Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-19
SUIT FOR ALIMONY
The Troubles OF the OamPbeils-
Verdict for Mrs. CampbeIl-A Sum :
mary of The Case.

twill be seen by the proceedings of the
Superior Court, published elsewhere, that
the case Of Campbell VS.. Campbell, which
has become q cause celebTs In the history Of
our courts, was brought to a close by the
rendition Of verdict by the petit jury after
several days trial. A review Of the entire
case will be Of interest, and we briefly pre-
sent the essential facts:
On the 18Th of December last there arriV-
ed here by the steamship from New YORK, a
| party, comprising William Campbell, ms
| wife, Mrs. Anne Louise Campbell, q enlld
| about six wears old, and q bright french
! maid. Marie Nickel. Mr.. CampoeH was
slso accompanied by his clerk, young MAI
~ tbe name Of J. B. Harris. Mrs. camp
Ben. with her maid and child, Proceeoedt -
| tue Pulaski House, under the III e.
| tbo. ber husband would soon follow. AlVe4
-aocbtDo the hotel and Mr.. Camper, MOI
uniting in an appearance, Mrs, O GAN
Tnarrberinp certain singular clIcu I-aI
| came to the CONCLUSION ina. aba there
! Hgae Dreparing to desert hef. oHS I, ' H
"Ao pannIied 10 Magistrate Russell Tor a
| upo- ,-- FGsyafDst her husband on the charge
lSobendonment Of his child. Campbell
81 his clerk, Harris, had meanwhile gone
! Ia the Screven House, where they were
! found. On being notified OF the proceed
| nos taken against him by his wife, ne en-
! nI6vafI Messrs. Garrard 81 Meldrim to rep
resent his interests, Mrs. Campbell having
| secured Messrs A. p 81 8. B. Adams. A bond
| Of 5000 was at once given by Campbell TO an
| syer this charge. A very short time after
| wards Campbell was rearrested on warrant
| tss,,od nv Judge TOmpkins on the affidavit OF
| Wrs Campbell, charging him with assault
and battery, said offense having been, as
| alleged, committed on the steamer on the
| trip from New York to this city. Campbell
| and his friend, Harris, had started to leave
| the CITY, bur, as will be remembered, were
| intercepted at the junction OF the
| Charleston and Savannah and Central
| Railroads and brought back 10 the city.
! Campbell remained IN custody Of the officer
until tee 10Th inst, when bond In the sum
| OF 81 900 was given Tor his appearance 10
| answer the charge of assault aud battery.
! Il is proper to state here that on the night
OF the 18Th Campbell also acknowledged
service on bill for alimony, and on the
l4th the bill was filed by the counsel Tor
! Mrs. Campbell. On the 18th December the
cause came on for a hearing in the
| Superior Court, and the examination
was particularly lively, great interest
/ was &C once aroused in the case, and
| has increased up to the present time.
| The court room was thronged to its full
/ capacity throughout the examination, ana
| the crOss-eXaminatiOn OF the plaintiff clio
! tied sumo rather startling disclosures Of the
! inner system of her domestic life. After
| ful hearing, decision Of the court was rem
| dered granting temporary alimODy, and
! awarding $500 10 the plaintiff at once, S5OO
| for counsel fees, and S5O0 TO be placed in
| The registry OF the court for future use Of
| complainant, with leave to complainant's
solicitors to move for $500 more.
! Mr.. Il. Myers became security for the pay
81
! OF December MessTs. GarTard q Meldrim
1 fled a bill of exceptions to the decree
of Judge Tompkins granting temporary
| aumouy, and the case was carried TO the
Supreme Cours. In January Of this year the
cause was argued before the Supreme
! Court, and the decision OF the Superior
| Court was affirmed. The alimony ana coun-
sci fees were then paid by Campbell's attor-
! news, less amount IN the interim paid by
him for Mrs. Campheil's board, &c.
Mr.. Campbell had meanwhile returned to
| Nav York. On the 9th Of April petition
wss ii ed for further allmony, and hearing
was set for the IA h of that month. On the
| 18Th OF April Messrs. Garrard q Meldrim,
! counsel for Campbell, filed libel for di-
vCrce, which, however, was subsequently
! dismissed. On the 20lh May Mrs. Campbell
was served with a copy of the proceedings
| Of a divorce suit instituted in New York by
| Campbell through his lawyer, Hon. John L.
| Ward.
