The Mena weekly star., 1909-04-29
PARDON FOR TAYLOR
kENTucKYs FORMER EXECUTIVE NO LONGER A FUGITIVE
 FROM JUSTICE.
GOV. WILSON ACTS IN GOtBtL CASES
All tho Men Concerned in Noted Mue der Case Are Now Free With tho Exception of Henry E. Youtsey, thu Prosecutions Star Witness, Nov Serving a Life Sentence in Prison.

ueF NdsS NEe NOW FTcc With thd
 Exception of Henry E. Youtsey, ths
 Prosecutions Star Witness, Nov
 Serving a Life Sentence in Prison.
 Frankfort, Ky, Apr. 25.-Goy. VIII son, at six o'clock last evening clear ed the Kentucky court records ot all charges growing out Of the mus der in January, 1900, of Senator VII liatn Geebel, who was declared to hsye Beeh elected gbverr6f, except thoss hanging over states evidence wls fesses in the alleged conspiracy. ,b, granting pardons before trial of for mer Gov. w. B. Taylor and former Secretary of State Charles Finley who have been fugitives in the state of in diana for nine years; to John Powers. brother of Caleb Powers, who is be iieved to be In Honduras, to Holland Whitaker, of Butler county, John Davis, of Louisville and Zach Steele, Of Bell county, under indictment and wh6 did not flee the state:
 Those over whom indictments ard left hanging are Wharton Golden oi kiiox county, now in Colorado Ffsne Cecil of Bell county. now railroad detective in St. Louis. and William II. Culton. of Owsley county, said to have died in the West a few months ago These cases. with the possible excep ton of Cecil, will be dismissed, lear ing Henry E. Youtsey. now serving life sentence in the state penitentiary the only person to suffer for the tak ing off of Goebsl.
 Heitefatihg the belief lie expressed soinh months ago when he granted pafdons to Caleb Powers and James B. Howard, that no one but. Youtsey had part in the murder, and that Il was not a conspiracy. Gov. Wilson says that he believes 1t sacred duty. which must no longer delay, to carry this belief into effect"
 In extending clemency in the Taylor case, the governor after reviewing the gubernatorial election of 1899, and ta0 contest instituted before the legisls ture by Senator William G9ebcl, sasal
 For years 1t seemed as If thtfs never would be an end Of the polideal use of the Goebei murder. 10 keep up hatred and cofitention. In the cam paign of 1907 It was again brought up as 1t had been in every campaign since 1899, by speeches in which 1t was claimed that the Democratic nominee for governor would not pardon Taylor, Powers and others, and that the Re publican nominee would pardon them If elected,
 nWheh the Powers and Howard aE piicatiens for pardon were presentedI q public hearing was had and tbe whole history and course 6f the prose cutions were thoroughly discussed, and became familiar with the whole case.
 | After that hearing the whole rec ord of all of the trials was faithfully read, and after giving these cases the most impartial consideration which the earnest wish and purpose to dc. l eide rightly could give them 1 reached the firm and earnest belief that Pow CTS and Howard were not guilty, and issued the pardons
 "The study of these records coli | strained me to believe, to the exclli sion of d doubt, that Howard did not tire the shot which killed Goebei
 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 tfe testL mony as to his writing to get Howard 10 come 10 Frankfort to k..l Goebei, 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.
 Gov. Taylor had the greatest req sons to believe that he could not have n fair trial. that he would be thrown from his position of governor of this state Into the common jail, and that he would be forced to trial before partisan jury under conditions which would give him no chance for a jusl decision.
 He had large family, all wholly dependent on his labor. and decided that it was his duty not to submit to a trial under those conditions. and be left the state and went to Indiana.
 "Extradition was refused and he has lived in Indiana ever since. Gov iayIor's experience has been one oi the saddest in the history of the com monwealth. In 1899. he was elected governor. he was fulfilling the duties faithfully when this tragedy and the storm of feeling following 1t ruired the crowning glory of a useful life, over threw the elected state governm<A and put in peril the safety of the peo' ple"