meet Caleb and
John Powers?" asked Attorney Camp
bell.
..Yes, did, saw them in Caleb's Of
fee. l got letter from Brakeman that
morning asking me to come to Louis