The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-04
SENSATION AT TRIAL
21pr WITNESS IN FOwERg CASE
 DlsAPPEARs.
De4A sias~ Msds CeanteR Ctarxes In Haward Te The Disappenrsnce. To View Actual Scene
 or Murder.

! Coofgetown, KY. Dec. s.~-At my openinr of the trial of Caleb Powers today. the commonwealth put Robert Noakes. railroad conductor and labor leader of RossviIle, H.. on the witness stand. Noakes was jointly charged with Taylor. Powers and Finley with boing accessory to the assassination or GoebeL but escaped indictment, 1t IS alleged, by turning States evidence.
 Noakes testified that under the direo' tlon of Finley and Powers. he took body of men to Frankfort in Noyem- Der. 1899, while the State election board was in session for the purpose of in- timidating that body. He said he had instructions to see that justice mas . had or to hang the election conmls. sioners.e After reaching Frankfort he was told by Finley to take the men back to the mountains. as Governor Bradley did not approve of the plan.
 The witness detailed a conversation with Powers on the train near Barbour ville, Ky, in which he said Powers asked him to organize militia com many and to go to Frankfort, Powers saving in regard to the contest then pending that the contest will amount to nothing. as Goebel is as good as dead
 On cross examination. Noakes could not give exact dates and other details in connection with this conversation.
 James Howard was brought here from the State penitsntiary today to discuss with and testify Tor FoWers. Howard is now serving a life sentence for the same crime charged against Powers.
 A decided sensation was caused here today when 1t became known that Frank Cecil, one of the chief wlt- nesses had disappeared during the nirht. Cecil formerly lived at Mid diesboro. Ky, but now resides in st' Louis. Since the trial began, he mas heen stopping at the Wellington ho- tel, where the attorneys for the prose- cution are located. The prosecution cIaims that the defense has run Cecil away to keep him from testifying, while the defendants attorneys assert that 1t is a trick on the part of the prosecution to delay or stop the triaa' as Cecil is known to be one or the strongest witnesses against Powers. the prosecution is said to have fnform- alton that Cecil told friend yester- day before leaving that he had receiv- cd s1,o00 and promise Of paraon TOT jumping his bond.
 The name of the friend is noe given. Attorneys for the defense declare that CecfPs disappearance ia as great \ mystery to them as to the prosecution.
 Robert Noaks, whc was captain Of militia in 1900 was still on the stand at the adjournment of court late tnis afternoon. The defense read stater meut purporting tc have been made by him four years ago. In which denials are made of much contained in his di- rect testimony. This statement is the sarna as that published in Powers hook My Own Story" and Is used Tn the book without signature.
 This is significant in view of Noakss denying that he ever signed such statement to a visit to Frankfert~ by special train to view the scene of the Goebel muf. der Judge Morris, fhe attorneys ana court officials will all go, the court being in session throughout the trlp.
 The ross-examination of Noaks VIII be continued tomorrow afternoon.
 Cecil in st. Louis.
 fraat St. Louis Mo, Dec. 3.--Frank cecil. formerly a resident of Middies- boro, Ky. who was subpoenaed as one If the chief witnesses in the trial or Caleb Powers, at Georgetown, Ky, ana whose departure from there caused a sensation, Is here. ana says ns VIII noe return to Georgetown to attend .he Powers trial. Cecil said late today that he waited at Georgetown for three weeks to be called upon to testify and then despite the protest of the states attorney, he came home for ThanKs7 giving. When he returned to George town Monday. he said. the prosecutor upbraided him for having left. This angered him and he immediately re- turned here.
 And I won't go back" he said. ''no matter how much they want me, or how much they abuse me. l will be at Frankfort in January for my own trial. but no human power will set me back in Kentucky before that time"
 Cecil is employed by the Terminal Railroad Association as a detective. He is under indictment on the charge of sharing in a plot leading to the murder of Governor Goebel. and his trial is set for January.