Evening star., 1901-05-11
Forfeits His Bond of $500 at George
town, Ky.
WITNESS AGAINST CALEB POWERS
He Was Held on a Charge of Per-
jury in That Case.
WOULD NOT STAND TRIAL


LOUISVILLE. KY. May To- 1871.
George F. Weaver, known as the stroll
ing barber" failed to show up when his
perjury case was called in Judge Cam
Gilfs court at Georgetown Wednesday and
his bond-S2co In cash. put up by himself
was declared forfeited. Weaver has skipped
out. and no one knows where he is.
Weaver was the man who tried to swear
away the life of Caleb Powers accused of
completely in the alleged conspiracy to as
sassinate William Goebel The Powers
trial was held at Georgetown last July
Powers was sentenced to Imprisonment for
life, but the court OF appeals has granted
him new trial.
The anti-Goebeiites vigorously contend
that no stronger evidence of the lack of JUS
tice, narrow prejudice and desire to perse-
cute on the part of those in charge of the
courts before which unfortunate Goebel sus-
poets must appear could be had than this
farcical ending of the Weaver perjury case.
Nhen Caleb Powers was on trial Weaver
was sprung as star witness by the prose-
cution- Weaver stated I'm a plain, mat
ter-of-fact way that he had been stroll
ing around in the state house yard
at Frankfort on the morning of the
assassination OF Goebel. January 30
1900, and at the time OF the shooting was
leaning against a tree (the weather was
he saw a window of the office of the secre-
tary Of state Powers) slowly raised a gun
barrel pushed out; heard report and saw
Goeoel fall No one else had UP to that
time given any such direct testimony, not
even the most rabid Goebelite.
Testimony Created q Sensation.
OF course. the evidence created a tre-
mendous sensation, and fair-minded people
who believed a bold conspiracy existed to
saddle the crime on the republican party
for political effect. were forced to admit
that Powers could hardly be innocent. But
next day, when Weaver was cross-exam-
ined, his testimony was absolutely riddled
II was shown that he knew nothing of
Frankfort. did not know how to reach the
city. and in all probability Lad never been
there. His testimony, however, had an
swered its purpose in being heard by a
partisan jury, and had its weight. The
prosecution was forced to hold him on a
charge of perjury. He was released from
jail. under heavy bond, some one close to
the Goebels going on this bond.
Last February, eight months after he had
testified, Weaver was tried on a charge OF
perjury at Frankfort In this trial 1t was
testified by more than twenty reputable
witnesses that he was at Grayson Springs.
KY, nearly 2D0 miles from Frankfort.
the day of the assassination; that he had
never IN his life been in Frankfort until
he went there to be tried for perjury: that
he did not even hear of the shooting of
Goebel until twenty-fOur hours after II
occurred After celebrating twelve hours
a partisan jury reported that II could
not reach a verdict. A new trial
set for this week at Georgetown, and
Weaver was released on a paltry bond
of 500. He procured the money and gladly
put it up for his liberty. Where he got 1t
matters not.
He is Now q Fugitive.
When the case was called at George
town yesterday Weaver did not respond.
and no one knows where he is. This will
in all probability end the case. and the man
goes free by giving up 500. The anti
Goebelites point to this as evidence of the
kind OF justice being dealt out in the Goe-
bel cases In Kentucky courts.
Caleb Powers is still In jail at Frankfort
where he was removed from Louisville
some months ago. The court OF appeals
has ordered a new trial for him, but this
cannot be had for possibly a year Mean
while he must remain in prison. as under
the law a sentenced prisoner cannot be re-
leased on bond
The cases Of John Davis, Harlan Whit
Goebel suspects" now out on bond set
for trial this term of court at Georgetown,
have been indefinitely postponed They
may, 1t is thought, be called next faH Just
before election. in the hope that they may
have some political effect.
Meantime Governor Taylor and ex-Secre-
tary of State Charles Finley are in sane
tuary in Indiana, and Governor Durbin
like his predecessor, the late Governor
Mount. will not surrender them to be made
political sacrifices.