William
Goebel,
the son of German immigrants, was born
in Sullivan County, Pennsylvania on 4th January, 1856. After graduating
from Cincinnati Law School in 1877 he specialized in corporate and
railroad law in Kentucky.
A member of the Democratic Party he
was elected to to the Senate in Kentucky in 1887. Over the next thirteen
years Goebel developed a reputation as a progressive and supported
the civil rights of African Americans,
women and trade unions.
He also some important political figures by calling for the abolition
of lotteries and an end to the monopoly on state school textbooks.
Goebel made many enemies and after one conflict, a local politician,
John Stanford was killed. Goebel was charged with his murder but was
acquitted in 1895.
In 1899 the Democratic Party selected
Goebel as its candidate for governor of Kentucky whereas the Republican
Party chose William Sylvester Taylor.
The election was controversial and there were claims of ballot rigging.
When the vote was announced, Taylor won by 193,714 to 191,331.
When the Democratic Party challenged
the result of the election, threats were made that if Goebel won on
appeal, he would be assassinated. Goebel was given bodyguards but
on 30th January, 1900, while Goebel was entering the State House,
a gun was fired from the window of the Secretary of State's office.
Goebel was taken to hospital and while receiving treatment it was
announced that as a result of the investigation he was now the governor
of Kentucky. However William Goebel died of his wounds on 3rd February,
1900. William Sylvester Taylor fled
to Indiana and refused to return to face charges of conspiring to
murder Goebel. Several men were arrested including Caleb
Powers, Kentucky's Secretary of State. Eventually Henry Youtsey
and Jim Howard were convicted of murder while five others including
Powers were found guilty of conspiracy.
In
1907 an article by Fred Warren, the editor
of Appeal to Reason, complained
about the failure of the authorities to arrest and charge William
Sylvester Taylor with murder. When Warren advertised a reward
of $1,000 for the arrest of Taylor, Warren was himself arrested and
charged with encouraging others to commit the crime of kidnap. After
a two year delay, Warren was found guilty and sentenced to six months
hard labour and a $1,500 fine.
On 13th June, 1908, the Governor of Kentucky, Augustus
Everett Willson, pardoned William Sylvester
Taylor, Caleb Powers, . The following
year he pardoned William Sylvester Taylor
and all the other men indicted for Goebel's murder, except for Henry
Youtsey, whom Willson said was obviously the murderer.
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