New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-30
HANGING FOR POWERS.
Result of Third Trial for Goebet
Murder.

Georgetown, KY, Aug 29-The third trial
of Caleb Powers. ex-Secretary Of State. for
completely in the murder of Governor William
Goebel in January 1900. closed shortly before
noon to-day with the extreme penalty OF hang
ing for the prisoner who had been the peni-
tertiary for three years on life sentence The
verdict Of the jury. guilty and the punishment
Of DEATH" was reported in court at 11:2O to-
day. Several hundred persons crowded the
courtroom when the verdict read, and in
tense silence prevailed The jury was polled and
each man declared the verdict of guilty to be
his finding. Powers sat unmoved while his at
torneys asked for time to make a motion for
new trial
Arthur Goebel. the brother of the victim. and
a prominent merchant at Cincinnati. who has
spent his time and fortune for over three years
in the prosecution of those accused Of being in
a conspiracy to kill his brother. broke down
from the strain upon hearing the verdict. Pow
ers had been convicted twice before, this being
the third trial in which the jury brought in a
verdict of guilty against him. On his previous
trials he escaped with a sentence OF life impris-
onment. the evidence not sufficiently
strong against him to lead the jury to infiicting
the extreme penalty. All three of the trials
were held at Georgetown. and in each Of them
he had the assistance of the most able lawyers
that could be procured. The last trial was dis
tinguished by the fact that Powers addressed
the jury in his own behalf. and in long review
Of the case showed himself to be a competent
attorney, while his eloquence in pleading for his
life astounded those who had watched him care
fully In the past trials Of the case
Powers had nothing to say regarding the YER
dict. except to express his surprise that such
result could be reached from the evidence pre-
sented. and to announce that he would take
appeal and continue the case to the last resort.
When Powers secured hiF former trials
majority of those in the Appellate Court were
Republicans, hut il is now composed of Demo
cratic judges. Powers is regarded a strong
man. He was elected Secretary of State on the
Republican ticket headed by w. S. Taylor for
Govern or in 1899. but served only a few months,
as all the State offices were contested by those
on the Democratic ticket headed by William
Goebel. The former trials of Powers were be-
fore Judge James E. Cantrill of this city, but
he was barred from sitting this time and Gov
ernor Beckham appointed Judge Robbins.
Special Judge Robbins this afternoon formally
overruled a motion for the granting of new
trial to Powers. He then passed the sentence Of
death upon him. After a declaration OF the
prisoner, I am not guilty, Judge" the court
cution. The attorneys for the defendant secured
the granting of an appeal for the case to the
Kentucky Court of Appeals, and If unsuccess-
full they may try TO get the United States Su
preme Court TO take 1t under consideration.
Powers was the coolest man in the courtroom
nounced against him. He was Immediately
moved 10 the Scott County Jail to be held
there pending the appeal Of his to the
higher courts telegram from Indianapolis
states that Ex-Governor w. S. Taylor said: This
verdict affects me very much. 1 cannot say
word