The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-02-11
YOUTSEYON GOEBEL PLOT
Saws Howard Fired tho Shot and
Taylor Planned 1t.
A Lie, Asserts the Former Governor Of
Kontucky.-The Details OF
Alleged Confesslon.


OF Clay County. fired the shot lha'
killed William Goebel." said Henry E
Youtsey. serving n life sentence in TIT
Kentucky %penitentiary. in his comics
sion as to his knowledge Of the con
spiracy which terminated in the assas
sination. pending the contest for tho
Governcrship. on January 80. 1900.
Youtsey says that he and Howard
! Were the only persons in b private
Office OF the Secretary OF State. that
the blinds were pulled down ALL that
he pointed Goebel out as he came
through the State House gate with
! Jack Chipn and Eph Lillard. He
names william 8. Taylor. Governor;
Charles Finley. Caleb Powers. John l.
Powers, william II. Culton. Wharton
Golden and w. ]. Davidson as conspir
ators with him. He says that while
others had guilty knowledge these men
conspired with him and aided and
abetted and advised Goebers death.
On January q. after 'Tallow Dick
Combs and Mason HGckersmith. ne
rroes. notified Youtsey that they were
not willing to do the shooting. ioutsey
saws acting Governor Taylor dictated
a letter to Jim Howard. The letter
was written by Youtsey and contained
instructions from Taylor for Howard
to come to Frankfort at once: that his
pardon for the murder Of George Baker
awaited him.
The letter instructed Howard to re.
port to Henry +. YOutsey. In the state
Auditors office. and to present the let.
ter to Youtsey. Youtsey. 1t said. would
acquaint him with the steps necessary
to be taken to procure the pardon.
Taylor had told Youtsey that by God.
Howard was the man." He had been
In Frankfort after n pardon and could
'settle the contest by killing Goebel."
Howard arrived on the morning or
January 30 and Youtsey says he pre-
sented the letter signed by Taylor to
him at once. Youtsey told Howard
that II had been decided that the only
way to win the contest for the Govern.
oyship was to kill Goebel and that u
he would 90 the killing Taylor would
not only pardon him for the murder OF
Baker, but also for the murder OF Goe-
bel and would give him $1,000 besides.
Youtsey explained the plan to Howard.
TO kill Goebel from the Secretary OF
states office. and Howard agreed to
do It. Youtsey says he left Howard In
the hall Of the Executive Building and
reported the plan to Taylor in the ex-
ecutive Office.
Youtsey had procured the key from
W. J. Davidson earlier In the morning.
and according to an arrangement the
night before the office was to be left
u%uoccupIed. Howard examined the
three guns left in the Secretary or
States Office. weighed them with great
care and inquired about the sights and
selected the Marlin rife. with the steel
smokeless powder bullets which Yout.
sey had borrowed from Grant Roberts.
Howard laid two pistols on the win
dow stills and said:
81 will shoot these after I kill Goebel
and people will think there are several
In here"
Howard kneeled and sighted Goebel
MS he walked along and fired. GOebel
fell MORALLY wounded and Howard
fred four shots with the pistols. iout-
Sey Idn kEOu Tue SuiSc W VIC CASSuss'C
office. going around through the base
ment. and told Taylor Howard had
killed Goebel. Taylor was greatly ex-
cited. but was glad Howard had done
his work. Soon Howard came In the
Governors Office and Taylor told hun
It was no place for him. Howard left.
Taylor delivered the $1,000. which had
been collected by the Republican COM
mIttee for the contest. to YOutsey. and
he paid 1t to Howard.
indianapolis. Ind.-When W. S. Tay-
lor, former Governor Of Kentucky.
read the alleged confession of Henry
Youtsey. in which the latter charges
him with conspiracy to murder Sena-
tor Goebel. he said: This alleged con
fession. 30 far as 1t attempts to connect
me with the crime. and so far AZ my
knowledge extends. Is absolutely
false"