The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-06-27
STATEMENT OF
GOV. BECKHAM
His Position ,Regarding the
Breathitt County Matter.
REFERS TO G0EBEL MURDER
REPUBLICANS CHARGED WITH
PLAYING POLITICS.
REFERS TO GOEBEL MURDER

Frankfort, Ky, June Ex-Governor
Beckham. in response 10 a great many
requests, today gave out a statement
in reference to his position in the
Breathitt county matter.
A great many letters have come to
him in the last few weeks. he says,
some from those who are friends,
some from those who are not, urging
him to use radical measures in deal
ing with the trouble in BTeathitt cOun-
~, to declare martial law and to have
trials of the accused by cOurtmartiaL-
Speaking from criticisms from outside
Of the state. Governor Beckham says:
Trouble is Local.
These criticisms, friendly or un-
friendly. have not swerVed me in the
least from the pathway of what L
have conceived to be my duty and the
just responsibilities OF my high office.
1 care not one particle for the phari-
saical censure Of those yellow journals
OF the north and east. whose mercen-
airy greed for a saleable romance and
whose partisan hatred of a southern
neighbOr make them defame and mis-
represent. the great and good people
of all Kentucky because one county out
Of lie within the state has recently
been the scene of certain crimes and
violation of the law.
The Breathitt county trouble is al
together local, and the effort to throw
odium on the entire state on account
of il is due solely TO sectional hate or
political agency"
Speaking of the insistent demands
for declaration Of martial law, Gov
ernor Beckham states that his critics
in their Impotence have forgotten that
the governor of Kentucky has absO-
iutely no such right, and If he should
attempt to use such arbitrary power
h h. oh 70 h.
Killing of Goebel.
Governor Beckham reverts to the as
sassination of the late Governor GOe-
bel There are persons he says,
who exulted in the death of William
GOebel and who today would rejoice
to see every citizen Of Breathitt cOun-
ty murdered and every house burned
If it would make for them some po-
litical capital against me and against
the Democratic party.
Certain newspapers and men who
applauded the assassination of Ken
tuclxy's governor and a reign of terror
in the state capital now pretend to be
wonderfully shocked and disturbed
over the condition Of affairs in Breat-
hitt''
Continuing. the governor says:
"As a Democrat I am proud OF the
fact that the Democratic press and the
nounce crime and lawlessness regard
less of politics. and have been unani-
nous in their condemnation of the as
sassinatiOn of Marcum, even though he
happened to be a Republican leader.
Not Eager Three Years Ago.
Had the Republican party shown
the same eagerness to punish GOebel's
assassins as the Democrats have shown
In their deire to see Marcum's assas-
sins punished, Unen that atrOciOus
crime of over three years ago would
now be avenged. although it would have
cost the Republican rarity the loss of
some of its most distinguished leaders"
OF certain Republicans" who are
trying TO make a political issue out Of
the Breathitt affair, the governor says
They must first wash their hands
of blood before they attempt to pose as
the apostles of law and order"
Claim of Partisanship.
The attacks Upon his course in the
Breathitt matter, Governor Beckham
says. have been made because he is the
Democratic nominee for the governor
ship, about TO enter a campaign for re-
election.
Speaking further of his partisan
critics the governor says;
Jim Howard. the thrice convicted
murderer of William GOebel, whom,
when he could not assassinate a man
for hire, would shoot one for pastime,
So the petted beneficiary Of their liberal
doctrine and is laUded with slavish
adulatiOn, his cell decorated with flow
ers and his savage face the object Of
admiration by those who love him be-
cause they believe ne murdered in cold
blood the man whom the Democrats
of Kentucky had elected to be their
governor. Their censure Of me is en-
conium: their 1enIlciatiOn is praise"