The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-12-23
A. B. CAMPBELL A SUICIDE.
NOTED EX-KANSAN DEAD
FROM MORPHINE.
DIES IN A CHICAGO HOTEL
Desire to BE with Departed wife aud
Son Given as the Cause In a Pathetic
Letter-Formerly rrIson chap
tain and Adjutant General
OF Kansas Noted Re
publican orator.

Campbell, eX-ad ju tant general and eN.
chaplain of the states prison of Kan
sas, for wears one of the most noted
Repu bl eau orators and lawyers Of the
state, committed suicide in a Clark
street hotel Monday night by TAX
ing morphine. He left a letter
and a will bequeathing his few valu-
ables TO relatives Ho had been in
the hotel over week. having regis
tered there as from Santa Monica,
Cal. at which place he formerly lived
and where he recently atte mpted sui
eide
General Campbells letter to the cor
oner is as follows;
81, Alexander. B Campbell, make
this statement of the cause of my
death to release the coroner of the
necessity OF an inquest, and also TO
let my friends know the motive that
led me to take my life. My death
will be caused by morphine, which |
have deliberately taken with suicidal
intent. This purpose was fully
formed when l left Rushville, Ind,
and came to this city.
The reason l take my life is be-
cause | want to go to my wife and
boy. My usefulness in this world is
at an end. / cannot be satisfied in
any business and cannot be without
their companionship. ! have never
been able to devote myself to business
since my wife died, and lost all inter
est in life In Los Angeles, Cal, l
tried to commit suicide, but did not
take enough OF the drug.
81 then went home to Rushville, but
found no comfort there. MY friends
regarded me as man of unsound
mind because held the view that my
wife was with me in spirit always.
have lived with her spirit guiding
every day and she is with me now as |
write this letter and helps me to do as
| am now doing. I will be with her
before another day goes by and die
lmy wife and baby boy. have not
one single doubt or fear about my fu-
ture life with them ! believe in God
and Immortality.
Now, If 60 among strangers the
story OF my insanity soon follows and
10 not care TO live such a life when |
,an in few hours go to my wife and
boy ] do not want any funeral scrv-
ices over my body, and where am
buried is of no consequence to me
~ hope and trust the infinite. the
eternal, the mercful and loving God.
| worship Him and feel no guilt in my
heart before Him for what am going
to do. Next to God | worship my wife
| 4 l. Al.
aud with my father and mother, who
are waiting for my coming In the
other life | will be better able TO
establish my sanity and hope TO meet
all my friends there when they come.
MINISTER, LAWYER, PUBLIC MAN
General Campbell was the son OF a
minister of the Christian church which
was founded by his uncle, Alexander
Campbell. He was born near Rush
Vile, lud, ffty-siX years ago, and on
attaining his majority he became a
minister OF the Christian church In
, 500 he became an attorney, and in
E 1870 was elected county attorney Of
Rush county, Indiana. This led to
convivialty, and for time he seemed
lost TO good. Then he met Luther
l. Benson, the temperance apostle, and
, was reformed by him. In 1874 he went
! to bloomington, Ill and for six years
was a leading lawyer there. Several
times I've fell from temperance grace,
but reformed each time and finally re-
turned to the Christian ministry. In
s $50 he went to Kansas. settling at
j. Manhattan as pastor OF the nristian
church there. firing of the ministry,
he was admitted to the bar OF Riley
- county, Kansas, as practicing attor-
a ney.
i In 1851 General Campbell was APP
!. pointed chaplain of the state peniten-
tiary by Governor St John and served
until 1883, when Governor Click was
inaugurated
I From 1855 until 1899 lie was adju-
tant general by appointment OF Gov
eruor Martin. This Office was given
: 20 him on account of his work for the
Republican party in lss4 as president
Of the State Temperance union. In
p 1898 and 1894 he was adjutant general
Z Of the Kansas department of the G. A.
a r. The killing OF his son, aged ., by
tense grief, and soon after his retire
e ment from the position Of G. A, r.
y adjutant general he went 10 Los
- Angeles, CAL, where he undertook tC
: practice law. His wife died there o
n lingering illness early IN 1896 lie
= took her body TO Indiana for burial
aud on his way back to California
stopped at Topeka, apparently in gooC
health.
On his return to California Genera
Campbell was deeply affected by hil
wife's death, aud soon brain fever de
veloped lie broke down completed l.
during public speech. and soon af
terward was found. ragged and dis
heveled in suburb of Los Angeles
lie was examined. declared a maniac
and confined for time in al asylum
On his release. as cured, he went u
his old home at Rushville, Ind, an'
resumed the practice OF law. Las
fall he made many speeches in indiana
sor Mckinley. He then became an ar
dent Spiritualist and had lately neg
leeted his business 10 devote himsel
TO that belief