The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-19
THE JURY FINDS
POWERS GUILTY
He Will Go to the Peniten-
tiary For Life.
THE VOTE IC IIMANIM0IIS
THE VOTE is UNANIMOUS
The Verdict Falls Upon Powers Like
a Thunderbolt,
He DECLARES THAT IT IS MOST UNJUST
Yet One Of the Jurors Says Some Of the Strong
est Evidence Against Him Was Furn-
ished by Himself. Republican
Jurors Statement.

Georgetown, KY, Aug 1S.-"We, the
jury, find the defendant guilty and fix
his punishment at confinement in the
penitentiary for the rest of his natural
life.'
This was the wording of the verdict
rendered today in the case of EX-Secre-
tary of State Caleb Powers, charged with
being an accessory before the fact to the
murder Of William Goebel. The jury re-
tired at 1872 p. m and returned it's YER
dict at 2:25, having been out only SO
minutes.
The vote in favor of a life sentence
was unanimous.
When the jury retired the belief was
general that it's members would fail to
agree and in this opinion the defendant
himself was firmly fixed
When the verdict of guilty was return
ed, Powers, for the first time during the
weary six weeks of the trial, betrayed his
feelings. Under all of the trying Incl
dents of the trial he had maintained
changeless expression. The verdict of
guilty, however, 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. When
the II men filed into the room and took
their seats, and as clerk Penn called the
rol lof jurors, the prisoner did not ap-
pear to be more excited than the rest
of the spectators.
'Have you made a verdict, gentle
mem" inquired the court
1--WE have" the jurors assented, and at
the same time Mr.. Stone, the foreman
passed the verdict up to the clerk who
read it aloud. Powers, always pale,
grew CHASTITY white as the verdict was
read, and his face betokened great men
tai anguish. Then, somewhat regainlng
his composure, he turned to the Misses
Dangerfield, who had been in conversa-
ton with him and said:
81 was net expecting that. The YER
dict is unjust"
There was no sort of demonstration fol-
lowing the verdict and the vast crowd
filed out of the court house almost in
silence Powers remained in the court
room for some time after the verdict was
rendered. in conference with his attor-
neys, who will at once move for new
trial.. and, failing in that, will take an
appeal.
When the jurymen entered the jury
room, Juror Stone, the oldest man on the
panel, was elected foreman.
Juror Porter, the only Republican on
the jury, the first to speak, said
Gentlemen, l am a Republican and
l have said that l did not believe Geo
bells murder was the result of con-
spiracy l did not think Caleb Powers
could be guilty, but l have heard the
evidence and l am convinced he is.
Others also made talks, and it is said
one of the men of the jury intimated
that he thought the death penalty ought
to be inflicted. However, when ballot
was taken all twelve of the jurors voted
for life Imprisonment.
The jury which sat in the case was
composed of eight Democrats, three anti
Goebel Democrats and one Republican
as follows:
l. G. Stone, foreman, anti-Goebel; Har-
ris Musselman, farmer, anti-Gcobel; w.
o. finder, farmer, antiGoebel; A. w.
Craig, merchant, Democrat; W. P. Mum
son. farmer, Democrat W. H. Oldham,
merchant, Democrat; Ben Ford, farmer,
Democrat; M. George Murphy Demo-
crat; j. T. Mulberry, farmer, Demo-
crat: j. T. Crosswait, carpenter Demo-
crat; Alonzo Kemper, farmer, Demo-
crat. and j. C. Porter, school teacher,
Republican.
One of the jurors said tonight that the
iurymen were Influenced in making up
their verdict by many things in the evil
dence, but that some of the chief points
were Powers own admission on the stand
that he organized the crowd of loo
armed mountaineers which came to
Frankfort January 18th, his corrobora-
ton of parts of the testimony of Noakes,
Golden and Culton, the proof that he
gave Youtsey the key and that the shot
was fired from his office. 1t is doubtful
whether the Youtsey case will be tried,
although it will be called on Monday.
Mr.. Crawford, of the defense, made a
statement in court this afternoon that
Youtsey according to his physician is
still threatened with typhoid fever. One
| of his attorneys, John M. Stevenson, is
| also i'll of typhoid fever and Mr.. Craw-
| ford could not say whether or not the
defense would be ready on Monday. In
| the event the Youtsey case is continued
| one of the other cases, either that OF
! Davis Whitaker or Combs will be taker
| up.
After the jury retired the case of Herr,
| Youtsey, also charged with completely il
| the Goebel assassination, was called. TN
defense was represented by l.. J. era"
| ford and r. W. Nelson, of Newport, AM
| Judge Askew of Georgetown.
| A long list of witnesses were called bu
none answered to their names.
THEY TALK OF A NEW TRIAL.
! Barbourville, KY. Aug 18.-The an
| nouncement by the Associated Press 0
| the conviction of Caleb Powers was re
| ceived by the people of his native tow
as a distinct shock. The verdict COMING
so quickly was a surprise to all, as
| disagreement had been expected Thu
feeling seems to be very deep, but TIL
| neople hesitate to discuss the matter
| save with close friends. The chief topi
| of conversation now is new trial.
Honest ducks dip their heads undo