Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-10-31
HIS CROOKED CAREER.
How Campbell Fought for an On
popular Steward.
And After the County Board Repudi-
ated mis- Conduct How He Prayed a
Miserable Trick on a Fellow super.
visor Who had Triumphed over
Elm

As member of the county board in
which be represented the township of
South Rock Island for several years. hav-
ing in fact not become impressed with
the idea of denouncing all allegiance to
his mother land, Great Britain, until he
saw chance to get public office, Tom
Campbell. the present republican candi>
date for county treasurer. showed how
far he was inclined to guarding the pub
lie interests when weighed in the scale
with his individual and personal prefer
ences. At several sessions of the county
board prior to the meeting CT Dec. 1888.
MIR. j d. Warnock as supervisor from
Rural township. but since deceased, had
led a well founded opposition to
Asa Butmsn as steward at the
poor farm. Mr.. Warnock alleged
unfaithfnness on the part of Butman to
his duties. but Campbell being friend of
Butman. strenuously fought for him and
having the chairman of tn board, Heath
of Milan. on his side, be for a time
thwsrted all efforts on Mr.. Warnock' s
part to have al Investigation made Mr.
WarnOck finally brought evidence before
the board thst Butmsn's team had been
repeatedly seen in front of Coal Valley
saloon when the steward ought to be at
the poor farm, and Mr.. Warnock sue
ceeded, despite Campbel,'s most vigorous
opposition. in having committee ap-
pointed to investigate the affairs of tie
poor farm. Campbell however. fought the
investigation step by step. He abused
Wsrnock shamefully and supported But
man in every claim that he made in his
defence. The committee composed of
Supervisors ]. d. Warnock. J. s Robin,
son and Henry Werlich, reported TO the
December term. 1888. that the books of
the poor farm had been examined and
that the books were not properly indexed
and in several cases accounts were not
footed. that the committee was dissatis-
fled with the way in which the steward
disposed of his farm products. and that
several persons had been supported at the
| farm as psupers while receiving wages
for labor performed on the poor farm
In the meantime Campbell and Heath.
who were bound that Bu,man should be
| elected whether or no, and finding that
the records had verified Mr.. Warnock g
assertions, and proved the steward unfi;
! for his office entered upon systematic
| scheme to belittle their fellow member in
the eyes of the board. but they could not
succeed. and at the March term next
James Robertson was elected steward at
the poor farm by vote of fifteen to
eight for ButmsD. This action on the
part of the board was at once very com.
| plimentary to Mr.. Warnock as sustaining
his accusation. and was rebuke to
Campbell who had stesdfastly defended
| Butman. Campbell was indignant at the
result. and at once commenced on the
| quiet to abuse WsTnock. The night fol.
lowing the defeat of Butmsn, Campbell
and Heath got into a discussion with
WaruOck on the subject. and they pur
suaded him to go to Market square ga.
loon with them, aud though Mr.. War
mock was not a drinking man, he took
one drink. Soon after he began to ex
| perieDce peculiar sensations. and at on ce
retired. He had never been intoxicated
in his life. and he knew that one drink
and that non-intoxicsnt, would not af
feet him. Campbell and Heath were
| hckled. however. and knowing of Mr.
| WarnOck's welknown sobriety, peddled
the report a | over town that Mr.. War
mock was drunk in town. The report
reached the country, and Mr. Warnock' e
friends became indignant. They knew
the stories were msliciously false, and
Campbell seeing that they were discred-
tied, told q number of people that War
mock wss mot full at ell that night" but
that he put fly in the drink, to make
| him feel that way, anyway"
But this is not the only evidence of
shameful extent 20 which Campbell car
red his frieDdlness to Butman and bis
enmity to Supervisor Warnock. Pre-
7ious to the removal of Butman there
was survey to be made of the pipes at
the poor farm for future reference. Mr.
Warnock advocated the letting of the con-
tract to a practical plumber in Rock ISL
and, and favored giving it to NJ Yerbury
who had the lowest bid. Campbell. how
ever, favored giving the job to Butm an
and persuaded the board to his way of
thinking. this being before the investigs.
ton. and Butman was assigned the work
for $50, whereas Mr.. Yerbury would have
been glad to have taken the contract for
much less than that figure This is pref
tv good proof of what Csmpbell's par.
TALLY to an incompetent official cost the
people of Rock Island county.