The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1909-04-29
TAYLOR PARDONED
Gov. Wilson Practically Closes Goe-
bel Case by Clemency to Former
Republican Leadsrs.--More Par
dons Expected.

Gov. Wilson last Thursday finally
closed the Goebel murder case by
granting pardons to ex-Gov. w. S.
Taylor, and ex-Secretary of State
Charles Finley.
The Governor also granted pardons
to John Powers brother Of Caleb
Powers, indicted as an accessory TO
the crime; to Holland Whitaker, Of
Butler county; to Jno. Davis of Louis
vile, and to Zach Steele, of Bell
county. Whitaker, Davis and Steele
never left the State. While Taylor
and Finley have lived outside the Com
monwealtn, John Powers, IL is said,
has been roaming about in Honduras
Those over whom indictments are
left hanging are Wharton Golden. of
Knox county. now in Colorado; Frank
Cecil. OF Bell county. now a railroad
detective in st. Louis, and William H..
Culton, of owsley county, said TO have
died recently in the West. These
cases, with the possible exception OF
that OF Cecil, will, IL is said, be dis
missed. This action will leave Henry
f. Youtsey. of Campbell county, now
serving a life sentence in the State
penitentiary as the only person
to suffer for the murder Of Goebel.
The reason for the pardon OF these
men are fully set forth by the Cover
nor in his pardons. but are too long to
be published in full. The most inn
portant OF the pardons being that of
Gov. Taylor. we print extracts from
the governors statement showing
his excellent reasons for the act:--
THE murder OF William Goebel de-
stroyed every chance Of Gov. Taylor's
winning the contest, and every sensible
man felt this at the time. No man of
common sense or any knowledge OF
public feeling, could have thought any
other result possible. IL was the worst
crime in our history, and 1t did more
harm than any other murder ever
committed in Kentucky.
For years II seemed as II there
never would be an end of the politi-
cal use OF the Goebel murder to keep
up hatred and contention. In the cam
paign OF 1907, 1t was again brought up,
as IL had been In every campaign
since 1899, by speeches In which II
was claimed that the Democratic nomi-
nee for Governor would not pardon
Taylor. Powers and others, and that
the Republican nominee would pardon
them IL elected. | made no answer TO
these speeches until came TO the
home OF Powers in the mountains,
where l told the people. his friends.
that ! would not PREJUDICE these cases,
that would not promise anybody ell
ther to pardon or not to pardon those
men, but that II the cases ever came
before me, would take them up off
cially, and decide them on the merits
lust like other cases. and that l was
anxious for the conviction and punish
ment OF every person guilty Of the
murder of william Goebel. as any one
else In Kentucky.
The only evidence in all of the four
trials of Powers and three trials OF
Howard by which the prosecution in
any way attempted to connect Gov.
Taylor with the murder, was the test'-
mony as to his writing to get Howard
to come to Frankfort TO kill William
Goebel, and tending to show that
Howard, on the request in that letter.
did come to Frankfort, entered into
the plot and committed the murder.
But Howard did not kill Goebel and
Gov. Taylor could not be guilty OF
getting Howard to do what he did not
do.
while Governors Mount and Dur
bin, of Indiana, refused the requisi-
lions. no application was made to their
successor. Gov Hanly, during his four
years, and as have said, no request
has been made OF me TO send a re-
quisition TO the Democratic Governor,
Gov. Marshall, who succeeded Gov.
Hanly There can be no doubt that
II / had sent for them they would
have come to Kentucky without
requisition, and still less. that If i
had sent a requisition to Gov. Hanly
during his term, he would have honor
ed IL.
1T seems from this delay of five
and half years in taking any steps
to bring this case to trial, that the
officers in the prosecution have not
wished to do so.
ut was my hope and promise to
our people that l would try to be a
OF peace and good will and
to end the angry strife of years over
these cases and to do my duty in them
faithfully and uprightly, and l have
kept the faith. 1t is the highest call
Of duty and conscience now to end tn
prosecution of this man, who is clear