The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-23

 coolly, tenaciously battling against almost Overwhelming odds. neither asking quarter nor giving ground. | Powers entered the West Point Military Academy. but left at the end of his first year to take up law, In which he gained degrees at Valparaiso, Ind, and Center College. Kentucky. besides nearly attain ing to the degree of Bachelor Of Arts at the State College of Kentucky.
 At the time he was elected Secretary Of State on the ticket with Governor Taylor l in 1899 he was superintendent of schools of Knox county, Ky.
 Up to the time of their arrest in connec- tion with the Goebel cases Powers and Howard had never seen each other. The home of Powers is at Barbourville.
 Powers family until three generations ago were Virginians, and since then have resided in Kentucky. From childhood thel Is now thirty-five, years old) he has made his way in the world by his own efforts His first ambition as a boy was to com plete college course, but before he was graduated he had settled upon the law as his profession.
 To hold the office of superintendent of public schools in Kentucky a man must be at least twenty-four years of age; when he reached twenty-four Caleb Powers was honored with election, and served two terms, resgning to become Secretary of iState, to which office. strangely, he was also elected just as he became old enough to occupy it under the law.
 Interviewing Caleb Powers Is like inter viewing a railroad president. He Is a busy man. He will waste no time. He Is ami able and courteous to all corners. however, and manages to satisfy all of them by his clearness of conception and concise speech.
 How do you account, Mir. Powers" was asked him. flor the persistent persecution to which you have been subjected since the Goebel assasstnation?'
 Political Situation.
 Nothing Is easier," he replied calmly. leaning back in his chair. Tt Is like this:- The republicans were elected to the State offices in 1Ss9.' They were robbed of those offices by. the democrats, and in order to relieve the democratic party of the odium | of the theft of the State offices they raised the hue and cry of a great republi- can conspiracy against the life of Senator Goebel The democratic leaders having de clared that the republicans were unfit to hold office by reason of their participation in the assassination, the party lines as to the guilt or innocence of those accused Of the crime were soon drawn The demo- crats held a State Convention a few months after Senator Goebei was killed and adopted as the principal plank of their platform the charge that Senator Goebel came to his death as the result Of huge republican conspiracy. In which they said Governor Taylor and myself were
 the chiefs.
 Having made out of the guilt or inno- cence of the republican State officials elect a party measure, and since my three trials
 have been conducted by democratic circuit
 judges, In a democratic county. before
 democratic juries, where hatred and parti-
 sanship impregnated the very air, 1t IS
 easy to understand why verdicts of guilty have been rendered against me. And espe-
 clally in view of the fact that 900 was
 appropriated by a democratic Legislature
 for the apprehension and conviction ol
 chose charged with complicity in the
 murder
 But did they convict you without hay Ing introduced any damaging testimony
 against your" queried the interviewer. IFS "The testimony In the case played d very
 1Intmportant part in so far as the verdicts ? of the juries were concerned My convlc- "a "a .tions were both pecuniary and party neces- s7 sities, and were therefore determined upon and fixed In advance of tho selection and f empanelling of the Juries Only the most ev rabid and unreasonable Goebel democrats to were permitted by the prosecution to Gi' ,e on the juries. It's true that number oi ,e witnesses have from time to time giveT 1o sensational testimony against me-not fol ,s the benefit of the juries trying the case 1e but flor the purpose of having the public
 indorse and uphold the Verdicts ayalns as lme. These witnesses, without exception " who have testified to the sensational proo es are either under indictment in the case ane rd have been given immunity for their tes w timony-such as Golden. Culton, Noake! ,e land Cecil-or have been testifying for e. lpure consideration of dollars and cents he such as Anderson, Weaver and others. III "Weayer was indicted because of his per 70 turv in my case; Anderson make an afh ae Idavit to his; Noakes made statement t m Ithe public in which he set forth IS anC
 the corrupt and infamous methods resortec ofIto in inducing him to perJure himself m while Culton has recently forged a numhe O. of witness claims against the State ant ey has fled to parts unknown.
 cd Such has been the character of the wit CT nesses and such the nature of the testi C. mony produced against me-"
 he Do you think the disclosures made re IL garding these men and their testimony vii Ah have any effect on your next trial?" wa tn the next question.
 That depends entirely upon circum 'y stances, Nothing affects a jury packe or and fixed for conviction replied Power he tersely; but if am permitted to be trie'
 by a fury of the better class of our citi e zenship and not one drunk with reveng ~. 1t will indeed have a marked effect" oa To the interrogation, What are you no chances now for vindication compared wit
 what they were five years ago?' MT Powers replied-
 O. Prisoners Defence.
 es ''They are very much better. Man e; things have happened to bring this abou' e. The methods resorted to in securing m ny conviction have been subjected to tn lg white light of publicity. The facts whlc o- excuIpate me are becoming known to tn od npbuc. The passions of the people have
 to an extent subsided. My enemies her a in Kentucky are becoming more reasonabl eb and more disposed to see that my trial an arc m longer mere mockeries. The fact a that the people generally, inside the Stat he nd ont. regardless of political affiliations h- are coming to be my friends and to believ ne Tn my innocence, and if the jury is nc ito ne packed against me in my next trial ,@. @ shall be acquitted. If it Is packed on m ,la Sa of course the result Is known in advance. No "Assuming that your vlndIcation is lls certainty" was asked, what are you .r- plans for the future?"
 Powers smiled.
 ah "Of course, my vfndication Is certainty
 Innocence and right must finally triunp
 over untruth, oppression and wrong, bI GU GU inst when it will take place In my case f lis us of course, yet unSolved To be sure, as bave definite plans for the future, but ed do not care to discuss them now" he "six o'clock-all out
 ln It is the gruff voice of the jail guar oI- I,verv moment of the day and night
 deputy is present in the ward in whic ng ray1eTs and Howard are confined with " dozen other prisoners.
 his tall form bounds from a cot in u
 AL