The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-11-07
GENERAL HARRISON
ON THE GOEBEL CASE

indianapolis JUurnal.)
If anything were needed to justify
the action of the late Governor Mount
i'm the Goebel-Taylor case and to de.
termine Governor Durbin to follow
his example it is furnished by the con-
viction of Caleb Powers by packed
jury led by biased judge, in the judi
icial farce enacted at Georgetown.
The second conviction of Powers on
probably the weakest evidence that
ever went to a jury in capital case
shows that the judicial vendetta
which is now being carried on in Ken
lucky and which aims at the punish
ment of certain number of promi-
nent republicans by way of reprisal
for the murder of Mr.. Goebel is or
ganized on a permanent basis and ac-
tuated by vindictiveness that will
require years to obliterate. The Ken
lucky vendetta sometimes outlasts a
generation. The reasons given by
the late Governor Mount for declining
to surrender Governor Taylor under
the new form of lynch law administer
ed by Judge Cantrill are even more
convincing since the second conviction
of Powers than they were before.
In this connection it is worth while
to recall the fact that the late PreSi-
dent Harrison fully approved of Gov
ernOr Mounts action in the case and
virtually said that if similar requi-
sition had been made on him as Gov
ernor of state under like circum-
stances he would have refused to hon.
or it. A recent publication entitled
"Views of an Ex-President" contains
General Harrison IS speech as president
of the Ecumenical Missionary Confer
ence in April, 1900, in response TO the
welcome of President Mckinley. Afte
referring In a dignified way to tn,
kindness shown in coming SO far to
welcome the conference, he spoke in
lighter vein of Governor Roosevelt:
OF course it was no trouble for Gov
ernor Roosevelt TO come here. In
deed | think he rather likes to get
away from Albany, and if we may be-
Iieve those unfailing chroniclers of the
truth, whose representatives are here
before me, he is not unfrequently here
for the purpose of having consulta-
tions. He availed himself of The few
moments that we spent together in
the reception room to consult me
about a matter, and when 1 had given
him my opinion, he said: ''Well. that
is what l was going to do anyhow
no matter what you would say
felt very lucky that / had hit upon
the conclusion at which he had already
arrived.
The Journal is able to state on pos
tive information that the consultation
referred to related to the Goebel-Tay.
lor matter. About that time it was
rumored that Governor Taylor was
going East, and that when he reached
New York demand fer his extradi-
tion would be made on Governor
Roosevelt. The latter asked General
Harrison informally what he would
do i'm such case. and the result is
stated above. Thus we have positive
proof of what Governor Roosevelt
would have done had the demand beer
made upon him, and of what General
Harrison would have done had he
been Governor. The latter was one
of the greatest constitutional lawyers
the country has ever had, and he was
a.strict constructionist in questions OF
law, but he found ne difficulty in
piercing through the flimsy contention
that the governor of state has nc
alternative but unquestioning com.
pliance with any and every demand
that may be made upon him by the
governor of another state, provided it
be in legal form. He saw clearly
tenough that the constitutional pro-
vision could only apply to cases il
which the course of justice was free
and unimpeded, and that the Cover.
nor of one state could not be required
and ought not to be expected to lend
himself to the consummation of con.
spiracy in another state for the pros.
titution Of justice and the execution
of private revenges under the forms
of law. And Governor Roosevelt had
reached the same conclusion before be
asked General Harrison's opinion.
Jumped en- Ten Penny Nail
The little daughter Of Mr.. j. N.
Powell jumped on an inverted rake
made of ten penny nails; and thrust
one nail entirely through her foot and