The evening times., 1900-01-31
GOEBEL'S REMARKABLE CAREER
The Achievements of n Born Leader
i'm the Face of Disadvantages.

Goebel few months ago, but to adequately
picture the characteristics of the man the
requirements are great.
Goebel, the studious, persevering youth;
Goebel. the frugal. keen-witted. ambitious
young lawyer; Goebel, the reticent, deter
mined, fearless master of political craft,
and Goebel the powerful, respected,
wealthy leader of great party-that is his
history. His character is one which only
those who knew him can fully understand.
and they were not his intimates, for inti-
mates he had none.
In the State where ancestry, breeding.
and social position are usually elements of
tremendous Importance in the making of a
mans career, Goebel is supreme with
none of them. Simple acu1den and force of
character had raised him above the ideal
OF the South the caste OF Kentucky.
He is a man of the people. he has con-
sistently been for the people and the re
suit is personal supremacy which joe
blackburn himself never enjoyed. Upon
one quality more than any other depended
the remarkable power of the man from
Kenton county. He has in degree that is
seldom equaled the faculty of making men
blindly do his bidding. He is a born
leader.
Thirty nine years ago in Sullivan Coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, the first son was born
to the honest. toiling German immigrant,
William Goebel Before the boy had
grown beyond infancy the Goebel family
had removed to Covington, KY. and
there the father conducted a little grocery
shop. In the back room, where precious
cheese from the fatherland and little bar
rels of the modest brew of a neighboring
"hrauerei" were stored, sat the boy, Will
lam. with a book. The thirst for knowl-
edge was born in him.
Father Goebel was wise in his day and
generation He let William keep his book,
when he might have earned two or even
three dollars a week by laying il aside
and putting his time TO practical use. 1t
was perhaps the thought of all he had 10
do in the world that made the boys char
acter He had no playmates. He was a
peculiar fellow altogether.
Finally William Goebel having flashed
his career in the Coyngton public schools.
decided within him that he should be a
lawyer He did not ask anyone's advice
about it, lie simply informed Father Zoe
bel of his decision and Father Goebel,
with that superior II untaught wisdom
which marked him. gave approval.
II the boy had not made companions CT
his own age he had carefully cultivated
speaking acquaintance with grown men, and
lawyers especially. 1HtTtIDft Et was dDiS
TO speak for himself when he called upon
John w Stevenson. former Governor OF
Kentucky and foremost among the law
yers of the Common wealth. Here the story
Of Goebel, the boy, ends. Ii was not Ten
years afterWard that John ". Stevenson
died, leaving a large estate, to be executed
without bond BY his law partner. William
Goebel. That trust remained In the hands
OF the man when he became the choice OF
-. fg- of Hn
Commonwealth.
Since the day when the boy entered Gov
ernor Stevenson office he had acquired a
fortune Of his own had established his
brother in a mercantile business, now
grown TO immense proportions, had sent
another brother to graduate at Yale. had
become master in the politics of his
State, had fought the bitterest personal
and political rivalries. had overcome the
anmosities OF men and the prejudlces Of
society. and all without incurring the
slightest breath OF scandal either as 10 his
personal or public life.
In 1887 he made his first campaign. and
was elected 30 the Kentucky Senate. He
was returned to the senate az every elec-
tion after that time, and was the repre-
sentative Of Kenton county in the consti-
tutional convention OF '9c-'9l For a short
time law partnership between himself and
John G.. Carlisle existed.
In all his career as attorney and iegis-
lator the keynote OF his policy had been
opposition to the encroachments of cor
porations and this was what gave him his
strength in the State at large. His support
did not come from a personal following. for
s he was lacking in the qualities OF the po-
litical mixer" When he made campaign
it was solely upon the issues current He
was not "handshaker."
The most tragic episode in Goebels ca
/ reer was his encounter with John W. Sand
ford OF Coyington, which resulted in Sand
ford's death. Ii was most deplorsble af-
fair. but one which, under the clrCum-
stances. Goebel could not have avoided with
honor. According TO his policy Of opposing
corporations. Goebel passed bill cutting
down the revenues oi turnpikes. Sandford.
a backer and large holder of turnpike stock
in Kenton county, on this account bitterly
opposed Goebel's reelection TO the senate.
That was eleven years ago, and ii was the
beginning of the Goebel-Sandford quarrel.
For four years the enmity grew and
finally at the approach of an election. the
matter came to deadly issue. Goebel OBJ
tanned indisputsble evidence that Sandford
was the author of violent attacks made
upon him by local paper. Goebel replied
TO them in another paper. making no effort
TO conceal his authorship.
Everyone familiar with the circum-
stances foresaw tragedy. Sandford was
skilled in the use OF firearms and veteran
of Morgan's command Goebel had been
a student and lawyer all his life. good
many predicted that Goebel would avoid a
meeting with the banker. One bright
morning FIVE years ago they met acci-
dentally on the principal street Of Coving-
ton
Sandford said Are you the author o,
that article?''
Goebel replied: II am
They fired almost simultaneously. Sand
ford's bullet penetrated Goebers clothing
and underclothing, leaving a red welt
across his body. GOebels bullet struck
Sandford in the forehead, and he died in
few hours.
The testimony at the coroner's inquest
and he examining trial was that Sandford
had been the aggressor, and Goebel was
acquitted. A fact that had never before
been published is that Gov. John
Young Brown, knowing all the circum-
stances of the case, sent Goebel a pardon
before he had been tried.
Goebel had never had love affair. 4
year ago he astonished friend by remark
ing: Il believe | ought to have Wife
In the discussion which followed he said
that he would not require that the woman
he married should be either rich, beautiful
or high in the social scale. He would look
to her mental qualities only.
He was declared the Democratic candi-
date for Governor of Kentucky on June u,
1899, after tumultuous convention lasting
week. Twenty-Five ballots were taken
without result, and then the hindmost
candidate, Capt. W. ]. Stone, of Kuttawa.
was dropped. The race was left between
Goebel and P. Watt Hardin, of Mercer
county, and the Stone leaders threw their
strength to Hardin in the hope of defeat