The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-04-16
CALEB POWERS HAS
TIRED OF CONGRESS
CENTRAL FIGURE IN FAMOUS
KENTUCKY CASE, PARDONED
AFTER EIGHT YEARS IN PRIS-
ON WILL RETIRE.

RARBOURVILLE, Ky.-Caleb Pow
orc for three terms congressman
from the Eleventh Kentucky district
the largest republican district in
tba United States-has withdrawn
f the race for denomination,
leaving a clear field for his opponent,
Indoe J. B. Robson. Congressman
powers. in an open letter from a
baltimore hospital, gives i'll health as
tbe reason for his withdrawal.
Caleb Powers, thrice convicted for
comnIicitv in the murder of Governor
william Goebel on the streets of
frankfort, KY, on January 20, 1900,
and who spent eight years in various
nrisons during his trials, being finally
hardened by Governor Wilson, a re-
nnblican executive, was elected to
ffba house of representatives in 1908.
The record of the Powers case
constitutes a page Of American his
tory as unique as it is amazing. Ca
leb Poewrs was young mountaineer,
LAWYER, and Kentucky's secretary of
state under Governor w. S. Taylor.
Goebel and Taylor were rival can
didates. Taylor was given the GER
tifcate of election; Goebel made
contest. The legislature of Kentucky
had lust decided in Goebel's favor.
On the morning of January 80, 1900,
William Goebel, accompanied by Col.
Jack Chinn, the well-known gun
fighter, entered the capitol grounds
at Frankfort to take the oath of
office. Just as Governor Goebel
reached the steps leading into the
building two shots rang out, and Goe-
bel fell, mortally wounded. The shots
were fired from the Office of the Sec
rotary of state.
Caleb Powers was arrested at Lex
ington on his way to his home in the
mountains. He had in his pocket at
the time of his arrest pardon sign
ed by Governor w. S. Taylor Taylor
fled the state Immediately. Powers
was held, and 100000 was offered
by the Kentucky legislature for the
apprehension and conviction of the
murder or murderers of William Goe-
bel.
James Howard, a mountaineer,
known to be dead shot, was in Pow
er's office at the time. Henry E.
Youtsey, Taylor's stenographer, was
also in the Office at the time. Powers
declared he was in Louisville at the
time of the killing, having left Frank
fort on an early morning train. Pow
ers, Howard and Youtsey were ar
rested and tried.
On his first trial Powers secured a
change of venue to Georgetown, KY,
and on August 10 the jury brought
in a verdict Of guilty of murder in
the first degree and Powers was
thereupon sentenced to life imprison-
ment as were Howard and Youtsey.
Youtsey decided not to appeal his
case and accepted the verdict. Pow
ers' friends put up a determined OPP
position, and the court of appeals re-
versed the finding. A second trial
was held in 1901 and Powers was
again convicted of murder in the
first degree, Again the case was APP
pealed and reversed as before. Judge
James E. Cantrell had refused to va
cate the bench for the second trial
and upon this new trial was grant
ed.
The third trial was before Judge
James f. Robbins. 1t lasted forty-one
days, ended in a verdict of murder
IN the first degree, and Powers was
sentenced to die on November 25,
1903. Powers influential friends did
not desert him and he spent five years
IN the federal prison at Newport be-
lore a fourth trial was granted. This
ume the jury stood ten for acquittal
and two for conviction, and Governor
Augustus Wilson granted a pardon
not only for Powers, but for Howard
as we'll
The governor issued an open letter
70 the people of the state, in which
ne said that he was convinced that
sloutsey alone had been responsible
lor the murder of Governor Goebel.