Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-03-26
3. Wharton Golden Gives Some
Very Sensational Testimony
s... II at Frank fort.
duplicates Caleb Powers in q
Conspiracy to Kill sena-
tor Goebel.
Also Tells of the Plan to Make a
Republican Majority in the
Legislature.

Wharton Golden Of Barboursville was
put on the witness stand in the exam
nation 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 a
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 him
to bring witnesses" who were noun
tain feudists. yet Golden understood
that they were to come to Frankfort
for possibly q more sinister purpose,
s'that Of cleaning QUIT the Democratic
majority in the legislature. .ssss 355
Asked exactly what he meant by
cleaning out the Democrats. Golden
replied: !s s3; IN
Well, men who would stand up and
If necessary 60 into that legislative hall
and kill off enough to make it in our
favor @sSS # .s5S 33
lii all about !, 200 or |, 800 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: Eve
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 5 from each county. I selected the
men to be kept from Knox county, IL
Of them, well armed. Deputy Marshal
George Thompson secured the men
from Laurel county. Abont 175 men of
the mountaineers brought to Frankfort
remained here to see that we got jus
tice. y & II 55$s s s: Il
Did you have any further converse
tion with Powers regarding the work to /
be done by the men remaining here?''
. th'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. =
8 What fellows?' MI
'eThe Democrats, enough to make
majority on our side. .ss@
4 It is expected the commonwealth will
rest at the conclusion Of Golden's testi-
mony. Golden was seized with slight /
hemorrhage during the morning and
adjournment was taken earlier than the
usual hour. s n II
More Sensational Testimy.
Golden resumed his testimony at the 1
afternoon session. He said John Pow
5ers and an unknown man had talk
concerning the closing Of Caleb Pow!
er's office during the latter's absence.
rs 81 had my back turned, ;, said Golden,
stbut when I turned saw John Pow
ers give the key to the man. John Pow
ers said to me, sGoebel is going to be /
killed this morning. said, This
must not be done 'is He said, Don't get
excited, 4 gave that man the wrong key
4 said, We must go and see Caleb. +
John Powers saw him, + didn t t. y
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.
i can't say why Y
We're There to Kill Goebel.
.ss Do you know man in the building
named q, Dick Coombs?'' asked Attorney
Campbell
do, He is colored and lives in
Beatty yyille. He came down with the
Lee county contingent. !"
Did you have any any talk with
Caleb or John Powers about Dick
Coombs?'
a No, but they had two negroes there
to kill Goebel. John Powers told me
90 They were Hook Smith and Dick
Coonbs. saw Dick Coombs at the
drug store near the depot every morn
ing for q week or 30 previous to the.I
shooting. Goombs, talking to man
named Wallace III my presence, said:
Dn him, I know him as far as i
ran see him, and ! can kill him as far
as j can see him. = VI
Was Talking Of toebel.
He was talking Of Goebel. This con-
versation was id the adjntant general 'si
Office. He also said:
Z sg$'. Il know his every movement and 4
can hit him as far as I CAN see him.
He carried q Colts 82 that shoe Is a
Winchester cartridge, six or eight