The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-28
eoEDEl's lsslssINs FREE.
GOV. WILSON PARDONS LAST OF
GOEBEL MURDERERS.
Grants Full AbsOlution 20 Eugitives
From Justice Charged With Kill.
ing OF Governor.


Wilson cleared the Kentucky court
records Of all charges craving out of
tho murder in January. 1900, Of Sem
ator William Goebel. who was declar-
ed by the legislature to have been ell
ected governor, except those hanging
over States evidence witness In the al
legged conspiracy, by granting par
dons before trial to Former Gov. w.
8. Taylor and Former Secretary of
State Charles Finley. who have been
fugitives in the State Of Indiana for
nine years. to John Powers, brother
Of Caleb Powers. who Is believed to be
I'm Honduras. to Hollond Whitaker Of
Butler county. John Davis of Louis
VILE and Zach Steele Of Belle county,
who did not fiee from the State.
Those over whom indictments are
left hanging are Walton Golden Of
Knox county. now in Colorado:
Frank Cecil of Belle county. now a
railroad detective in st. Louis. and
William II. Coulton OF Owsley coun-
ty, said to have died in the West re-
Gently.
These cases. with the possible ex-
ception Of that against Cecil, will be
dismissed. leaving Henry e. Youtsey
now serving q life sentence in the
State penitentiary. the only person to
suffer for the assassination OF Goe-
bel.\
Reiterating the belief he expressed
several months ago when he pardon
ed Caleb Powers and James B. How
ard that no one but Youtsey had part
In the murder. and that It was not a
conspiracy, as the commonwealth
charged. Gov. Wilson says that in
the memorandum attached to the
pardons that he believes 1t q sacred
duty" to pardon the men who fed the
State as they had the greatest rea-
sons to believe" that they could not
have a fair trial."
In extending clemency in the Tay-
lor case the governor. after review
ing the State gubernatorial election
of 1899 and the contest instituted be-
fore the legislature by Senator Will
lam B. Goebel. says that when the
Powers applications for pardon were
presented to him a public hearing
was held and he became throughly
familiar with the whole cause Of the
prosecution and defense.
after the hearing" continues the
governor. "the whole record of all
the trials. with the opinion Of fthe
court of appeals. was faithfully read
and after giving these cases the i'm
partial consideration which the earn
es. belief that Powers and Howard
were not guilty and issued the par
dons. The study Of these records con-
strained me to believe. to the exclu-
sion of doubt. that Howard did not
fro the shot which killed Goebel.
'"The only evidence in all of the four
trials Of Powers and the three trials
ot Howard by which the prosecution
in any way attempted to connect Gov.
Taylor with the murder was the tes-
tlmony as to his writing to get How
ard to come to Frankfort to kill Will
liam Goebel and tending to show that
Howard, on the request in that letter.
did come to Frankfort. entering 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.
II am absolutely sure that Gov.
William s. Taylor had no part In the
murder Of william Goebel and feel 1t
a sacred duty. which I must no long
er delay. to carry this belief into ef-
feet and I therefore grant to William
s. Taylor q full and free pardon"