The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-01
The Plunkett-C Campbell Murder
Trial in Leake County.

EDITOR CLARION: The Circuit Court o
Leake county met on Monday, the frs
day of September, with the Hon. A
G.. Mayors presiding. Promptly at
o'clock court was opened and the Charge
of Judge Mayors to the grand jury having
become SO popular for their interest anC
| information, our courthouse was crowded
to its fullest capacity. The court aftel
organizing adjourned for dinner, when tht
Hon. A. ]. McLaurin, of Brandon, by {
loud and urgent call was requested TO adj
dress the people on the political Issues o.
the day. He responded in a speech of al
hour and a half. He said by way Of
excuse, that not being politician he had
not informed himself on political matters
any further than to enable him to cast his
own vote intelligently, and therefore wa,
not prepared to instruct and edify the
people on the great questions before them
but the manner in which he handled the
subject contradicted the grounds of his
excuse, for more earnest and convincing
argument in favor of democracy and
reform have not listened to in many a
day.
But the main purpose of this communi-
cation is to give synopsis of the trial OF
DIR. J. H. Plunkett, charged with murder,
for the killing of DR.. A. d. Campbell, in
this place on the 26th of December, 1888.
The State was represented by G. Q. Hall
and o. A. Luckett, Jr., of the local bar,
and the Hon. Green B. Huddleston, Dis
trict Attorney. The defendant was repre-
sented by E. A. Hamlin and Raymond
Reid, of the local bar, and the Hon. A. J.
McLaurin, of Brandon. A special reaire
having been previously called for by the
State, the work of selecting jury began
Friday morning of the 9th inst. BY SAT-
urday night the special reEtre and both the
regular PANELS for the first week were
exhausted and only six jurors selected
Whereupon'the court ordered the Sheriff
to summon talesmen to fill out the jury,
and by 8 o'clock a. m. Monday the house
was full OF men summoned as jurors, and
by noon the jury was complete and an in
vestigation of the facts begun which lasted
until the following Monday, when the ties
timonY was closed. Between fifty and
sixty witnesses were examined, and feel
free to say that no investigation ever had
in this county was more thorough and
marked with more caution and discrimi-
nation than this. We are led to believe
that more time was consumed in this in.
vestigation than was actually necessary,
but it being a case of much notoriety and
Importance, Judge Mayors, who seems
always to keep the financial welfare OF the
county in view, and strives hard to econoA
mize both time and expense, exercised the
utmost leniency. ! have never witnessed
a trial Of great Importance that was con-
Quoted so smoothly and with so little fric- |
ton between the court and the attorneys.
Many questions of law were submitted !
during its progress, but the decisions of |
His Honor were so clear,and cautious, and |
given with such deliberations that but few /
exceptions were taken.
The argument was opened Monday |
evening by g. Q. Hall, Of the Carthage
bar, who, in speech of an hour and |
hall, presented the law and the testimony |
to the jury in concise and logical man |
1er for the State. He was followed by e. |
Hamlin for the defense, who also occu-
pied about an hour and half. The auen-
y OF this young lawyer is well known in
his vicinity, and his speech on this occa-
ZION was one OF his happiest efforts. Court
hen adjourned until o'clock Tuesday
morning, when it was understood that the
Hon. A. j. McLaurin would begin his
argument. At o'clock the court room
vas crowded with those anxious to hear
lin. Ladies aSwell as gentlemen were in
ttendance both Monday and TUESDAY
1t about 6 O'Clock he came before the iury
nd the earnestness and zeal that had
characterized his management of the case
oW shone forth with renewed energy. He
al not spoken more than twenty minutes
efore he had many of the Jury and the
udience in tears.
lie then took a calm survey of the
rounds upon which the battle was being
'ught between the attorneys for the State
nd for the defense, carefully pointing out
the jury the weak places in the position q
the prosecution and the insurmounta-
e obstacles in the way of conviction.
hen Hnsheathing the brightest sword of
IS eloquence he dashed into the very
'art of HE subject with such power. skill
I'd confidence, that the jury, like
Iarmed bird, sat for three hours and thir- "
minutes under strain of the most pro- at
und eloquence, irresistible arguments
q soul-stirring appeals. The enchant-
emf thus thrown around them thew
smed unwilling or unable to dispel,
Inc District Attorney then followed with g.,
closing speech for the State. He III
,Aeo 70 realize the difficulties in his wav
manifested determination to sur
4 .1eln. a more logical reasoner
iorclble speaker than Green B. Hud-
'ston Is hard to find. For nearly four
Irs ne poured argument upon argument
"a al the power Of eloquence into the
= Of the jury, but within an hour of I,
IF retirement they returned a verdict Of
It guilty" when the great suspense and
p anxiety that had been SO long pent up
hat qHiet, waiting audience, burst forth
one Wild, uncomfortable shout. Then {
1gala was calm save the sobbing Of the
Eioyed friends and relatives N he
endant. 'He
cannot close this communication With
making special mention Of the ouiet
nItied, unbiased and impartial manner
which Judge Mayors presided during WI
progress of this trial. His aim IN an \.
administration is to elevate the moral n
adard, to lessen crime, and reduce ex-
Eakin1. T 10 uA 1