The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-28
CAMPBELL'S QUEER ACT
Tae Young Attorney is Arrested on an
Extraordinary Charge. 1 /.
HOW HE WORKED THE GAME
Forged a Clients Signature In Order
to Secure Power of Attorney to
Effect n Compromise For
Money Consideration.

BUTTE, April &C. T.. Campbell. a
young attorney, was arrested this evening
on an indictment by the grand jury charg-
ing him with forgery. He gave bonds in
the sum OF 81 900 and was released.
The indictment grew out of the old
damage suits of Belle Carson and Grace
McGinnis against tho Lavell Brothers.
In July, 1892, the women were thrown out
OF q hack belonging to the Lavells and
sustained severe injuries. They re-
tanned Campbell aud brought suit
for $4,000 each for damages. The
lawyers actions while the suits
were pending were in many respects
very questionable. While the two women
were out of town, Campbell effected set
Element with the Lavell Brothers and
then told his clients that the defendants
had succeeded i'm having the cases
thrown out of court, but that he had
made a motion TO have them reinstated.
The women waited and then grew sus-
picious and started an inquiry, and when
hard pressed Campbell confessed that he
had made settlement by which he re-
ceived $500 for each of his clients, but he
stood the women off from time to time
on one excuse and another.
The Carson women finally became so
persistent and threatened to have him
arrested that he finally gave her his note
for $500 and assigned to her fourth in
terest in 5000 judgment against the
Montana Union. The assignment, how
ever, was found TO be worthless and Miss
Carson had a warrant issued for Camp
bells arrest, some time last September,
charging him with embezzlement. The
matter was afterwards settled and the
prosecution dropped and Il is stated that
Campbell has paid all or the greater part
OF the $500 note.
Grace McGinnis. however, was not
settled with, and after she recovered from
her injuries she began to bother Camp
bell for her $500, but could get no settle
ment out OF him; SO when the grand jury
met she appeared before them and stated
her case and wanted her lawyer indicted
for embezzlement. She said that he had
frequently admitted o her in person and
In writing that he had secured $500 from
the Lavells for her. The grand jury sum-
rnoned Thomas Lavell and he staggered
them by testifying under oath that neither
he nor his brother ever paid Campbell
$1,000 or promised to pay him that
amount in compromise of the damage
suits, but, on the contrary, showed n
receipt In full settlement with him for
$3.50, OF which only something like $3.50
had been paid.
In the face of Mr.. Lavelrs testimony
and Campbelrs inconsistent admission
that he had received 81 900 and had al
ready paid Miss Carson $500 the grand
jury were completely dumbfounded and
they were on the point of dropping the
case when IT occurred to one of them to
inquire of Mr.. Lavell upon what showing
of authority Campbell had compromised
the damage suits. Mr.. Lavell said he had
written power of attorney from the
women. Mr.. Lavell was sent after the
papers and soon returned with them. The
one purporting to have been given by
Ila1 -. I'll a.. r.
the original and that of Miss McGInnis
was alleged TO be the original itself. II
to have been executed i'm Boze-
man at the time the McGinnis woman
was confined to her bed by the injuries
received in the runaway. 1t was signed
the name "Grace McGinis" with but one
M in the last name. The grand jurors
had In front of them the genuine sigma
ture of Grace McGinnis and a comparison
determined the forgery SO plainly that the
declaration that she never
signed power of attorney was hardly
necessary to prove the fact.
The paper itself was evidently written
by Campbell himself. and the name of an
alleged witness to Miss McGinuis' sigma
ture was in the same handwriting. The
whole transaction was then plain Camp
bell, evidently in need of money, compro-
missed the damage suits on Campbell's
sum, hoping probably to stand the women
of with the story about the cases being
thrown out of court. When, however,
they found out that he had beentieceiving
them in order to shield himself from the
guilt OF forgery, he admitted the settle
ment and claimed to have received 81 200,
q reasonable sum. and was willing TO pay
them that amount, and would probably
have done so IL he had been able to
raise il.
II was stated this evening that the ex-
ecutive committee OF the Silver Bow Bar
association would probably bring Camp
bells case to the notice of the supreme
rourt, looking toward his disbarment.
The indictment against Campbell which
was made public tonight after his arrest
aud release on bonds, gives the language
Of the forged paper as follows:
BOHEMIAN. Mont, Nov. %, ls93
For and in consideration OF the suln OF 500
hereby sell, assign and transfer TO q. l.. Camp
bell. all claims and demands In the result OF
any Judgment or settlement obtained In the
,ase OF McGinnis vs. Llveli Bros. now pending
n the district court at Butte. Mont,v i,-- n a
GRACE McGINNIs.
Witness: -----
J. O. ROBINSON.
IL is said that there Is no such person as
J. c. Robinson in Bozeman. Campbeil's |
,ondsmen are ii. L. Frank and Arthur