The sun., 1908-06-14
CALEB POWERS GOES FREE
mr. tND jim HOWARD PAR
Moved BY THE GOVERNOR.
, rrds the Bltterest Phase Of the Goebei
Murder Case After Eight Years Fight
Pow crs GOIng to Health Resort and
r,cn TO Resume His Law Practice,

Pow cys Going to n Health Resort and
rbrn to Resume His Law Practice,
,,xt>GroN, Ky, June l3.-Caleb Powers.
,.n,,or Secretary Of State of Kentucky,
,oo,.sed of completely in the assassination
Uilliar, Goebel, Governor-elect OF the
s,,,o at the State House In 1900, and Jim
ua,yard a mountaineer, charged with the
.,raI shooting, were pardoned this morn
nc nv Gov. Wilson. Powers was released
rom iail at Georgetown, where he has
.,.en confined since his last trial, and
Howard walked out free man from the
i, s,ate pepitentiary at Frankfort.
Howard at once went to Louisville, where
III, Lildren have been wards OF friends
,or the ast few years. They have spent
II their property in his defence Powers
!. an mig w.v to Knox county to zee his
uo,ber and sister. He will go to Northern
..sor+ for his health and will then resume
the practice of law.
can't Jackson Norris Assistant Secretary
n, State. went to Georgetown with the
official document. Accompanied by friends
cf Powers, including Major Foxhan A.
Daingerfeld. brother-in-law OF James
R Keene, who. with his wife and her sister,
h.s done much for Powers and Howard.
he went TO the Jail and told Powers that
he had been pardoned.
Howard got an ovation in front OF the
!iai and all day people called at the hotel.
Among them was Mrs. Jennie Gentry, the
Young woman who risked her freedom
sy attempting to assist Powers in the
attaining Of evidence from prisoners IN
The penitentiary to be used in his fourth
trial She is still under indictment.
With the pardon Of Caleb Powers ends
= rhase Of one of the most remarkable
fsrds that has ever troubled Kentucky.
t,r while the case Of Caleb Powers was
carried on in the courts it was none the
lsss a feud, bitter, partisan feud whose
ike is seldom encountered even on -the
dark and bloody ground
Eight wears and more Powers has been
N jail, passing to durance from che honor
able Office of Secretary OF State. Four
lines he has been tried for completely in
the murder Of William Goebel at the moment
when Goebe remarkable character
Himself, was about to be made Governor
Of Kentucky, ousting the Republican
Governor TAYLOR, through a contest in
ne Legislature. Three times in his four
rails Powers was found guilty. Twice
ne was sentenced to life imprisonment
lld once, after the third trial, he was
,entenced to death and day was fixed
he jury after vainly begging to be dis
harged disa greed, ten voting for Powers's
lcuuittal and two for his conviction.
All the resources Of the law have been
lvoked both by his prosecutors who have
ften been called his prosecutors. and by
Iia aa has hann oor rriaH
- the United States Supreme Court. only
- be sent back to Kentucky. 1t is all but
Lliversally believed that the prosecution
ias utilized forces outside the law, although
,..lder its cover, to the end Of finishing
owerss creer either in Jail or on the
luminous opinion has said frankly that
mis- is the irplorable truth. And now,
iiler the eight years battle Of law, passion
I'D partis,inship, Kentuckys Governor
,oni ssses that justice, not mercy, leads him
10 sstore Powers to freedom.
The assassination Of Goebel came as a
elimination of bitter fight. Although
Inc campaign ended formally with Taylor.
Republican. returned as Governor. Goebel,
who was already a Senator. contested his
seat. The Legislature determined to seat
Goebel When this became established
The Senator's opponents sought to upset
Inc legislatures plan, and they imagined
Ihey had succeeded by numbering the
Goiernor-elect before he could be seated.
He was shot with rifle bullet fired from
The office of the Secretary Of State, Caleb
Powers. Republican incumbent. Powers
The plot was not wholly successful
Goebel died, but not until after Q had been
installed on his deathbed as Governor OF
kentucky.
repeat what he had before been doing
TO bring to the States capital more moral
force" in the shape Of reputable citizens
Of the State. Republcans-a peaceful
army" petition in boots"-to oppose
The purpose of the Legislature to throw
out Gov; Taylor in, the proceedings con-
testing the electoral returns. Powers re.
turned at once to the capital. He was there
when the deathbed installation Of Goebe
took place. Then one night he and Frank
ftft policeman were captured as they were
about to escape from the city, Powers in a
soldiers uniform
Powers and the policeman produced
Pardons signed in advance by Gov. Taylor
before the installation OF Goebel. Their
possession at such juncture was regarded
by many partisans as indca4ve OF Powers q
guilt He was not charged with the murder
plot, Gov. Taylor himself was charged
with completely and in due time was in
dcted He fled and lives to-day fugitive
from kentucky. sheltered by the Governor
OF Indiana, who refuses to honor a requi-
Sl'lon for his return to Kentucky.
Caleb Powers writing of his position
! after his first trial and conviction. said:
From the beginning of the campaign
until now | have stood, with what little
merit | have had, for the rights and lib
critics Of the people. That Is my crime.
hat is the only offence have committed.
That is the only thing proved against me.
swore to that myself in my testimony.
have never had and | now have no
apology to make for being true to the
trust imposed upon me by majority OF
the voters of the State. History will draw
its dark lines about those who have out
Traaged me and dsgraced the judiciary and
blacsened the history Of the State"
Powers was straightforward and elo-
Ghent in simple sentences in the brief out
line ne made OF the case at that time. -They
say he wrote, that Taylor is guilty be-
cause he was at his Office 1.-THE Governor q
rftice was separated by one room from
Inc office Of the Secretary OF Statel, and
That am guilty because | was away from
mlhe. This has been a political trial
throughout, for political purposes. and nc
greater mistake has been made by >the
Democratic party since they robbed us
81 the Offices to which we were fairly elected
by the people.
J There are good men and noble women
"a the Democratic party and many Of them
lhey are not all bad; far from II. A great
many Of them do not indorss the theft
VI ,he State offices. A great many more
WI not ndorse this mockery of trial
lTlS prCstitltipp ~ tha no,,r-fa pf i,,oftra fpu