The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-09-05
The Harrison Ceanty Indictments
Judge Camden,s Case.

Judge Camden'S Case.
We publish this morning copy of the
official record in the cases Of the soldiers
and citizens who had lived within the
4 Confederate lines during the war and
twere indicted for horse stealing at the
June term of the Harrison county court;
together with a history of the cases
which presents some facts not stated IN
the record Portions of this history we
have taken the liberty of italicising,
without the consent of our correspon-
dent, desiring to call especial attention
TO the facts thus marked. We think
there can be no doubt that the prOsecu-
tons were set on foot maliciQusly, and
rather for the purpose of gratifying the
spleen of certain malcontents in Harri-
sou county than to serve the ends of jus.
tice and vindicate the majesty of law
The sclfconstituted vigilance committee
who attempted to invoke against the re-
turning rebels the terrors of mob law,
having been foiled in their purpose, ap-
pear next as grand jurors, and, in this ca
pacity, find indictments, unsustained by
a shadow of evidence, against certain
persons for the Odious crime of horse
stealing They selected for indictment
some of the most prominent and honOra-
BILE men in the community, while they
evinced their favoritism and proved the
improperly of their motives by refusing
to indict others who were more guilty
than those they did arraign, and by fail
ing to bring to trial one who was indict-
ed but whose indictment was destroyed
or disregarded for reasons best known to
the parties themselves.
Among those indicted and tried before
the Justices ofthc Peace on the charge of
horse stealing, was Hon. g. D. CAMDEN,
formerly president Judge of the Clarks-
burg circuit court, a man against whose
private good character and official integ-
rity not a word could be Faithfully said.
Before the United States troops entered
West Virginia, Judge CAMDEN had left
home to hold the courts of Tucker and
Randolph counties in his circuit. When
the court was closed at Randolph. the
troops had occupied Clarksburg and
Judge CAIDEN was notified that he
would be arrested if he ventured to re
turn home. though we believe that the
extent of his disloyalty consisted chiefly
in his having voted for the ordinance of
secession. Accordingly no remained at
Beverly where he was soon after joined
by bis family, and after the battle of Rich
Mountain they removed into Augusta and
Rnckbridge counties, Va. and remained
there during the war. He never held any
position in either the civil or military
service Of the Confederate States and. we
are assured, knew nothing of General
JONES, never having seen hin OF been in
his command, and exercised all the intlu-
ence which as private citizen he conld
exert, to prevent raids into West Vlr-
pinia At the time of "the Jones raid
he was living quietly with his family in
Rockbridge county Virginia, and was not
in Harrison county of this State, from
the time the war began until after its
close. These facts were doubtless known
to the Grand Jury. for they were gener-
ally talked of during the war, and yet an
Indictment was found charging Judge
CAMDEN with stealing horses during 'thr
Jones raid J"
We presume the authors OF the inlict-
ment knew it would not stand, but they
hored to fix the stigma Of an odinns
crime upon the character of au honnra-
ble man, in the minds of those who
might never learn how utterly unfonnd-
ed was the charge All honest men, no
matter what their political sentiments
may be, must condemn such a proceed
ing as infamous and mean We snljoin
u certified copy of the official record in
Judge CAMDEN's case:
The State of West Virginia } For I,,rce,y
n.
Gideon ID. Camden. N"s"'' ~ ''''
Upon bench warrant issued the l4th
day of June, 1865, by Thomas W. Harri-
son Judge of the Circuit Court of Har-
rison County, upon a presentment found
by the Grand Jury, for the larceny of
certain horses and other property, taken
and carried away from the county of
Harrison, the goods and chattels of Wm-
NJ Late, Isaac T. Smith, Martin Sheets,
Aaron c Smith, Aaron Vincent, Marion
7. Vincent and Isaac D, Ross as named
in said warrant.
The prisoner was this day brought be-
fore me, A. Werninger,a Justice of Clark
township, with j. B. Wright Justice of
Coal township, and Conrod Ross, q JUS
ticel of Clay township. Associate Justices
And the warrant having been reformed,
endorsed, executed the within warrant
by arresting the within named q d.
Camden, and brought him before A. Wer-
mir ger. q Justice of Harrison County on