East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-02-02

Frankfort. Ky, Feb. flames
Howard, convicted of the murder of
William Goebel, arrived at the Frank
fort Penitentiary today to spend the
rest of his life there, unless some un-
expected turn of fortune liberates him.
He is one of the most interesting
characters that ever crossed the
threshold of a penitentiary and his
arrival caused considerable stir among
the people of this city in general and
the prison officials in particular
After spending nearly six years in
Jail. standing three trials and fighting
his case through the supreme court,
Howard was defeated in his struggle
for liberty and the supreme court con-
firmed the judgment OF the Kentucky
courts.
Howard never lost his nerve for
single moment. He was as cheerful
on his way to the penitentiary and up
on his arrival, as he was on the first
day of his arrest and said he was con-
fident that he would eventually be
vindicated and liberated.
In many ways Howard is the most
VI biiS 1ONbNA AAHeA
der case. The commonwealth repre-
sented him as the typical mountain
feud fighter and dead shot who went
to Frankfort to kill Goebel in return
for a pardon for having killed George
Baker in a feud. Personally, Howard
does not fill the idea of such person
at all. He would never have been
taken for a desperate man from the
mountains. He is handsome and of
distinguished appearance, of fine ply
siaue and unusually graceful, with
easy manners. He looks like man
of fine intellect and a student. In
deed, he has been student for five
years. as during his Imprisonment he
has devoted his time to perfecting
himself in the law.
Howard was born in Clay county
40 years ago. His father was school
teacher. Howard lived in the noun
tains all his life and early became an
expert shot, like all Kentucky noun
taineers. He was first a deputy sher-
iff of Clay county, then school teach
er. lawyer, general storekeeper in the
government revenue service and IL
nally assessor of Clay county, which
he held when he became involved In
the Goebel trouble.
Howard is a victim of a Kentucky
feud, whatever were the circumstan-
ces of the killing of Goebel. He was
in Frankfort the day Goebel was
shot, trying to procure a pardon for
killing George Baker from w. S. Tay-
ns LarftlrkV The
prosecution has maintained that he
was to get his pardon for killing Goe-
bel Howard has maintained that in
this seeming connection he was a VIC
tim of circumstances.
The Baker-Howard feud broke out
in 1897. The Bakers one day am
bushed Jim Howard's father and two
brothers, killing the brothers and des-
perately wounding the father. jim
Howard as soon as he heard of 1t,
mounted his horse ana rode to the
scene. He claims the Bakers tried to
ambush him and that he escaped by
using his horse as a shield. In the
encounter he shot George Baker TO
death.
Howard was indicted for the muir
der of Goebel in April, 1900. He was
then in Clay county, where he might
have remained indefinitely, as the
mountaineers are republicans, ana
would have afforded him protection
against an army. But in the month
of May Howard went to Frankfort
and surrendered. His first trial result
ed in a sentence of death. his second
of life Imprisonment, both being re-
versed. The third verdict was life
Imprisonment and was sustained by
the supreme court.