The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1900-08-24
CALEB POWERS
FOUND GUILTY
Of Completely in the Muir
der of Goebel.
SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR LIFE,
The Jury Was Out Only Short While
Powers Issues a Statement, De-
nouncing the Trial As Farce.

GEORGETOWN, KY. Aug. IS. -
1--WE, the jury, f1nd the defendant
guilty and fix his punishment at COLI
finement in the peniter tiary for the
rest of his natural life."
This was the wording of the ver-
dict in the case of ex-.5ecretary of
State Caleb Powers, charged with
being an accessory before the fact of
the murder of VIM. GoebAl.
The Jury retired at :32 and re-
turned its verdict at 2:25, having
been out only 50 minutes. Juror
Craig stated afterward that the YER
dict could have been returned even
sooner, but considerable time was
taken up in reading the instructions
The vote In favor of life sentence
was unanimous.
When the verdict of Guilty was
returned Powers, for the frs time
during the weary six weeI " the
trial, h trayed his f elings. Under
all Of the trying incidents OF the
trial, he had maintained change
less EXPIRE ssion, the same whether
things were going favorable or
against lin.
The verdict of guilty, howev, r,
apparently staggered him. He Was
sitting near the door of the Jury
room and when the jurors knocked
on the door summoning the Sheriff,
his face took on an anxious look that
was noticeable, but did not seem TO
be particularly apprehensive. When
the twelve men filed into the room
and took their seats as Clerk Penn
called the roll of jurors, the prisoner
did not appear to be more excited
than the vast throng of spectators,
who craned their necks TO catch the
| fist intimation of the verdict.
Have you made verdict, gentle
men?' inquired the court.
I'VE have" the jurors assented
ard at the sam9 tune, Mr.. Stone,
foreman, passed the verdict up to
the clerk, who read it aloud.
Powers, always pale, grew ghsstly
so as the verdict was read and his
| face betok ened great mental anguish.
| his was onlv for few seconds,
however, aud then somewhat re-
gaining his composure he tdrned tn
the Misses Danger field, who had
| been III conversation with him and
said:
Il was not ex oecting that; the yer
| dict is unjust
There was no sort of d. mOnstra
ton following the verdict aud the
vast crowd filed out of the court
| house almost in silence, Powers re-
NAMED in the courthouse Tor some
time after tie court etired, in con-
| ference with his attorneys, who will
at once move for a new trial, aud
failing in that, will take an appeal.
Whtn the jurymen entered the
jury room, Juror Stone, the Oldest
man on the panel, was elected fore
man.
Juror Porter, the only Republican
on the jury, was the first To speak
and saIu:
Gentlemen, 1 am Republican.
ana [ have said that | ala not be-
lieve Goebel's murder was the RESULT
of conspiracy. | did not think
Caleb Powers could be guilty, but |
have heard the evidence and | am
convinced he is"
Others also made talks, and it lie
SAID that one of the jurors intimated
that he thought .he death penalty
ought to ue inflicted. However,
W hen ballot was taken all twelve
of the jurors voted for life imprlsun
| melt.
The Jury which sat in the case was
composed of eight Democrats, three
anti Goebel Democrats and one Re
pubncau.