The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-03-07
WHITAKER

Charged with the Shooting Of aoebel
on Trial at Frankfort, and Bound
over to the Grand Jury without
Rail-some Damaging Testimony.
FRANKFoRT, KY, March ga
crowd which packed the Franklin coun-
ty circuit court room gathered to-day to
hear the examining trial Of Harlan
whitaker, the Butler county farm
hand, suspected Of being implicated In
the murder Of Goebel. Several promi-
nent ladies were present. The charge
was changed from malicious shooting
to murder. Whitaker was nervous.
Thirteen witnesses. all summoned by
the commonwealth, were called The
arst witnesses sworn were men who
had been concerned in the arrest Of
Whitaker on the morning Of the as
sassInation. These witnesses were
John A. Miles, A. Miller, Detective
Armstrong, Constable Davis Haired,
and Policeman Thompson. Armstrong
and Harrod swore that Whitaker had
contradicted himself in stating his
whereabouts on the capitol square at
the moment the fatal shots were fired.
At noon court adjourned until p. m.
The last witness called during the
forenoon was Charles Howard, a far
mer, who said Whitaker told him a
week before the shootlng that be had
coma 10 Frankfort to protect Governor
Taylor's life. Howard declared that
Just after Goebel fell he saw one of the
Philpots and two Of the Howards, 4er-
~ and Jim, members Of the well-known
mountain families. in the door of the
executive building, heavily armed. He
said that he was deputed by the sheriff
TO guard the capitol grounds, but was
ordered away by the commanding OIL
Ger when the troops arrived. None Of
the witnesses for the defense were
named during the morning. It was be-
lIeved whlttaker's attorneys had
surprise in store for the other side,
They declined to cross-examtne any OF
the witnesses for the prosecution.
wlngate Thompson, a policeman who
took Whitaker to the jail, said that on
the way the prisoner cried out in his
fenr: Don't let them mob me, and
I'll tell all know about It, but / didn't
shoot him."
Whitaker was held without ball for
the April grand jury. sllas Jones, the
Whitley county suspect, who was re-
leased on bail, was put on the stand
but was asked only a few questions.
both sides apparently not wanting to
30 into his evidence deeply.
The other witnesses who testified
were John b. Fllos, F.. T. LIllard. jr"
wIngate ThompSon, Frank Daily, r.
A. Armstrong, John Noonan, John
Moran, David Davis, W. W. Combs,
Albert Charlton, Dennis Rath and
Charles Howard, sr.
New evidence was brought out by F.
w. Bowman, of Hardin county who
testified that a half hour before the as
SaaSlnation he saw the window on the
second floor over the main entrance to
the executive building raised. He
could see only the arm Of the man who
raised the window and saw two men
standing farther back. He said that
when Whitaker was arrested he rec
ognIzed the clothes he had on then as
those worn BY the man who raised the
window. He said one OF the two men
who was standing back from the win
dow at the time mentioned, said to the
other: Damn II, we ought to have
killed the other two"
This remark. he thinks had refer
ence to two judges OF the court of ap-
peals. The description OF the two mon
who arr alleged to have held this con-
versation Tailed with suspects
who have been under surveillance, but
who have not been arrested. silaS Jones,
the Whitley county suspect. testified
that he was in the untc-room Of the ex-
ccutyc Office when the assassination
occurred. and from the sound he
thought the shots were fired from the
office of the secretary of state