The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-01-31

ferent portions OF tic fame building.
The window in the thi:1 story sas .elt
open. no effort having been made TO
close II by the woul-be ASSASSIN. while
not another window In the building
was opened nor were there any places
where bullets ns1 been fred through
them.
Whitaker was surrounded by
group Of men. many Of them with
drawn rcyolycfs. lie made no attempt
to escape. knowing well that the
slightest attempt 20 do no would have
brought dozen bullets into his body.
He submitted quietly 10 the search
which was quickly made OF his cloth
ing. the proceeds being three revolvers
and n big knife.
A quick examination OF the revOlVers
showed that none OF the cartridges
had been used and there was no pow
der smoke on any part Of his weapons.
proving concluslvely that he could not
have used any OF HIS three revolvers.
In addition to this, all those who
heard the shots join IN the statement
that they were from rifle and not
from sIGall weapon Whitaker was
quickly led away and placed IA jail.
Il was on the first iloor OF the build
Ing" he said, when heard Governor
Taylor tell that man. Davis, capitol
policeman. TO go over AZ once TO see
General Collier. said would go with
him and that was whore | was SONG.
] wanted "a know. 100 what the shoot
ing was about When I stepped out
side. that man grabbed me and that
II all I know and that's fact"
Few people believe that Whitaker is
guilty. but the fact that he was hastily
leaving the building from which the
shooting was done was enough TO make
trouble for him
That man Davis" TO whom Whit
taken referred. Is Colonel John Davis,
custodian Of the capitol grounds. His
story agrees with that Of Whitaker.
Il was just outside of Governor Tay-
lors office. said Colonel Davis. when
heard shots and heard Governor Tay-
lor say. MY God, what have they
done?" We called % me- at once TO go
over TO the office OF Adjutant- General
Collier and Whitaker went along. |
am positive that he could not have
done tie shooting. We were at the
doors of the building in too hort
time for that"
As soon as II was known that the
bullet which struck down Goebel had
COME from the building 10 the east
group Of men gathered in front OF the
door on the east side. Others ran
around to the door on the west side
10 prevent the escape Of anybody from
there. Several men attempted to en-
ter the doors from the outside, but
werc prevented by groups OF noun
taireers who stood In the doorwayr.
Some Of these men held winchesters
IN their hands and presented an aspect
so generally uninvlting that no at
tempt was made to search the build
ing and robody gained an entrance TO
Il for several minutes after the shoot
ing had been done and the assassin
had ample opportunity TO escape.
That the shooting Of Goebel was the
result OF carefully laid plan is with
out question. The man who did the
work had evidently taken his stand
at the window which had previously
been haised in order to allow the
free passage OF the bullet and waited
until his victim was IN full sight be-
fore firing.
Ever since the influx of the noun
taineers last week, n large number of
them have been sleeping in the upper
part OF the state house. 1t is not
known, however, that any of these
men did the work or that they had any
knowledge OF the premeditated crime
There has not so far been discovered
the slightest direct evidence pointing
to any man and il is not likely now
that any will ever be found.
The man who fired the shots took The
precaution TO conceal his location by
using smokeless powder cartridges.
Toth Chlnn and Lillard are men of
experience in affairs in which powder
smoke is more or less prominent fea-
ture. and both declare that while they
could tell the general direction from
which the bullets came, they could not
guess the spot from which they We're
fired