The times., 1901-04-12
Light on the Goehe1 Murder.

Light on the GOebe1 Murder.
The sensational testimony given by
Ex-Governor Bradley. of Kentucky, at
the trial Of Ripley, one of the men in
! dicted as accessories TO the r.:uruer Of
| the late Governor Goebel. will be rather
a hard matter for our Republican
| contemporaries to digest with satisfac-
/ ton. Last year they were cheerfully
insistent that the victim of a vile po-
! litical conspiracy was justly killed, be-
! cause, as they affected to believe, he Sc
| cured his nomination by fraud on the
| Louisville Convention which made him
! the standard bearer of his party in
Kentucky. Republican organs are al
ways painfully solicitous concerning
! the integrity of Democratic proceedings
/ in party convention. They also held
| that Mr. Goebel was not honestly elect
| ed: hence that he ought to have been
murdered as he was. But the Legisla-
| ture of the State and its highest court
declared that he had been duly elected
Those decisions, however, did not
change the sentiment or policy of the
Republican press, which continued
TO argue that Goebel was righteoHsly
slain, and that the person who must be
expected to reap the advantages of his
assassination had nothing whatever to
do with the conspiracy which led up to
the crime. or with the crime itself.
II must jar their sensitive feelings to
hear the story told by the only Repub-
h Go.
third of century. According to this
prominent and entirely credible and re-
spectacle party man, when the banditti
leader Ripley reported to Taylor. then
usurping the office of Governor that his
guerrillas from the mountains had not
yet arrived in Frankfort, Taylor or
dered him to send for them at once. as
Goebel had only another day to live.
This peerless leader of the Hanna
forces in the Blue Grass State was not
represented as being filed with horror
at the idea that a foul murder was to
be committed in his name and for his |
benefit. but was only concerned in Sc |
curing a strong bodyguard of armed |
outlaws TO protect him after the deed |
should be perpetrated.
Ex-Governor Bradley is not the kind |
of man for the editors Of his own party |
journals to whistle down the wind. and |
probably they viii not try il on. Silence
win be a considerable convenience to
them. since comment would only serve
to keep a gLastly Republican scandal
alive. But independent newspapers are
not likely TO avoid the subject and the
masses of the country will draw their
own conclusions. We do not know what
popular opinion may amount TO in In
diana, because 1t has appeared TO be a
merchantable thing for many years in
that Commonwealth. Still. there is
something left Of honesty and love Of
Justice among the Hoosiers, even now
that the exemplar Of that element is
dead and gone. So it may be possible
that pressure may be brought to bear
upon the Governor. to induce him to
obey the mandate of the Constitution,
and SO to surrender the fugitive Taylor
to the State whose peace. dignity. and
laws that exile Is charged with violat-
ing and defying.
There are reasons why the evidence
the greatest weight At the time of the
Goebel murder Mr.. Bradley was Tay
ors counsel. in association with Judge
Yost. who is said TO have been present
at the conversation between Taylor and
Ripley. When Judge Yost takes the
stand, there is no ground for doubt that I
~ viii corroborate the statements made
)y his distinguished colleague, and that
sill make up a record which cannot
well help being a black one for the
principal fugitive from justice. Not
that we imagine Taylor to be in much
additional danger Of apprehension and {
trial on that account. The view that,
whether he instigated the crime or not,
Il was in itself brilliant performance
IN the service Of the party, is probably
still maintained by leading men Of the
Doubtless some way viii
be devised TO save him from punish
nent The Indiana Governor possibly :
nay be willing to continue defiance of
lis constitutional duty in which case,
lnless the fugitive providentially should :
De kidnapped, nothing will happen.
That IS, nothing OF tangible material
character. But, as the case against ,
Taylor grows stronger. the object les {
son presented to the country by the
TO protect him, and thus to t
lefeat justice, viii become more and I
more interesting; and It will not add to !
he glory of the party which was once
he party of Lincoln and Grant, but :
which now regards the escaped Goebel I
as a peerless leader!' t