The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-11
RESUME OF CONDITIONS
IN KENTUCKY ATTENDING
THE CONTEST OF 1900
Goebel Never Declared Governor,
Notwithstanding the Legisla-
tive Theft OF the State.
TRIALS by POLITICS"
Testimony for Prosecution as
Proof of Party Loyalty
Admissions OF Perjury.


TO compel Governors of States to surrender
fugitives from justice on demand, that
Ollie James. of Kentucky. ever expected the
bill to become law. The presentation
of the bill was simply to give the represent
alive of the "pennyrile" and his colleagues
from Kentucky another opportunity, before
a larger forum, To assail Governor Durbin
and TO do what has been so often done
through the Associated Press dispatches
emanating from local Democratic journals,
paint in lurid but false colors the facts at
tending the stealing of the state Offices
from Governor Taylor an his associates.
and the assassination of Senator Goebel.
The main facts attending these two tragic
events may be formulated in condensed
form under two heads:
First-The theft OF the state offices.
The Democratic State Board of Canvass
ers, after careful compilation of the
votes IN the election held for state Offices
ia 1882 and after exhaustive legal and other
efforts 10 prevent such result, unanimously
and officially declared that Governor Taylor
and the other Republican candidates were
elected by several thousand majority.
Goebel. urged on by Senator Blackburn and
others, began a contest for the office of
Governor before the Legislature. Pending
the outcome OF this contest Goebel was
assassinated He survived the fatal shot
only few days. During the struggle be-
tween life and death. and while under the
influence of strong opiates, administered
10 relieve his intense physical suffering.
desperate efforts were made to declare him
Governor before he died.
The capital city was agitated with In
tense excitement and turbulence. The mill
tary were assembled at the Statehouse
square TO prevent mob violence. The Legis-
lature was adjourned TO London by prOcla-
by the military from meeting in the State
house or elsewhere in the city.
NO LEGISLATIVE VOTE.
No meeting of the Legislature was ever
held prior to Senator GoebeI's death at
which he was elected or declared Governor.
The only semblance OF such meeting was
the gathering together OF Democratic men,
bers of the Legislature in a room at the
Capitol Hotel in groups Of two or three at
a time, or sngly. and the signing by them
of paper purporting to express their af-
firmative votes in favor of the election of
Goebel and Reckham as Governor and Lieu
tenant Governor OF the State No\ notice
was ever given of any meeting of the Leg
tslature at any time or place. No notice
was ever given to any Republican member
Were their signatures TO the document in
writing ever requested. The journal of the
House and Senate, reciting the false allie
cation of such meeting, were written up
after the final adjournment or the two
bodies. and were wholly false and fraudu-
lent
The facts hereinbefore recited were pre-
sented as evidence before Judge Cantrill
OF the Circuit Court In the trial of Caleb
Powers. now under sentence of death, and
also In the suit against eX-Audltor Sweeney
10 compel the repayment to the State of the
money issued from the treasury order
OF Governor Taylor to pay the expenses of
the military ordered out during the
troubles The afffdavits are from twenty
five to thirty Democratic members of the
Legislature and were presented to the
court, substantiating the facts herein
detailed, but Judge Cantrill refused to allow
them TO be filed.
The reason of the refusal is apparent since
to admit such testimony would have made
valid the tenure of William s. Taylor as
Governor up TO the time when he resigned
after the decision of the courts. To admit
them would furthermore have acquitted
Caleb Powers by making valid TaylOr's
pardon and would have caused a dismissal
of the suit against Sweeney. The clerk who
wrote Up the false journals Of the House
and Senate, being sworn as witness. adj
mitted. under oath. the time and circum-
stances of such writing. The Democratic
majority in the Legislature at the time of
the contest over the election Was small.
FACTS NOT PUBLISHED.
Neither the Democratic journals of the
State nor their public speakers have ever
discussed or alluded TO the immediate facts
attending the alleged legislative election of
Goebei as Governor. nor the time and man
ner OF the entries upon the legislative jour-
nal. nor discussed or alluded 10 the evidence
contained in the affidavits of the Democratic
members of the Legislature offered to the
Circuit Court in the cases OF Powers and
Sweeney.
second-The prosecution of those charged
with the assassination OF Senator Goebel
was essential political.
The circuit Judge, the commonwealth at
torney. the circuit clerks. the sheriffs and
their deputies. the jury commissioners and
The majority or the grand JurieS necessary
TO find indictments are all GOebel Demo-
Gratis. OF the nine petit juries impaneled
TO try the accused, comprising los men, 107
were GOebel Democrats. The appellation
Gcebel Democrats is used because a large
aud influential element of the Democracy of
kentucky was and is opposed TO the GOebel
policy, and never believed him elected.
The mode OF selecting juries under the
Kentucky system need not be detailed
further than To say they are ordinarily
chosen, first, from persons selected by jury
commissioners, and. second, from by-stand-
ers selected by the sheriff, or a special
venire ordered by the Judge. In summOning
the venire the sheriff has all power as 10
details.
The sum OF 10000 was placed at the
disposition of the prosecution to procure
testimony TO convict those charged with
the murder OF GOebel. No details II eX-
penditure from this fund have ever leaked
out. In procuring testimony il was con-
sidered evidence of loyalty to the Demo-
cratic party 10 stand by the prosecution"
The one aim throughout was TO accuse
and 70 convict Governor Taylor and his
associate state officers OF the murder of
Gocbel. In the interests OF the Democratic
party. In other words, 10 hang Taylor
and damn the Republican party"
Taylor only escaped with his life by seek
ing the protection OF Indiana. No one in
within the State he would be hanged with
out judge or jury. or else railroaded 10
death under the forms OF law"
That Governor Taylor is innocent OF the
crime of GOebels murder is demonstrated
by the evidence OF the prosecution In ali
the nine trials. In the entire array of
testimony. only two witnesseS-Youtsey and
Cecil-gave evidence discriminating him.
Youtsey. after being tortured I'm the peni-
Tertiary. where he Is confined for Goebels
murder. made confession in which he adj
mitted himself 20 be both scoundrel and
perjurer. 10 be the cOntriver OF the details
of the terrible crime. IL not the actual Grim
tnal. lie accused innocent men of COM
plicity. and saw them tried for their lives
upon as he now admits, his false accusa-
tiOn. He says such trials did not disturb
his feelings. IL Is now almost universally
believed that Youtsey fired the shot.
CECIL'S CRIMES.
Cecil. the other witness duplicating Tay-
Tor. was under indictment for previous