The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-12-14

SyIHputnILlhS spcctuloIs' iuch, ui.oi
the rope was around his neck and he
was about to be launched into eternity,
he called attention to the i'll arrange
mcnt of the rope around Jones' neck,
asking to have IL corrected, so as to
avoid needless suffering by his con-.
panion in misery"
The writer, then youth, well re-
members that the general feeling of
the people, so far as the facts became
known, were in deep sympathy with
the unfortunate men, based on the
conviction that neither should have
suffered death, many believing Quick
should have Lecn acquitted and Jones
awarded lighter punishment.
TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF MICHAEL.
CAMPBELL IN VICTORIA.
In this case | have the facts from
the record as well as memory. The
case was tried before the same
district judge as were Quick
and Jones-James w. Robinson ;
the other officers and attorneys were
Fcnton NJ. Gibson, acting district at
torney; George Blow and John ID.
Morris, attorneys for the defense; Nal
colin a. Johnston, sheriff; John Nc
Crabb, district Clerk.
On the 26th of April, 1888, the grand
jury was empaneled, consisting of
John II. Price, foreman; David Oaks,
Patrick Dowloru, Edward Moore,
Peter Teal, George Leese, Patrick
Fadden, Martin Powers, Thos. Barry,
Michael Devine, James EdmondstOn,
John Sheath and Milton ii. Hardy.
On the same day the grand Jury
presented bills charging Michael
Campbell and Willard M. Patterson
with murder in The first degree for
killing one Lindsey. This was the
result of teud, the excessive use of
whiskey and street fight in Victo-
ria In Parkerson's case there was a
hung jury. The accused was released
on a $4,000 bond, which was forfeited
and Parkerson never tried, though
afterwards living in the Soda Lake
country.
The jury in the case of Campbell
consisted of John Carrahan, Peter
Mahony, James Byrns. James Quinn,
Edward Linn, James Wright, George
Mckee, Charles Shearn, John Punch,
John +. Kemper, John Heating and
Thomas Hays. Next day the jury re-
turned into court this verdict:
ave, the jury, find the prisoner
guilty, as charged in the Indictment
Given under our hands this 9th day
of April, 1885,"
On the 2Stn Campbell's attorneys
moved for new trial, which was over
ruled. and an order, perhaps unprece-
denied in American Jurisprudence,
entered of record and executed the
same day. quote from the record
I'm the case of the Republic VS..
Michael Campbell, the prisoner was
brought into court and received the
sentence of the court, to be executed
by the sheriff between the hours of 10
o'clock a. m. and o'clock p. M, this
day, to be hung by the neck until he
is dead and the sheriff of Victoria
county is ordered to execute this sem
uence. for which purpose he is hereby
clothed with ample authority to call
out the militia of said county to aid
him perform the same"
The sentence was executed a little
before 6 o'clock p. m. by hanging
Campbell on Diamond Hill, in the
edge of Victoria. The only apology
for such haste, denying the condemned
man his constitutional right to ap-
peal for executive clemency, was the
dangerous character of Campbell as
desperate, the lack of a prison in
which to confine him and the consc-
quent danger of his escape. That he
was so regarded seems apparent from
the three facts that he was an Irish
man, that nine of the twelve jurors
who indicted him were Irishmen, and
that seven of the twelve men who
convicted him were Irishmon They,
however, had no voice in fixing the
time Of his execution.
Judge Robinson had been popular
member of the Consultation, the first
revolutionary convention in 1885, and
lieutenant governor under the famous
Henry Smith, the first American gov
ernor of Texas, in the provisional
government of 1856, and was both
an eloquent and talented man; but
these trials in Houston and Victoria
made severe inroad upon his previ-
Gus hold upon the public esteem. He
removed to San Diego, CAL, in lS49,
and died there a few years later.
My Impression is that every juror,
officer and lawyer named in con-
nection with these trials is now dead;
but it is possible John ID. Morris may
be living in Kentucky, whittier he re-
turned some years later, as did George
Blow to Virginia, where he may yet
live. Both were honorable and tai