The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1909-04-28
GOV. WILSON
ISSUES PARDONS
Before Trial to Alleged
Goebel Assassins.
ONLY HENRY YOUTsEY LEFT
To Suffer For Damnable Con-
Spiracy-The Expected
Duly Happens.


man, Henry Youtsey, the scape-goat,
will ever he punished for the muir
der of one of Kentucky'y Governors at
the threshold of the old Statehouse,
for Gov. Wilson this afternoon clear
ed the docket of all tie Goebl murder
conspiracy cases by pardons to all
those under indictment for completely
in the crime At one sweep of his pen
he wiped off the slate all the cases
pending in the Franklin Circuit Court
for the murder of William Goebel,
Youtsey alone will suffer punishment
in this world Youtsey occupies a
cell in the Frankfort penitentiary
and still bitterly insists that he was
only one of number who participate
ed in the murder of William Goebel.
For nearly ten years fugitives from
Justice. some hiding in Indiana under
the protection of the officials of that
State and some in unknown places,
these men, who were accused OF the
murder of Goebel, have been conceal
ed from the officers OF the law who
would put them on trial for the killing
of Goebel. They can now come back
to Kentucky as free men without dan
ger of arrest on the charge which
sent them to cover like frightened
rabbits.
Pardons, full and free, were granted
this afternoon to William s. Taylor,
for a time defacto Governor of Ken
lucky, Charles Finley, defacto Secre-
tary of State under Taylor; John /.
Powers, a brother of Caleb Powers,
who held office under the Republican
Administration when Taylor was hold
ing the office which the courts said
belonged to William Goebel; Holland
Whitaker, the first man arrested for
the murder of Goebel arrested at the
Statehouse just after the shooting
with all his pockets filled with revolv-
ers; John w. Davis, policeman on the
Capitol Square, and lack Steele, of
whom but little is known. All these
men were under Indictment in the
Franklin Circuit Court as accessories
before or after the fact to the murder
Of the man the courts said was duly
elected Governor of Kentucky.
That Gov. Wilson would pardon ev-
cry man charged with the murder of
Goebel was conceded by everybody
and the pardons were expected. They
were not expected this afternoon, but
when they did come there was no
surprise. When Gov Wilson pardon
. ed Caleb Powers and James Howard
last fall it was regarded as certain
then that 1t was only a question OF
time until he would pardon everybody
connected with the crime who was
charged with IT.. In his reasons for
hardening Powers and Howard, Gov.
Wilson said that he believed that
the evidence showed that Youtsey
alone was guilty of the murder OF
William Goebel. Holding this view
it was understood that the Governor
MOulu pdIuOn every DOhy NioN anu nv
only surprise here is that he has
waited thisAong to do it.
Not a single one Of those who were
hardened here this afternoon has ever
been tried on the indictment found
against them. The pardons were
granted to men who never faced a
jury, but who fled when warrants for
their arrests were issued. Taylor
fled to Indiana and Finley went with
him. There they found haven of
refuge, as the Governor of Indiana de-
clined to grant requisition for their
return. The succeeding Republican
Governors followed the example set,
and since Gov. Marshall, a Democrat,
has been in office, Republican Gov
ernor has been in office in Ken
lucky, so no acquisitions have been
issued for the return to Kentucky
of the fugitives.