Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-02-10
CALEB POWERS
AT TAZEWELL
He Lectures 10 Large and Intelligent Au-
dience--HlS EVentfuI Life Briefly
But ThfIlingly Told.


On last Saturday night Caleb Powers.
the noted Kentuckian, lectured in the
courthousa at this place to an audience
of about two hundred people. He was
gracefully introduced by Mr.. E. l..
Greever, and for nearly two hours held
the close attention of his auditors, as he
revealed to them the salient points in
the most wonderful political persecu-
tion that has ever taken place in our
country.
MIR. Powers began his remarks with
declaration that his lecture would not
be partisan, as had been claimed by
ultra Democrats, but would be a recital
OF his persecution by the political fac
ton known as the Goebel Democracy in
Kentucky. He expressed much regret
at the extreme partisan spirit that has
so long dominated politics in the South
ern States, which, he said, was as rife
with Republicans as Democrats. And
he made a telling illustration by an
nouncing that such a spirit was not
manifested in the great northern and
western States; that Pennsylvania, with
Republican majority of half million.
sometimes elects a Democratic cover
nor, and that Ohio, with a majority of
one hundred thousand, now has Dem
ocratic governor.
He then proceeded to show how Goe-
belism had come into existence, through
the enactment of partisan and unfair
election laws, and the desperate meth
DDS adopted by Goebel and his associ-
ates to check the growing tide of Re-
publicanism in Kentucky. 1t was the
desperate effort of Goebel and others to
accomplish that end that eventuated in
the horrible tragedy for which Powers
was made to suffer.
Mr.. Powers, after telling of his early
life, his humble origin, his struggles and
ambitions to be and accomplish some
thing, graphically recounted his expert
ences during the eight years he ives
confined in the jails of his native State
upon a charge of being connected with
conspiracy to kill William Goebel. He
recounted how he had been tried four
times upon that charge, having been
found guilty three times, with SEN
tence for life Imprisonment at the two
first trials and death sentence imposed
at the third trial These verdicts and
sentences of the trial court were sue
cessively reversed by the Court of Ap-
peals of Kentucky, the last reversal be-
ing made by a court controlled by Goe-
bel Democratic judges. His final re-
lease from persecution came about a
year ago when he was pardoned by
Governor Wilson.
At one of his trials Mr.. Powers ap-
peared in his own behalf and spoke to
the jury for six hours. The effort was
a great one; and in his lecture Mr.. Pow
ers shows that he is a trained lawyer.
and proves by irrefutable facts and the
law that he had no connection whatever
with the killing of Goebel.
His story was told in a quiet, unre-
sentful manner, but at times he would
show much emotion as he recalled the
cruelty to which he was subjected by
his prosecutors. This was especially
true when he told of the terrible sus-
pense he had to endure while under life
sentences tc imprisonment and the
death penalty, while waiting for the ac-
tion of the Court of Appeals. At the
conclusion of his address Mr.. Powers
declared he felt no hatred for any per-
son living or dead because of the treat
ment he received, and asserted his en-
tire innocence of any connection with the
Goebel tragedy in manner that would
have carried conviction to any unbiased
court or jury.
While Mr.. Powers cannot say as did
the prisoner of Chillon:
my hair is gray, but not with wears.
Nor grew it white
In a single night
AS mems have grown from sudden
fears"
yet the terrible ordeal through which he
was called to pass il the dungeons of
Kentucky have left an indeIible impress
upon the man. His sad, gentle face
and frail body tell of how he has suffer-
ed and endured. Fortunately he was
not prisoner in a land where despots
reign and the people are subjects or
slaves. He was and is a citizen of our
great American republic, the land of
freedom. The sympathetic throbs that
pulsed in the hearts of so many thou
sands of his fellow-countrymen must
have pierced prison walls and dungeon
doors, coming in contact with his own
heart and mind, and inspiring him with
courage to wait, to endure, to battle
and to win.
At the conclusion of his lecture Mr..
Powers was warmly congratulated by
many ladies' and gentlemen of the audi