Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-01-31

FRANKFORT, KY, January 3d.
While walking through the capitol
grounds IN his way to the capitol build
ing at ten minutes after II O'Clock this
morning, William Goebel, the Demo
cratic contestant for Governor Of Ken
lucky, was shot down and very dan
gerou5ly wounded.
Harland Whitaker, a farmer from
Butler county, the home county OF Gov
ernor Taylor, is now in the Jail at
Louisville, charged with the crime.
There is no direct evidence against
Whitaker and he vas placed under ar
rest more because he was caught around
the capitol building when the shots
were fred than for any other apparent
reason. He denies in the most positive
manner that he had any connection with
the shooting or knew anything about
it. He was running toward the scene
Of the shooting, and not away from it
when he was arrested.
Senator GoebeI was wounded by a
rifle ball of small caliber, not over SO,
which struck him in the right side just
below the arm pit. The ball passed
through the back part of the right lung,
across the body on a diagonal line,
passing out below the left shoulder
blade.
MI Goebel was on his way to the
Senatea 9amber in company with Col.
Jack CnInn and Warden Eph Lillard,
of the Frankfort p~enitentiary. Mr..
LiElard was a few feet in advance OF
Goebel and Chinn, who were walking
side by side, Goebel being on the right
and Chinn upon the left.
From the outer edge Of the capitol
grounds to the step of the capitol build
ing the distance
Is About Three Feet.
Two-thirds of this had been passed and
the men were walking slowly when
suddenly a shot rang out from the large
three-story building which stands about
fifty feet east of the capitol building.
This building is used for offices by
nearly all the leading officials of the
State, Governor Taylor and the secre-
tary of state having rooms on the first
floor.
AS the shot was heard, Goebel gave a
quick involuntary exclamation Of pain
and made an effort to draw his own re-
volver. His strength was unequal to
the task, however, and he sank upon
the pavement. With quick rapidity
several more shots sounded, striking the
brick sidewalk close to where Goebel
lay. None of them touched him, how
ever.
Lillard hastily turned around toward
Goebel, who was supported by Chinn,
who had his arms about him almost as
soon as he touched the pavement.
"Get help" said Chinn to Lillard, and
turning to Goebel, he asked: Are you
hurt, Goebel? Did they get you?"
'They have got me this time" said
Goebel. 81 guess they have killed
me-"
In less than a minute a crowd of
men was around Goebel. He was
losing much blood and was becoming
weak. He was hastily carried to the
office of DR.. E. E. Hume, in the base
ment of the capitol hotel, about one
thousand feet from the spot where the
shooting occurred. Here he was laid
On a sofa while DR.. Hume made a
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 YER
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 in addition to D Hume, Drs.
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
p IL.