The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-05
HIS STORY WOULD
 ACQUIT POWERS
MAN LIVING IN MEXICO IS SAID TO KNOW ENOUGH TO CONVICT FORMER GOVERNOR TAYLOR AND CLEAR THE PRISONER.

Georgetown, Ky. September AT. G. Roach, who has been living in Fl Paso, seems to have created quite a sensation yesterday in Juarez. Mex, by the state ment that ex-Governor Taylor and Caleb Powers would be willing to give one hundred thousand dollars for his head, and that he Is In possession of papers which, If made public, would clear Caleb Powers and condemn ex-Governor w. s. Taylor.
 The only connection of the Roachs with the Powers case so far as Is gen. orally known is that Mrs Roach was at the last trial and at former trials a witness introduced to prove that Caleb Powers, prior to the circumstances which eliminated in his arrest, had assumed all responsibility for bringing to Frank fort of the mountain men. Roach's state ment that what he knew would clear Powers and condemn Taylor. is not in keeping with such conditions.
 In an interview at the Georgetown jail today Powers said:
 T know nothing about the Roach story. All have to say is that somebody some where has information which if given out would clear me. Somebody killed Mr. Goebel, that we know. If the guilty par ties veaId only come forward and tell the truth I would soon be free man." ------------------------- ----~-~---~-------~-~-~-~- tain that nothing short of the provision in the Bankhead bill can win.
 Many Other Bills.
 There are as matter of course, many other bills that are receiving the atten- ton of the committees and that will awaken an equal interest when they reach the house. Tomorrow the house will take up the most troublesome ques- ton that has so far come before 1.-the stock law. This bill was before the house for a couple of days during the Febru- ary session. but since there were about as many different opinions as to what the bill should provide as there were mem bers of the house, the measure was final ly postponed and made a special order for the third day of the present session. It may seem rather peculiar, but never theless 1t is fact that there is no bill before the legislature which commands the same interest as the stock law. The black belt counties are as rule, in favor of the general stock law for the state requiring every mans cattle to eat his own grass, but the members from the upland counties cannot gain their consent to vote for such measure. They contend that many of their constituents are poor people who do not own any land at all, and that therefore without the aid of a general range for the cattle they could not have the benefit from the two COWS which provide so great a part of their daily sustenance. It remains yet to be seen what disposition is to be made of this troublesome question, but it real ly seems that the only way to get rid of it Is to let 1t severely alone. It is a mat ter of grave doubt as to whether the leg fclo xnytn course.
 Jefferson Legislation Exciting.
 Jefferson legislation is exciting quite bit of interest during the early days Of the session. Bessemer holds the boards today. A committee of Bessemerites. headed by Col. l.. D. Godfrey, is here to- day fighting the bill of Senator Morrow which provides that causes brought in the courts of Bessemer may be removed to the Birmingham courts. Colonel Godfrey is making a very hard fight to defeat this measure and he does not hesitate to say that he believes it to be one of the most drastic and unfair measures that has been presented for consideration by any legislative body. He says that the pro- posed bill is drawn in the interest of few corporation lawyers of Birmingham, who do not want to spend day In Bessemer for the trial of cases that may be brought
 
 that 1t Is far better for these lawyers to spend an occasional day in Bessemer than for the parties interested to have to go to Birmingham and probably wait Tor days before they can get hearing Tn the courts. Colonel Godfrey feels assured that he will defeat the Morrow bill when 1t reaches the house as the Jefferson dele pation in the house is reported as aDout equally divided on the matter.
 Another Bessemer matter that Is receiv- ine attention Is the bill introduced by Representative Cunningham providing for the submission to the electors Of the en- tire county of Jefferson at the next gen. eral election of the question Of an issu- ance of bonds to build branch court house in Bessemer. The bill does not name any amount for the bonds to be issued for this purpose. MT. Cunningham also vidine for elections in all counties in Ala bama on the question of the establish ment of court houses.
 Court House BrawIs.
 The court house matter is not confined to Jefferson county. Shelby county is having a pretty warm fight over proposition to repeal a measure provid- ing for two court houses, one to be loca- ted in the southern and another In the northern portions of the county. An election was recently held in that county to decide the location of the new court house and the thriving little town of Calcis won out The construction of this court house has been begun and an ex- penditure of about $4000 has been made. But a committee from Columbiana is here to push the bill providing for oply