Mastin, John, Mrs.

After a very close gubernatorial election of 1899 between William S. Taylor and William Goebel, Republican Taylor was declared governor. Even after Taylor's inauguration in December, the election was contested and amid the deliberations, Goebel was shot as he approached the state capitol on January 30, 1900. The Democratic majority in the General Assembly found enough fraudulent votes to declare Goebel the winner. He was sworn in on January 31, but died just days later on February 3. Sixteen people were indicted for the assassination, but only three were convicted: Caleb Powers, secretary of state from Knox County; Henry Youtsey, a stenographer from Campbell County; and Jim Howard, a feudist from Clay County. Several trials over eight years found Powers guilty of masterminding the murder. Howard was accused of pulling the trigger, but Youtsey confessed to killing Goebel in the first trial. All three were later pardoned.