The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-02
Ex-GOUermOr; Here
28 Years as Vote
War Exile, Is Dead
w. S. Taylor, Who Fled to
Indiana After GoebeI
Killing, Passes.


today of w. S. Taylor, "A, who fled
Kentucky in 1900 as a result of the
assassination of William Goebel, his
Democratic opponent for Governor.
Mr.. Taylor died at 80 this morn
ing at Methodist Hospital of heart
disease and complications, following
an operation Tuesday. He had spent
twenty-eight years in Indiana be-
cause of the accusations against him
and his political followers after the
death of Goebel Mr.. Taylor was
charged with completely in the
death of Goebel.
AT the time of his death Mr.. Tay-
lor was general counsel Of the En-
pire Life and Accident Insurance
Company, 215 E. New York st. He
liveJ at 2143 N. Delaware st. He
wa9 rated as wealthy man.
Flees to Indiana
Although declared Governor of
the State, Mr.. Taylor fed the capi-
tai, Frankfort, in the night, in a
buggy. He came to Indiana and
successfully resisted numerous eff
forts to eXtradite him for trial, and
as a witness in other trials that re-
suited from the Staying.
Mr.. Taylor is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Nora Taylor, and son,
Charles Linden Taylor at the ~
Delaware st. home; another son,
Wendell Taylor, Los Angeles;
four daughters, Mrs. Merrill
Wilson, 1888 N. Meridian St.; Mrs.
E. Leo Davidson, 1908 W. Thirty
Fourth St.; Mrs. Irwin Miller, 1909
w. Thirty-Second ST., and Mrs.
Lynn Bailey, Columbus, Ohio, and
six grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at
the home at 2 p. m. Saturday.
Friends may view the body there
tonight and Friday. Burial will be
at Crown Hill in the family lot be-
side the grave of his first wife, who
died in 1901, a year after their
taking residence here.
Bishop H. H. Fout of the United
Brethren Church will off1ciate at
the funeral services. Mr.. Taylor
was a Presbyterian, but in later
years attended the United Brethren
church. He belonged to neither
lodges nor clubs Of the city.
Story Is Thrilling One
The story of intrigue, of bitter
partisan fight for the nomination,
and of the final struggle in the gen.
eral election Is one Of the most SEN
sational in American politics.
AS a result of the killing, Caleb
Powers, secretary of State, was tried
three times, once sentenced to hang,
and to life imprisonment. Three
times the Supreme Court allowed a
new trial, or freed him.
After facing all this he was
elected to Congress from his home
district, and served the State there
for mnay years.
Two others, James Howard and
Henry Youtsey, an empIoye in
Powers Office, were sentenced to
life, and served part of the time.
The identity of the man who act
ually fired the shot never was es-
tablished with enough defniteness
to make a conviction stick.
In Business in Indiana
Throughout this, Mr.. Taylor, as
head of the machine accused of the
murder, was in Indiana, in the in
surance business.
Even Democrats still accuse Goe-
bel of stealing the nomination in
convention. and all point to the law
that bore his name as the seat of all
the trouble. This provided that the
election commission should consist
of a Democrat and a Republican,
and the sheriff of the county af-
fected, who was a Democrat almost
invariably.
There was no appeal from this
boards appointment of election Off
cials.
Break in Party
The methods employed by Goebel
in the nominating convention re-
suited in break in the party, and
many Democrats scratched the
ticket. Goebel's election boards de-
clared him winner, but the State
BOARD, relic of the Democratic ma
chine Goebel had smashed in gain
ing control of the party, declared
Taylor, the Republican, to be the
Governor.
Goebel appealed to the Supreme
Court, was turned down, and
appealed to the Legislature.
While this action was pending,
Goebel was shot by fif1eman
hidden in a building, on Jan. 80,
1900. He was sworn in as Cover
nor day or so later, and died Feb.
of that year. In the meantime,
Mr.. Taylor, because of threats of
Goebel followers, had fled to In
diana.
Mr. Taylor was native of
Morgantown, KY. He had been
attorney general before his party
picked him as standard bearer for
the election battle with GOehe1