The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1876-10-19
ONSLAUGHT ON JUDGE W. P. CAMPBELL.
A Full Sluice-head of Defamatory Charges
Against Judicial Officer.


Against Judicial Officer.
: The political canvass of 1876 will bt
marked as one Astounding with person
al villification and outrageous calum
mics. No class of candidates have
escaped this disagrceable feature, ant
neither has prominence or unblemished
record exempted those charged from
the disagrecable duty of refuting lies
and establishing individual innocence
The incentive or moving cause to this
unusual feature of party politics is
properly traceable to the rampant
spirit of reform, either fictitious or in.
trinsic in IFS aims. From its results
candidates for governorships, for con-
gress and for other important Offices
have been compelled to leave the field.
But in most cases these assaults have
proved futile, and the dirty weapons
! have fallen TO the ground or rebounded
upon the assaulting parties.
The editor of the Southwestern Kan
sas Gazette, Republican paper pub
lished at Augusta, inserts in his issue
of Saturday, October 14th, an editorial
containing nine specific charges against
the good namh of W. p. Campbell 1t
is terrible bill OF particulars, set
forth as an interogatory. 1t charges,
not only serious moral deliuquencies,
but also crimes of the foulest charac-
ter, so black, indeed, that we do not re-
publish them, and of such enormity as
will not be believed by his personal
friends. and cannot for moment be
admitted by the editor of the EAGLE
The editor of the Gazette, in his intro
ductory remarks, claims to have here
tofore been a consistent friend OF Judge
Campbell, having, he says, worked
hard for his denomination. 1t strikes
us that had his friendship been of the
proper character and of an honorable
stamp, lie would, upon the presenta-
ton of such charges Immediately have
notified the Judge and the Judicial
Central Committee, whose duty it
would have been to investigate the
whole matter as certainly it would
have been all honest mans pleasure to
prove his innocence. BY such course
an irreparable injury would not have
been done an innocent men, while If
found guilty as charged, the Commit
tee could and would have displaced an
unworthy one for worthy one.
As the readers Of the EAGLE well
know, Judge w. P. Campbell was not
our choice for the position he now fills,
but he was so signally the choice of the
party, so unanimously renominated,
that with perfect cheerfulness we ac-
guessed in his candidature. A young
man of not only sound judgment and
vigorous mind, but indeed conceded
briliiancy, we have enjoyed his oppo-
sition within the ranks, still holding
ourselves ready to repel any foul asper-
sions touching his honesty. A bold
man, even, with spice of recklessness,
we have known him; rough and ready,
either on or off the bench, but that he
is or has been a party TO crime, or, in
any matter punishable by fine or inn
prisonment particips crin,ais, we
will not consent TO on the mere asser-
ton Of any man.
1t is but eighteen days until election,
but as short as the time is some def
mite and doterminate action must be
taken. As far as the majority of the
accusations are concerned, in fact, as
far as they are all concerned, except
the ones charging him with crime and
bribery, we are willing to accept his
own square and prompt denial, but as
to the grave charges of bribery the
names, dates and surroundings of
which are cited and crimes charged,
he owes il to himself, to his friends,to
his party, aud, in fact, to the people
TO disprove by undoubtod evidence.
This should be done. not by a mere
newspaper article, but before and to
the satisfaction of the members of the
Central Committee, all of whom are
his friends. For in the matter of the
judiciary more especially is it desir-
able that candidates should have the
full confidence Of the people, and that
such candidates should at least poll the
party vote, otherwise it were better to
have no candidate at all.
Judge Campbell is now holding
court at Wellington, we believe, and
he, no doubt, viii see or be made
aware of the foul asperaions against
his character. 1t viii be but short
work TO summon the committee and
clear up these disreputable and dam
aging charges which so affect his name,
standing, influence and judicial ermine
The Judicial Central COMMITTEES
consists of the following named gem
tlemen: II. c. Sluss, of Sodgwick; A
l.. L. Hamilton, OF Butler; NJ g. Mil
Ter, of Chautauqua; e. S. Cummings,
of Elk; L. S. Torrance, of Cowley, and |
c. Willsie, of Sumner.