New-York tribune., 1900-08-09
WITNESSES CONTRADICTORY.

FEATURES OF THE GoEBEL MURDER TRIAL
TRIANGULATING THE FATAL BULLET.
Georgetown KY, Aug. SIN the trial of former
Secretary Of State Powers on the charge of COM
plcty in the Goebel shooting the defence produced
one OF its star claims this afternoon in the shape
Of a surveyor and his chart OF the Capitol grounds
Frankfort. 1t was sought to prove. by his
figures that the bullet which killed Goebel could
not have been fired from the sill of the window Of
the Secretary OF States office If II took the course
claimed for II by the prosecution.
Both sides took up a large amount Of time again
to-day in an effort to mpeach and contradict wit
nesses who have already testified.
When the trial resumed to-day Dr. Prewitt
of Taylor County who was on the stand when
court adjourned yesterday, resumed his testimony
On ross-examination the witness denied that ne
told Wharton Golden he had no doubt that Tai
low Dick Combs fired the shot that killed Goeoel
He denied that he said Combs came into the Ad-
futant-GeneraTs Office after the shooting He re-
peated that Combs and Hockersmith were in the
Office at the time. and that neither OF them could
have done the shooting. The witness also said he
had Golden a day or two ago and denounced
him a liar
AS Prewitt ieft the stand Golden was recalled
and the men met face to face. The spectators
watched them closely, to how they greeted
each other. They spoke cordially, and then Golden
took the stand and denied that he had made GER
tain statements with which Prewitt charged him.
He repeated what he claimed Prewitt told him in
regard to "Tallow Dick" Combs in connection with
the shooting
DR.. Prewitt recalled, and said that he
with Wharton Golden when the latter was first in
formed by Tom" Cromwell that he might be
arrested in connection with the assassination.
Prewitt declared that Golden. a few minutes later
said they were arranging to put the crime on Pow
ers but that the latter was innocent.
George w Long. State Treasurer under Gov
Synor Bradley, testified about going to Louisville
~ D.
range bring some friends from Western Ken
lucky to be present when the contest argued.
He said the news of the shooting caused them to
abandon the project.
Mrs ]. B. Matthews testified that she heard Cul-
ton tell her husband that he so busy at that
meeting at Moore's Office that he did not know ex-
actly what happened.
T. B. Hampton. who was member Of the Frank
fort militia, said that he was at the arsenal on
the morning of the shooting, and that 1t was ten
fifteen minutes after their first informatio be-
fore they left the arsenal. and that 1t took them
from three TO five minutes to reach the State
House.
Representative ". H. Lilly was called to contra
dict Wade Watts who testified for the prosecu-
ton that while Lilly was in his barber shop one
morning with some mountain men il was stated
that when Van Meter was seated a shot could he
fred. and then all the Democrats would rise, and
they could shoot them all in two minutes Lilly
testified that he didn't know Watts was never in
q
sation.
James Sparks, of Laurel County testified that
Powers told him that In selecting men he wanted
good citizens, sober and we'll behaved and that
they were 10 show their interest by their presence
On cross-examlnation Sparks admitted that he had
been indicted for murder and sentenced 10 tvan.
ty-one In the penitentiary that the Court
Of Appeals had reversed the decision and on
new trial. he was acquitted. He admitted that be
had also been indicted for illegal sale of whskey
and once for carrying concealed weapons since ha
had been practising law.
Counsel for the prosecution asked him If he had
not said in the presence OF a number OF people in
London that Goebel was TO be shot and had even
designated the day; also that Taylor had made out
the pardons with the exception OF inserting the
names He denied making such statements
A. I. siler, Superintendent OF Schools at WIN
iamsburg, was next called and said that he had
helped take the frst crowd to FRANKFORT IN NJ
eember, and distributed tickets to teachers and
good, respectable citizens. He also went himseiS
was given to him, but he turned il over 10 otbars
and had nothing to do with bringing the iast
He was followed by E B. Goodman, Of Naval
worked FOR anY G Ieangg hgneeT Who SAID he
He made survey OF the Capitol grounds in FrankE.
fort and had made chart which he presented
an and stated that a shot fred from the s OF the
hole IN the haekberry tree 0t %oSl5 l5aes ro once TO the
a loot foot in its passage. He understood that the
bullet in passing through Governor Goebei's bo5y
have dropped after leaving the BODY SO e. u would
me nasin fountain. instead OF the blackberry tree
States ONCE which dropped 7-is inches 10 tbe s
toot would never have reached the spot where
further that fine drawn through doebess sfass1 bas1
irom the point of exit 10 the point entrance ana
line would have struck IL sJa feet above the siIi nr
the window referred to- -