Tag: U S History

 On February 3,1900, William Goebel, the newly elected Governor of Kentucky died after serving four days in office. Goebel had been shot by an assassin the day before he was sworn in as the 34th Governor of the state. Goebel remains the only state governor in the nation to be assassinated while in office. John Connelly of Texas and George Wallace of Alabama both survived assassination attempts. From Wikipedia:

Goebel’s abrasive personality made him many political enemies, but his championing of populist causes, like railroad regulation, also won him many friends. This conflict of opinions came to a head in the Kentucky gubernatorial election of 1899. Goebel, a Democrat, divided his party with self-serving political tactics at a time when Kentucky Republicans were finally 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 was assassinated. Everyone charged in connection with the murder was either acquitted or pardoned, and the identity of his assassin remains uncertain…… read more

So yesterday found me in Barnes and Noble with a gift card from either last Father’s Day or my birthday  that sill had twelve dollars on it. So while I spent time looking at the new books, I knew that my purchases would probably come from the Bargain Books. I ended up with two history books that continue my explorations of the late 1800s and early 1900s. The two books are The War Lovers: Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, and the Rush to Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas  and The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley. Of the two, The Imperial Cruise is to me the most interesting read more