Caleb Powers

Caleb Powers (February 1, 1869 – July 25, 1932) was a United States representative from Kentucky and the first Secretary of State of Kentucky convicted as an accessory to murder.

Caleb Powers
A dark-haired man in his early thirties wearing a high-collared shirt and light-colored jacket, facing left
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Kentucky's 11th district
In office
March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919
Preceded byDon C. Edwards
Succeeded byJohn M. Robsion
55th Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office
December 12, 1899 – January 31, 1900
GovernorWilliam S. Taylor
Preceded byCharles Finley
Succeeded byCaleb Breckinridge Hill
Personal details
Born(1869-02-01)February 1, 1869
Whitley County, Kentucky, U.S.
DiedJuly 25, 1932(1932-07-25) (aged 63)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Laura Rawlings
​
​
(m. 1896; died 1896)​

Dorothy
Children1
Alma materValparaiso University
ProfessionLawyer

Early life

He was born near Williamsburg, Kentucky. He attended the public schools, Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, the University of Kentucky at Lexington, Kentucky and Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He graduated from the Northern Indiana Normal School and Business Institute (now known as Valparaiso University) in Valparaiso, Indiana and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1890 and 1891. He was discharged due to having weak eyes which led to temporary blindness.[1]

Powers studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1894 and commenced practice at Barbourville, Kentucky. He was the superintendent of public schools for Knox County, Kentucky 1894-1899. He was elected secretary of state of Kentucky in 1899 but was unseated after a contest.

Assassination of William Goebel

Powers was convicted of complicity in the assassination of Governor William Goebel (D) in 1900 who had just won the election.[2] Goebel was walking to work at the Capitol between two body guards, when assassins opened fire and killed him. The prosecution charged that Powers was the mastermind of having a political opponent killed so that his boss, Governor William S. Taylor (Kentucky politician) (R), could stay in office. Among his attorneys were R. C. O. Benjamin and Frank S. Black. Powers was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.[3] But an appeals court overturned Powers' conviction, though Powers was tried three more times, resulting in two convictions and a hung jury. Governor Augustus E. Willson (R) eventually pardoned Powers in 1908 though he had already served eight years in jail. While in prison, Powers authored the 1905 book My Own Story.

Congress and later life

After leaving prison, Powers was elected as a Republican to the 62nd and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1919) but was not a candidate for renomination in 1918. He served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1912 and moved to Washington, D.C., and served as assistant counsel for the United States Shipping Board from 1921 until his death in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1932. He was buried in City Cemetery, Barbourville, Kentucky.

Caleb Powers married Laura Rawlings in January 1896 and she died six months later. He was survived by his second wife, Dorothy. He had one daughter, named Elsie.

See also

References
  1. My Own Story by Caleb Powers
  2. Caleb Powers is convicted Second Sentence to Life Imprisonment Los Angeles Herald, Volume XXIX, Number 26, 27 October 1901
  3. "San Francisco Call 27 October 1901 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
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