The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-09
He Says Governor Taylor offered
$4,000 and a Free PARDON to the
Man Killing GoebeI.
INDICTMENT AGAINST HIM
CECIL is OUT UNDER BOND AND HAS
NEVER BEEN TRIED.
Claims He Acted rs BOdyguard to
Taylor After the ShOOting-CrOss-
Examination Monday.

GEORGETOWN, KY, Aug. S.-The third
trial of ex-Secretary of State Caleb Powers
for completely in the Goebel murder was
largely devoted to arguments on the COM
potency of evidence to-day. Senator New
ton Frazier, Senator J.. j. Johnson, r. E.
Combs and Mrs. Fannie Feffener testified
to scenes around the Statehouse preceding
the shooting of Goebel and especially as to
occurrences after "the army Of noun
taineers" arrived.
The prediction is made that If all the wit
nesses summoned are examined thai the
case does not reach the jury for six weeks.
The court decided against the competency
Of question as to the political complexion
of the Senate at the time Goebel was con-
testing the election of Taylor as Governor.
The feature of the day was the introduce
ton this afternoon by the prosecution Of
one of their star witnesses, Frank Cecil,
who is under indictment for the same Of
Tense for which Powers is being tried. This
is the first appearance of Cecil as a witness
in the Powers case. Cecil was indicted in
the Franklin Circuit Court in January,
1902. as accessory before the fact in the
matter of Senator Goebel's assassination.
He left the State and remained
away for over a year, during
which time his whereabouts was
unknown to the police. Shortly be-
fore the last trial of James
Howard, who is under life SEN
tence as having fired the shot
which killed Goebel, Frank Cecirs father
went from Bell county to Frankfort and
had a conference with Attorneys Franklin
and Campbell of the prosecution. Seeming
ly as a consequence Of this conference,
Frank Cecil, although under indictment, ap-
peared in Frankfort, was arrested, put I'M
der bond, has been at liberty ever since and
has never been tried. He was a witness In
Howard's last trial, but this is his first
time upon the stand in the Powers case.
Cecil's testimony Is for the purpose of
showing the existence of a conspiracy in
bringing mountain men to Frankfort and
to the effect that Powers was responsible
for that. He said the mountaineers were
a drunken, W set, whose expenses were
paid by Powers, and that they sans on the
train as they came: We're going to Frank
fort to kill Goebel"
Attorney Franklin produced Cecil's re-
ceipt to Powers for $40 expense money,
which was identified by Cecil. The defense
here obtained permission and Intercepted
witness, drawing out the fact of his indict-
ment as an accessory before the fact to this
same killing, with the object of entering
an objection as to the competency Of the
testimony.
Cecil further teStifled that Taylor had
offered the balance of $2,50 in the campaign
fund and a free pardon to the man killing
Goebel. to which Cecil replied that Taylor
must think him crazy.
Cecil swore to guarding the arsenal with
ten men the day of the shooting and after
ward acting as b~odyguard to Governor
TAYLOR for several weeks. He said that
TAYLOR slept away from home the night of
the assassination, probably In his office.
The commonwealth then gave the witness
over to the defense, who decided to wait
until Monday for cross-examination. and
court adjourned until Monday morning.