The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
DENIES YOUTSEY'S TALE
JAMES HOWARD SAYS HE DID NOT
KILL GOVERNOR GOEBEL.
Alleged Murderer of the Kentucky
Democrat ON the Witness stand
I'm His Own Behalf.

FRANKFORT, KY, April 1S.-James
Howard was called as the first witness for
the defense in his trial to-day for the MUIR
der of Governor William Goebel He testi-
fed to arriving here shortly before the
shooting of Goebel on Jan. 30. He repeated
his former testimony that he was in the
Board of Trade Hotel when he heard of the
shooting and that he had not previously
that day visited the Statehouse grounds.
His defense is an alibi, and in support of
this he gave the alleged movements of him.
self in and about the hotel from the time
of his arrival until after the shooting. He
denied that he knew either Taylor, Cuiton
or Goebel. The witness also denied en-
phatically that he ever saw Henry Youtsey
until he met him in Jail after their arrest,
and he denied positively and emphatically
that he ever received letter from Gov
ernor w. s. Taylor or did any Of the things
to which Youtsey testified Howard had
not concluded his story when court took a
recess until this afternoon.
At the afternoon session of the court
Howard continued his testimony in his own
behalf. He declared he had never had an
agreement with Youtsey and had never
spoken to him until he saw him in JAIL
Howard claimed that the first he knew of
his indictment was when he saw II in the
papers and said he surrendered to Sheriff
White of his own free will
upon cross-examination he stated that he
went to Frankfort on Jan. 80, 1900, to see
Taylor but failed to achieve his mission
as the gates to the Capitol square were
barred. Later he succeeded in seeing him
The witness further said Sheriff White had
received letter for him from Taylor, tell
ing him to come to Frankfort at once IL he
desired pardon for the murder of Baker
as Goebel would soon be Governor
Asked II he had not said to Wesley Whit
taker, barber at Manchester after the
killing that things worked like clockwork
at Frankfort; that Taylor knew him on his
arrival at Frankfort and greeted him, and
that everything was ready and that he per-
formed the job in about twenty minutes
after he got there and that IL he were con-
victed again of the murder of George Baker
ne would flash pardon in their faces he
replied: 81 did not"
Howard also denied having seen John
Powers or having been introduced to Whar-
ton Golden on the afternoon of the shoot
ing.
In response to question as to where he
spent the night of the shooting, defendant
replied: MY impression is that slept at
the Board of Trade Hotel"
AT his former trial he had stated that he
slept in one of the rooms of the Agriculture
building. and he explained the difference in
his statements by saying that after his last
trial he had talked with Berry Howard and
others. who enabled him to locate himself
on the first and second nights following the
murder. Asked IL militia captain had
taken him to a crowd of soldiers on the
night Sf the murder and ordered them TO
take good care of him, Howard replied that
he did rot recollect the occurrence Court
then adjourned until Monday morning