The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1909-08-24
Caleb Powers. Candidate for
Congress.

Editorial from the National Monthly
Caleb Powers, pardoned convict,
named as an assistant assassin at the
murder of Governor Goebel of Ken
lucky, proposes to drag that whole
nasty mess back into the politics of
the Blue Grass State. Caleb Powers
was Secretary of State through fraud.
He was in the Taylor crew of Repub-
Iican politicians who proposed to hold
the government of Kentucky from the
rightful officials at all hazards-mur-
der if necessary. And murder was
necessary. The killing of Governor
Goebel marked a vicious chapter in
the political history of Kentucky.
Those responsible for it never paid the
full penalty for their crime. Caleb
Powers was three times convicted of
being an accessory to the assassina-
ton; twice sentenced to life imprison-
ment and once sentenced to death. He
served the greater part of eight years
in prison but was pardoned by Re-
publican Governor recently elected.
Goebel's opponent for the guberna-
torial chair was in exile for eight years
through refusal of Republican COVER
nors to honor Kentucky's request for
extradition.
Powers comes from his prison cell
claiming the wreath of martyr. He
proposes to strike down every hand
that was raised in defence of the law
of the land as it was applied to his
case. He believes he was wronged.
Measured by the yardstick of punish
ment as inflicted upon the man who
actually fired the shot which killed
Goebel, Powers may have been wrong
ed. But what of Goebel's lot? In vain
now the real friends of Powers urge
him not to nurse his wounds in public.
He has declined their advice. He ap-
pears to be whirlwind of power. On
the stump now he is convincing, and
Kentucky loving a fighter, is showing
some concren. if not admiration, for
him. He may succeed in his determine
ton to enter Congress for his home in
Knox county is among the Republican
strongholds of the State. His congress
sional district is represented by Don
c. Edwards, last elected to Congress
without Democratic opposition. Power9
has entered the fields to fight Edwards
for the nomination, claiming that Ell
wards aided IN sending him to prison.
The country appeared to have escao-
ed from the odor of distressing crime
when the last of the cases pending
were cleared by a pardon from the
present Governor. Some he wrong
fully pardoned before their case had
even been pressed to trial. In the
whole history of this case there seems
to have been more or less of misap-
plication of justice, and it may be that
the administration of law was marked
with error in the trials which resulted
in the conviction of Powers, but the
facts were sufficient to convince three
different juries of his actual connec-l
ton with that murder. Now the coun-
try is to be asked to walk through the
cirty trial again. We do not anticipate
that Congressman Edwards will de-
cline to join issue with his warning an
tagonist. Powers may be the cause of
more bloodshed in the Blue Grass
State. but it is to be hoped that Knox
county will settle the question at the
ballot box and. let no assassin's bullet
rob the successful man of his seat as
Goebel was deprived of the guberna-
torial chair he had won.
ItPays.