The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-30
C. j. CAMPBELL'S TRIAL
ALMOST TWO HUNDRED WITNESSES
ARE To BE SUMMONED.
Witness Williamson Reflected on the
Court and Was Fined-Defense
That Campbell Will Make.

The trial of Colin j. Campbell. the man
who eloped with Effie Culver. for embez-
cling $52.62 from the Metropolitan Life In
surance Company, was resumed in the
Criminal Court yesterday before a jury.
The entire day was spent in the examina-
ton of John II. Hughes. local manager of
the company. During the morning there
was an exciting little episode which re-
suited in Edmund Williamson. who is en-
ployed at Arthur Jordan's packing house,
being fined $40 for contempt of court. He
was one of the witnesses TO APP
pear yesterday. He was in court at 9
o'clock and as it appeared that there was
little chance for him to be called for a
long time he was excused until IL o'clock.
AT that hour he returned and Mr.. Hughes
was still on the stand. Williamson said
TO Judge McCray:
Your Honor. can't l give my testimony
now. Ii looks as If they would not get
through with this witness to-day and as 1
must work / would like to get away. /
cannot afford TO waste my time here
The judge replied that he could not be
heard then, but that he could return TO
his work and he would be by
telephone when needed. Williamson in
sisted that he be xamine at that time.
He said he did not want TO come TO the
court room three or four times to give his
testimony. He was again told that he
MOUIO DE eACQSeu ana die DIV telephone
when needed.
And What if 1 do not come when called
for?" ne asked.
You will go to Jail for contempt of
court If you do not come" he was inform
ed by the court.
Yes, that is the way with you people
when you get a little authority. You sit
up there on the bench and draw a good
salary, while l work hard for my living"
AS Williamson said this he moved toward
Judge McCray called to Williamson TO
come back and instructed the sheriff TO
take charge of him and then told the
son for contempt of court. Williamson
began a profuse apology. but was cut
short by the court ordering him taken
from the room, with instructions that he
be locked up until the fine was paid. At
hFst Williamson said he would pay the
fine, but then he attempted to get away
from the deputy sheriff and said he would
never pay a cent of it. Sheriff Womack
came to the assistance of the deputy and
the two men started toward the elevator
with their prisoner. He stn continued to
berate the court and said he would not
pay the fine. When the street was reached
and Sheriff Womack turned toward the
Jail he pleaded for a little time. and said
If the sheriff would go to Arthur Jordan's
packing house he would get the money
and pay the fine. This was done and the
matter was settled.
1t developed from the cross-examination
of the principal witness in the case. John
d. Hughes, that the line of defense for
Campbell would be that the money he COL
lected was his own and not the property
of the company. The agent gets a COM
mission, which amounts TO the first fifteen
weekly payments made by the persons in
Sured. In cases where the managing agent
is assured that the business turned in by
a solicitor is bona fide the company adj
vances this commission to the solicitor,
but Ii stands as q debt on the books until
ii is paid in by the insured. The defense
yesterday attemptedbto show by the cross
examination of Hughes that the company
had not followed out this rule in the case
all the money he collected which. it is
chargd, he embezzled- The defense at
tempted TO show that he had received no
advance of commissions and that the COM
pany was in debt to him. and that the
money he took when he left the city was
pany. but was withheld by him as part of
commissions that were really due him at
the time. The Introduction of this evil
dence was fought by the State. but Judge
McCray ruled that it was admissible.
There will probably be more witnesses
heard i'm this case than in any case that
has occupied the attention of the court
for a long time. Subpoenas have already
been issued for 14 people and more will
be issued before the case goes 10 the jury.
OF these witnesses Ill of them are the peo-
pie from whom Campbell made collections
during the two days preceding his depar-
ture from the city-June % and %. These
southwestern part of the city. He col
lected from them a total of $32.62. most
of il being in sums ranging from 10 to 30
cents. In two or three cases he discounted
advance payments and secured as much
as IS or 80. These people Will all be called
to tell about their payments 10 Campbell.
One subpoena contains the names of forty
fOIr wi npSSpS.