The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1900-03-30
GOLDEN'S TESTIMONY
Star Witness Of the Democrats in
the GoebeI Assassination
Investigation.
HE MAKES STARTLING STATEMENTS

Accuses a Prominent Republican of Talk
ing About Killing OF" Democrats and
Assassinating GoebeI in a Most Cold
Blooded Way-says the Men Who Were
to Do the Deed Were Two Negroes-Jok-
ing on Serious Subject.
Frankfort. Ky, March 26.-"John
Powers told me they had two niggers
here to kill Goebel. They were Hook
erSmith and Dick Combs" This state
ment was made Saturday by Wharton
Golden, frail consumptive-lookin
Kentucky mountaineer, while on the
witness stand in the preliminary exam
ination Of Secretary of State Caleb
Powers. charged with conspiracy to
kill Goebel. Golden told story Of the
events leading up to the murder that
il substantiated will in the minds of
those connected with the prosecution,
at least, probably go far toward prov
ing the contentious of the common
wealth that he murder was, the result
Of plan in which several prominent
men were involved. Whether the de-
Tense will seek to impeach Golden's
testimony in this preliminary examina-
ton is not known, as the attorneys for
the defense will not talk on the sub
ject
Brought in Some Prominent Names.
Golden, who claims to have been a
friend to Secretary Powers and his
brother, John Powers, for years, gave
testimony that was particularly dam
aging to John Powers, but he also
brought in the names Of many others,
including Charles Finley, w. II. Gull
ton and Governor Taylor, in his story
of the bringing of the mOuntaineerS to
|. Frankfort previous to the aSsasSina-
ton. Governor Taylor, however was
not directly implicated, and the attor-
neys for the commonwealth intimated
that they do not expect to have his
name brought forth prominently in the
story of the alleged conspiracy, Of
which the bringing of the mountain
GERS here is claimed as a part.
Talked of killing or Democrats.
Golden was not crOss-examined and
adjournment was taken at an early
hour in the afternoon on account of his
physical condition, the witness having
a slight hemorrhage during the morn
ing, and becoming so weak under the
strain Of the examination in the after
noon that he begged to be allowed a
respite. He was quite nervous at
times. Golden's testimony tended to
show that a plan was made to bring
several hundred regular mountain
feudists" to Frankfort, who would, if
necessary, as Golden expressed it go
into the legislative hall and kill off
enough Democrats to make it our
way" The testimony did not show
that the SI1tgsd plot to kill Goebel was
part of the original plan, nor did it
contain the names of those who con-
ceived that idea.
Combs Rendy to Face the Court.
The whole Of GoldeD's testimony
tended to throw suspicion on "Tallow
Dick Combs, colored barber at Beat
tyville. Combs says he can prove his
innocence and is willing to go into
custody if he is wanted. Harland
Whitaker (white), Dick Combs, and
numerous other persons have at vari,
Gus times been suspected of firing the
fatal shot, but the prosecution has not
yetidentitled the murderer. Mrs. Golden,
Wharton's wife, will be introduced as
witness for the prosecution, and it
is reported that she will corroborate
her husbands testimony on many i'm
portant points.
The defense in the Powers case
waived further examination and did
not offer any testimony and the Judge
held Powers to the grand jury