William Goebel
Governor of Kentucky
Died when: 44 years 30 days (528 months)Star Sign: Capricorn
William Justus Goebel (January 4, 1856 – February 3, 1900) was an American Democratic politician who served as the 34th governor of Kentucky for four days in 1900, having been sworn in on his deathbed a day after being shot by an assassin.
Goebel remains the only state governor in the United States to ever be assassinated while in office.Goebel was born to Wilhelm and Augusta Goebel (née Groenkle), German immigrants from Hanover.
He studied at the Hollingsworth Business College in the mid-1870s and became an apprentice in John W.Stevenson's law firm.
While Goebel lacked the social qualities like public speaking, which were common to politicians, various authors referred to him as an intellectual man.
He served in the Kentucky Senate, campaigning for populist causes like railroad regulation, which won him many allies and supporters.
In 1895, Goebel engaged in a duel with John Lawrence Sanford, a former Confederate general staff officer turned cashier.According to the witnesses, both men then drew their pistols, but no one was sure who fired first.
Sanford was killed;Goebel pleaded self-defense and was acquitted.During the 1899 Kentucky gubernatorial election, Goebel divided his party with his political tactics to win the nomination for governorship at a time when Kentucky Republicans were gaining strength, having elected the party's first governor four years previously.
These dynamics led to a close contest between Goebel and William S.Taylor.In the politically chaotic climate that resulted, Goebel won the election, but was assassinated and died three days in office.
Everyone charged in connection with the murder was either acquitted or eventually pardoned, and the identity of his assassin remains unknown.
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