The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-23
Says He Received 81 900 from Goebel
for His Evidence in the Trial
at Georgetown Ky.
WITNESS FARM ESTABLISHED
WHERE HE AND OTHERS WE'RE
COACHED In THEIR PARTS.
Campbell Had Sworn to "Break How
ards Neck--AppelIafe Court
Passes the Case OF Powers.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special 70 the indianapolis Journal
LOUISVILLE, KY, Dec. 22.-The Even
ing Post to-day prints what purports to be
the confession and recantation of Robert
Noakes, one of the big four witnesses
for the prosecution in the Powers trial for
the killing of Senator William Goebel. The
confession was made at Danville. Vermil-
lion county. Illinois, is dated on Dec. IL, and
is attested by the clerk Of the Circuit
Court for Vermillion county.
Noakes charges Campbell and his law
YER Maynor, with entrapping him. He
says he was kept full of whisky, and that
when he went on the stand he was men,
tally irresponsible from the excessive use
OF intoxicants. He says Arthur Goebel
kept him supplied with money; that direct
offers were made for perjured testimony,
out of which to weave a moose for Jim
Howard's neck. and that Arthur Goebel
paid him $1,000 for testifying; how an
elaborate spy system was maintained; how
lies were made and furnished to the pub
lie press to infame the public mind against
the men accused, even after they had been
found guilty on the strength of perjured
testimony; how the so-called .informers''
were coached and drilled on a witness
farm back of Cincinnati how threats and
br.bes and promises were employed by
Campbell and Goebel to keep them in line
for the work laid out. He tells that, while
he testified only against Caleb Powers, he
was used and paid as a spy and outside
aid-de-camp by Campbell and Goebel in
the Howard and Youtsey trials. and details.
with minute circumstantiality, how Camp
i'm nd in
trim" for his first statement which was
made in Campbell's office.
Noakes's statement is not attested by
OATH He made it at Danville, ILL.,, and
verified the results of five hours of dicta-
ton, but when he found he was not going
to be paid sufficient money to take him out
of the country he said he wanted time to
.lhink it over" This was granted, and
the next day he could not be found. and is
believed to have left the United States.
Attorney w r. Jewell. of Danville. and
Attorney Max Louis, also of Danville, who
had secured the statement, went before
County Clerk NJ. j. Barger, of Vermillion
county, and made oath as TO the genuine
ness of Noakes's statement and their affi-
davits were attested by the clerk. Two
paragraphs from the statement are as fol-
lows:
He ICampbelll laid his hand on my
shoulder and looked at me and said: Bob.
am going to break jim Howard's neck
and 1 need the evidence L spoke to you
about to do it with. l have $500 here to
pay for that evidence. We got John l..
Jones for $500, and If you work it right you
can secure his friends for the same amount,
and you will have 500 left to your credit
"The nervous strain that / had gone
through with hac left me almost a total
wreck. and 1 was kept under the influence
of Intoxicating liquors. In this condition
made a statement in Tom Campbelrs
room. at the time went on the witness
stand at Georgetown and swore to the facts
contained in this statement / was stifi un-
der the influence or liquor; was almost a
nervous wreck, and under all the circum-
stances was not a responsible witness"