New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-20
LIKE THE CINCINNATI RIOT.
"REMINISCENCES BY T. c. CAMPBELL.
READY TO DEFEND A POSSIBLE REvENGEFCL
SLAYER OF PARKINSON.

SLAYER OF PARKINSON.
Thomas c. Campbell. who one Of the most noted
criminal lawyers in Cincinnati up 10 1s5i and was SO
prominently identified with great riot OF that year
In that city by of his having defended the
prisoner in whose case justice was believed to have
miScarricd, has pracscd his profession in Ncw-fo'k
for the last seven years lie Is senior member OF the
law firm Of Campbell Il Murphy, with Offices at No.
90 Broadway. and he lives at no 2.139 seventh ave-
As in the Of the Cincinnati riot, that in New
Orleans was caused by popular belief in the inef'
cheney Of the courts TO provide punishment for offenders
against the law. In conversation with Tribune re
porter yesterday Mr.. Campbell talked freely about the
two riots.
"Whcn did the Cincinnati riots occur7" the reporter
asked
The actual outbreak" Mr.. Campbell replied BE-
gan on Friday March %, ISL. some six or seven
persons in the mob were killed in the assault on the
Jail. and a score wounded. sheriff VI. l.. llaw-
kns, now Adjutant-Gcneral Of Ohio with courage
which Is naturally his. and experience bcGot OF
training in the Army, defended the prison bravely
and repealed the mob with loss Of six killed ana
twenty wounded. All Saturday from early morning
until dusk Of evening crowd OF from 11ooo 10
10000 people hung about the court house and prison
! walked through the crowd to the court house, and
for more than half block there was "A dense mass Of
humanity through which picked my way. They
struck me as being the order of curiosity
seekers than malicious persons \ portion OF the
press however had innamcd the populacc very much,
and toward evening the crowd became dcmonstrativc
and unruy.
"on the evening OF March 90, under the cover Of a
fire which had been started 10y rolling oil barrels INTO
the Court House an attack made upon the Treas
urcr's Office. From that moment the evil passions
Of the entire mob seemed To be thoroughly aroused
sharp fighting occurred between the Shcrihs FORCES
and the rioters. Both the shcrn's aids and The lAth
Regiment showed courage, and dealt with the MOB
as mobs only should be dealt with, by giving them
caden hail The result that some 100 persons
were more less severely wounded, and MY nlhe'
believe, killed.
RIFLES DISCOURAGE PAIKEES0NS.
"On Sunday certain cvildiSpoScd politicians under
took TO organize the mob and lead them against my
residence, but a half-dozcn Winchester rifles IN the
hands Of my servants and three Of my friends
were moro persuasive than tho eloquencc OF The
Parkcrsons' who were leading the rioters
what were the causes leading 10 the Cincinnati
riot"
Tho causes were partially political; partially inc
haste % cry stop thief OF certain people connected
with the gas corporations and other like Institutions
which had for years been pursuing course Oh pIIpc'H
with departments Of the state government ana Largely
the cupidty OF certain elements in Cincinnati Secretly
put In motion by one Albert Meter (who aier"ari
became OF sidcp partner Of Ives and etaynef' oi
railroad fame because Of matters growing out OF an
attempt To lease the Miami and Erie Canal and IN part
the jealousy Of certain lawyers.
"The Immediate prctcxt for the riot was found In
the trial of boy named Bcrner, seventeen years ON
who was indicted as the active acc0mplcc oil Nch
less young man named Palmer, about twcnty-Sk years
Of ace Palmer had in him abOut Onecighth coiof"i
blood They wcr,, charged with the murder Of man
named Kirk who kept livery stable. Inc a'tua'
facts OF the case were that Kirk had exhibited large
roll OF bills in the presence Of Palmer ana be'Ic''
Palmer announced his intention of getting the DIS.
Eerner asked how and Palmer SAID i VIII 'ho" you.
