The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1902-04-01
SOME KENTUCKY HISTORY
A Visiting Kentuckian Tells Of
the GoebeI Assassination.

There are few people, compara-
lively speaking, in the state Of Ken
tucky, who are familiar with the
facts pertaining to the murder o.
VIM. Goebel, the most cruel and
dastardly crime that has disgraced
the pages of the worlds history
since Caesar spoke those imperish-
able words: SET tn Brute"
For the benefit of those who love
democracy and worship at the shrine
of a government "of, for and by the
people" we give you synopsis of
that dreadful period which culmin-
ated in the death of the most magni-
ficent figure that ever graced the
proud history of the old blue grass
state.
In 1899 a governor had to be cleo
ted; all eyes turned to VIM. Goebel
as he had demonstrated his ability
as, not only law-maker and party
leader, bat devotion To principle
and his loyalty to the great common
people These made him the logical
candidate for that office.
Pursuant to that necessity, a con-
vention was called, by the chairman,
Of the democratic committee, to be
held in Louisville, KY, on day of
May 1899. The candidates We're: p.
Wat II ardin, who went tethe conven-
tion with l75 instructed votes, Col.
sam Stone, with 23j instructed votes
and VIM. Goebel, with s. instructed
votes. There was a lock in the con-
vention on organization and the
Stone Goebei delegates combined
and elected Judge Redwine chair
man. Goebel went into convention
with the above stated number of in
structed votes and carried off the
nomination, which clearly manifest
ed his political genius and prodig-
ious ability.
The convention adjourned amid
hewls Of disaffection and jeers of
dissatisfaction. Stone refused to go
on the stump and Hardin remained
as mute as an oyster, however,
Goebel made an effective campaign
over the entire state, requiring a
mule in the eleventh district, known
as the mountain counties, to reach
his appointments.
II EgII thA a &
that he had made by honesty, integ-
rity and devotion TO principle,
and vilIified by their virulent
tongues. The unclean birds Of envy
sat upon the fence of expectancy
and poured their vomit of filth upon
the head OF this intrepid leader Of
pure and unsophisticated democ-
racy,
IN November 1899 the election was
held and after the returns had been
eanvassed the state board of elec-
tion commissioners gave to w. ;.
Taylor, Goebel's opponent, the GER
tifieate of election.
Mf Goebel said, we are beaten
boy, and let's give it up, but "A very
influential politician, whose name
it is not necessary to mention, said,
"No, contest it," The appeal was
so strong from party friends that
Goebel filed petition of contest be-
fore the Kentucky Legislature.
The contest board consisted of
fourteen members of the General
Assembly drawn from hat which
contained the names of the entire
Legislature. Before the evidence
was all in, the defacto Governor w.
S. Taylor, saw very clearly that the
certificate of election was a fraud
and that the evidence already intro
duced would award 10 VIM. Goebel
the governorship. Taylor at once
telegraphed and by other means had
the militia of his congressional dis
trict, and from the eleventh district,
the d-dest meanest place on the
face OF the earth, TO assemble at
Frankfort fer the express purpose
Of killing enough representative 10
make republican majority in the