The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1909-10-06
CALEB POWERS
CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS Of KEN
TUQY.

Caleb Powers, pardoned eonyiet
named as an assistant assassin at the
murder Of Governor GoebeI Of Ken-
tucEy, proposes to drag that whole
nasty mess back into the politics Of
the Blue Grass State. Caleb Pow-
ers was Secretary of State through
fraud. He was in the Taylor crew
of Republican politicians who propos.
ed to bold the government of KEN
lucky from the rightful officials ataIl
hazapds-murder if necessary. And
murder was necessery. The killing
Of Gov. Goebel marked a vicious
chapter in the political history Of
Kentucky. Those responsible for il
never paid the full penalty Of their
crime. Caleb Powers was three times
convicted of being an accessory TO
the assassination, twice sentenced to
life imprisonment and once sentenc-
ed TO death. He served the greater
part of eight years in prison but was
pardoned by "a Republican Governor
recently elected.
Goebel's opponent for the guber=
natorial chair was in exile for eight
yeats through refusal of Republic
can Governors to honor Eentucky's
request for extradition.
Powers comes from his prison cell
claiming the wreath of "a 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 yard
stick of punishment as inflicted upon
the man who actually fred the shot
which killed Goepel Powers may
have been wronged. But what of
Goebel's LOTT In vain now the real
friends of Powers urge him not to
nurse his wounds in public. He has.
declined their advice. He appears
to be whirlwind of power. On the
stump now he is convincing, and
Kentucky loving a fighter, is show
ing some concern, if not admiration
for him. He may succeed IN his de
termination to enter Congress forhis
home in Knox county is among Re-
publican strongholds of the state
His congressional district Is repres-
ented by Don c, Edwards. last elect
ed to Congress without Democratic
opposition. Powers has entered the
field to fight, Edwards for the nomin-
alton, claiming that Edwards aided
in sending him to prison.
The country appeared to have es-
capped from the Odor of a distressing
crime when the last of the cases
pending was cleared by pardon
from the present Governor. Some
wrongfully pardoned before their
cases had even been pressed to trial.
In the whole history of this case
there seems to have been more or
less of misapplication of justice,
and it may be that the administra-
ton of Law was marked with errorin
the trials which resulted in the con-
viction of Powers, but the facts was
sufficient to convince three different
jjuries of his actual connection with
the murder. Now the county isto
be asked to walk through the dirty
trial again. We do not anticipate
that Congressman Edwards viii de-
cline to join issue with his warning
antagonist. Powers may be the
cause of more blOodshed in the Blue
Grass State, but it is to be hoped
that Knox county viii settle the
question at the ballot box and let no
assassin's bullet rob the successful
man of his seat as Goebel vas de-
pryed of the Gubernatorial chair -
had won.-National Monthly.