Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-02-07
TURMOIL AND REVOLUTION IN KENTUCKY


is just now in condition Of desperate as
/ sassination, revolution and bloodshed
| And it all grows out of politics, parts
anship and determination to override
the will of the people as expressed at
the polls William Gobel, the demo
cratic contestant for the governorship.
is dead, and unless cooler counsel
prevail, there is liable to be deaths to
number by the hundred Most readers
of the CENSOR are familiar with the
desperate attempts at wrestling the
publicans from their stations by Gobel
and his gang. At the last session of the
Kentucky legislature, Gobel, who was a
senator, had law passed which was
avowedly destined to prevent free ex-
preston of the will of the people at the
polls This was admitted by host of
prominent Kentucky democrats, who
for that reason strongly opposed the
nomination and election of the author
OF the law. Many, too, who supported
him, at the time the bill was pending
branded it as an infamous blow at free
and fair ballot. In June Gobel was
nominated after Composing democratic
delegates were unseated An acrimoni-
GUS campaign followed, in which not
only the methods of the convention
but his election laws were made the
main issues against him.
Taylor, the republican candidate, was
declared elected Gobel claimed the
election on the ground of fraud and in
timidation OF voters. The Gobel demo-
cratic returning board, however, de-
clared Taylor elected. There was
however, democratic majority in the
| legislature, and Gobel announced that
his fight was not yet ended. Democrats
i'll national affairs advised that the fight
should be given up, but it was carried
into the legislature, where the work of
unseating republicans was begun.
Whenit became clear that the legisla-
ture under cover of the law, intended
to unseat Taylor, bands of armed
mountaineers from the lawless districts
of the state poured in. They were,
however, promptly urged to return
home, and most of them did 40. There
came crisisl just about the hour the
legislature was to declare Gobel elected,
some cowardly person, from ambush,
shot Gobel as he was approaching the
capitol steps. He died Saturday night
last The oath of Office was administered
to him the day he was shot. Beck1nan,
| the fraudulent lieutenant governor, was
sworn in shortly after Gobels death.
Governor Taylor holds the capitol by
| force of the state militia.
The situation is most humiliating to
all lovers Of Justice 1t is blot on our
boosted civilization. But it is the logical
outcome of reign of terror, bloodshed
and lynching that has long existed in
| Kentucky. A community that counte
nances wholesale murder of men because
Of the color of their skin, must expect
retribution. No sane man but despises
the assassin, and he ought to be pun
ished to the fullest extent. While this
is true, William Gobel is his own muir
derer. But for his selfish and unrighte-
GUS deeds he could not have met the
fate he did 1t is warning to all men
that they are not greater than the
people That the man who persistently
defies public sentiment and inficts
wrong on his fellows will sooner or
later pay the penalty. Gobeps penalty
was a severe one, which every thinking
man must regret.
| But it is not certain that this election
contest had anything whatever to do
| with Gobels assassi nation. He had
been desperate man and was himself
murderer, having killed fellow citizen
on the streets of his own town 1t is
asserted that the murdered mans friends
accepted this opportunity TO avenge his
death. No clue to the assassin has been
| discovered.