This libel contained various allegations
/ and serious charges, which aroused con-
siderable feeling, and greatly increased the
/ interest felt in the issue. Mrs. Campbell
/ had, during these proceedings, visited Jack
| sOnville, ST. Augustine and New Orleans.
! At ST. Augustine, it is understood, the
| French maid, Marie Nickel, who had for
merly been devoted TO her interests, and
| warmly espOused her cause against her hus-
| band had q quarrel with her mistress and
/ left her. This girl returned to New York,
| and, it is alleged, Immediately sought an in
| terview with Campbell, informed him OF the
! rupture between herself and Mrs Campbell,
! and Offering to furnish some valuable dots
/ to assist nina in his cause. This is alleged
| but is denied by Campbell. However,
shortly after Mile. Marie had returned TO
| New York, very fashiOnablY dressed lady
arrived at the Pulaski House, TO which Mrs.
Campbell had returned, and in very brief
| while was on intimate terms with Mrs.
Campbell, to whom she made herself very
! agreeable. This lady, who was travelling
| for pleasure and had ample means, was
known as Mrs. Anderson. She accompa-
MED Mrs. Campbell on one OF her trips to
| Florida, but she very suddenly returned to
| New York, and then IL was whispered that
the very agreeable stranger was only a sharp
detective sent out here by Campbell to spy
upon his wife's actions and endeavOr to OBJ
| tain evidence against her which would IA
| cilitate his divorce suit In New York. These
| allegations of employing detectives how
ever, Campbell stoutly denies.
In the early part OF June a requistion
was obtained from Governor Colquitt upon
| Governor Cornell, of New York, Tor Camp
| bell, whose presence was desired here for
the trial. Governor Cornell, however, de.
| clined to issue the extradltion papers for
legal reasons deemed sufficient to himself,
and Campbell remained in New York.
On June 2Sth counsel for Campbell fled
q petition for the removal of his cause from
the Superior Court Of Chatham to the
| United States Court. This motion was
ably argued pro and con, and numerous
authorities were cited, but on the LIST of July
the court Overruled it, and assigned the case
for hearing on the 18th instant, and 1t was
finally taken up on the l4th instant.
This case was for permanent alimonY,
| and its progress from the opening until the
close has been watched with more interest
than we have seen manifested in years.
| Every day the court room was crOwded, and
business men, who are generally not seen
far away from their offices during the day,
would remain foT hours glued to their
chairs, or endure the heat and discomfort
| of standing 10 the sweltering crowd Every
| body seemed on the gut Vige for something
startling and sensational, and the examina-
ton Of witnesses was listened to with bated
breath.
During the hearing Mrs. Campbell wa5
present most OF the time, the Sheriff's
Office being placed at her disposal. She was
accompanied by her little girl, and the child
attracted much attention by the artlessness
and freedom with which she played around
the court room.
The speeches In the cause were all good,
and the management Of the case, which
| presented some extraordinary and embar-
| RAISING circumstances to both sides, showed
| considerable ability.
At quarter to eight o'clock on Monday
night the cause was submitted to the Jury,
composed of the following citizens:
| VIM P Bailey, Eli NJ. B0ulineau,
! Jeremiah Keane, g. w. Giebelhouse,
| Chas. r Moerke, VIM. &. Purse,
Chas. 2. ROssignol, Edward Girard,
James T. Reilly, L. D. Hayward,
John H Allen, g. G. Rankin.
The Jury were instructed to render a
sealed verdict should they agree before the
opening Of court yesterday. Il would ap-
pear that they had pretty well made up
their minds on the subject, as they were
absent but a few hours when they were en-
abed to make up a verdict.
This verdict was read In the court yester-
| day. The jury found that all the allega-
lions and charges against Mrs. Campbell
were untrue, and were not made In good
| faith, and further deereed that she receive
as alimonY SIS, 000 to be paid on the first
| day of August next, and $4,000 per annum
! thereafter, bond and security to be exac.ed
/ for payment Of same.
| There have been many statements In re-