Palmer struck Kirk, when his back was 10 him. Win
draw pin killing him. Bcrncr attempted To eSraPe'
when Palmer threatened to deal out to him the same
fate Cowed by Palmer Bcrncr assisted MN IN ma
ing the body received from him 800 Oh the money
and went TO Indiana to an unclc'S.
EXPORTING CONFESSION
"Upon seeing in the daily pIess that he was "ah'cd
he returned 10 his fathers home. arriving there ~
/, O'Clock in the morning. His father at once took
him N the police station where he told the authorizes
the story From there he was removed to what was
called tho fy' cell at headqnarteiS' ana 'c" h'p'
without food Of any kind all day ana all hSht' w
lzens reporters detectives and police Objects "c'o
constantly with him, urging him To confess lime anu
again he repeacd ~ one and another the facts Already
st,,cd but that was not what was wanted. lie was
told that the crowd an the outside WIN rope
~ hang him II he did not confess The fact was re-
lated 10 him that in previous homicide case ""'''
one Roofner, Enecr and young son oil Ehs''' WIZ
indicted for a murder that as soon as the son "'',
confession which assured the conviction 81 the l''
and Roofncr the was at once released anu ,"''
,old him lie conld 20 home like yonns Enecr dd' II
he would confess r,
syIc ead: Very we'll write what you want an"
will sign it, Mr.. Anthony, reporter on a o'IN
,,ncr at about 4 O'Clock In the morning "'"' III.
confession which Ecrucr signed ana MS p@P.' "'
scoop 81 tho news next morning i"u"h ''
Io,icvinr what they had told him. took hl7 nat
a. ,ri.
tanned wa, returned 10 his cell. and thch' ior ''c
e., fine in twenty four hours. this boy OF seven
,oc, cot something 10 cat y confession 20 op'''I''
should not have been u-cd rs evidence.
when undcrtooll the defence ] saw Mt once that
II lc confession was kept out or IT, cncct u'Nu"''
49, testimony, nothing would remain upon VINO" '"'
,,o, could lie convicted. That was the light III 'If
a..,,r, r,ou I ,uccccdcd the jury giving verdict
. r,ac.louehtcr and holding Bcrncr to bc What III
rr,l,,d would have been termed an accomplcc aicr
INF fact Of course not legal Frouhd i'r SUI"
verdict in ohio. ana , !,
"The popular feeling was In a condition 10 ''
,o,,,cd upon at this time by on OF the fact thAi
fine courts of ohio had been. rs they really are now,
,,,c,cbot cogscd. \ number Of un'ried cases "i
nnr,icide were then upon the dockctS ana above
al IN, uublic was much iffamcd by the brutal mu'H'i
- . colord family on Walnut Hills and the sale OF
,hcir bodies to medical college rs was a'"i'',
t ,,o companv that was about to lease the Miami
and Eric Canal 10y act of the Legislature. ana ~
abort Scttcr and his colleagues were foled III th'T
gorts 10 become coIartncrs in that arrangements 'oN
.brevdlv took advantage Of the popular discomfort
and by putting placTds bearing such Inscriptions ID
..r,,. orc nov irving 10 I3crncrizc our canals on
,,o shoulders Of men, and having them march up
and down the streets, succeeded in calling meet
ing 70 protest against the leasing Of the canals anu
ar,ir.t the administration OF the criminal courts.
:" The riotous element thus invited by INC '"'1'
reonc saw their opportunity and seized it with n"'h
,,,, ror+icuarly The crowd which on saturday night
.,,tod IN loot the Trcaeurcr's Office. MI ms "N-
,,rcnt was Of course market day for that portion
-, ,he nress which dealt in scn,ati0nal>u W. Murat
uoIs,oad Editor Of The Commercial, had been my
hucr enemy for nearly twenty year, and this I" h'
was a golden opportunity. HIS ed'toria D" 'no '''
tno,,irc tIc burning of the court house read