Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-07-24
EXPOSING THE PLOT
Damaging Evidence in the GoebeI
Murder Trial Con.
tinueS.
THE LAWFUL GOVERNOR DooMEI
The Plan Arranged to Shoot
Down Democratic Mem.
bers.

other day of damaging and sensational
testimony in the Goebel murder trial
yesterday. Lieut.. John Ricketts,. of
Barbourville, was the principal wit
ness. According to Ricketts,, the plot
to murder Goebel was thoroughly un-
derstood by number of men, even
to the hour and minute when the
crime was to be committed.
Wade H. Watts, negro of much
intelligence. was also sn important
witness. and his testimony was very
damaging.
A significant feature of the DAYS
proceedings was warm tilt between
former Gov. John Young Brown, Sc
nior counsel for Powers. and the trial
Judge. On the strength of some re-
marks made by the Judge in moment
of anger. the defense will ask new
trial, even if Powers be given the
| lightest sentence.
| Getting Goebel Out of the Way.
Lieut.. Ricketts,. an officer in the
Barbourville militia company, of
which John Powers was captain, was
the first witness. He arrived in
Frankfort Jan. % with the train load
of mountaineers. Witness said each
mor ming a crowd of from 800 to 600
mountain men occupied the yard in
front of the Legislative building.
Witness saw Youtsey frequently and
talked with him. He had a CONVEX
sation with Youtsey the day before
the assassination. Youtsey said Goe-
bel had to be put out of the way. and
he (Youtsey) had 800 which he
would give for that purpose, and
knew 10 or IL others who would also
contribute to such fund. Youtsey
also said Goebel could be killed from
the executive building; that the
assassin could escape through the
basement and never be detected. He
said his job depended on Goebel be-
ing killed. Fifteen minutes before
the assassination witness saw Yout-
sey, and the latter told him he wanted
25 or so men to accompany him to
the executive building. Continuing
he witness said:
"Youtsey put us inside the exc GU
tive baildiug. He told US something
was going to happen and we must
remain there. When he started |
through the hail left and went into |
a private residence across the street |
from the building. l had been there |
few minutes when l heard the shots. |
1 did not know any of the men whom
/ left at the foot of the stairs in the |
executive building"
Assistant Adjt. Gen. Murray read q |
letter which he found on file in his
Office at Frankfort. having been left |
there at the time of the evacuation of
the Taylor troops. 1t was from |
Powers to Adjt. Gen. Collier, dated |
Jan. p. in which Powers says: I'VE |
have undertaken a serious matter. |
We must win. We must have these |
men and guns"
Another signed by John and Caleb |
Powers to Gen. Collier on the same
date said: You're acquainted with
the fact that Capt. Hows is a demo-
crat. He has the keys to the armory |
and refused to give them to US. The
lieutenants are all right. Please noti-
ty Capt. Hows to deliver the keys to
Lieut.. Gibson
In letter from d. w. GRAY, of the
1st regiment. to Gen. Collier Jan. IL |
the writer says: Referring to our
conversation Yesterday, do not |
think the telegram agreed on by US
will be sufficient order. l suggest
that you see Gov. Taylor, and get or
ders now, so that when the time of ac-
ton arrives the telegram will then be
sufficient
A telegraphic code and key, found
in the adjutant generals Office, was
also read. One of the letters was
marked at the end. confidential.
and another contained the express
sion "burn this up"
Gosbel Doomed to Die.
w. P. Reeder, of Knox county, saw
Charles Finley at the depot at Bar
bourville on the evening of Jan. %.
when the crowd of mountaineers was
being made up ts go to Frankfort Wit
ness asked Finley if Goebel would not
be killed. Finley replied with a ges-
ture that he would not be surprised.
Witness asked how soon he would be
killed, and Finley replied that it
would possibly happen in less than
five days.
Wade Watts. colored, one of the
janitors in the adjutant generals
building. said that the Saturday be-
fore the shooting Green Golden. Lieut..
Ricketts, and others were in the build
ing One of them said there was
likely to be fight any minute. Green
Golden said they should be prepared
to stand of the police. and sentinel
was placed outside to watch the gate.
To shoot Down DemoerAts.
Representative Lilly came into the
office and one of the men told him
that signal shot was TO be fired in
he house; that the republican MEM
bers shOuld not rise from their seats: