The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-13
CAMPBELL'S QUEER CASE
PREFERRED THE PRISON TO FILL
ING A DRUNE<ARD's GRAVE.
Had Arranged to Decamp and Go to
Cuba. but Seeing His Blind
Wife Deferred Him.

George w. Powell foreman of the present
grand jury, in speaking of the case of Hugh
Campbell, who voluntarily surrendered
himself and confessed to the crime of en-
bezzlement said ii was the most peculiar
case he had ever known. During my term
as police superintendent" he said, there
were about twelve thousand arrests and
i'm that number there was no case that was
as peculiar as this one. ! have known
Campbell for twenty years and in all my
acquaintance with him L have never known
that he drank, although he told me to-day
that he had not drawn sober breath for
ten years. He had most interesting fam
lily and they are people far above the aver
age of intelligence. He has one son who
is now about twenty-five years of age.
This boy says he will provide for his
mother and the family while his father is
confined and 1 believe he will be able to
do So for he is a hardworking. industrious
boy. without single thing against him.
New information in the case makes it one
of the most remarkable that has ever oc
Cured i'm this city 1t was recalled yester-
day that about two years ago there was
a case in the Police Court of a man who
had been sentenced to the workhouse for
six months. and in preference 10 going
there had confessed to the court that he
had committed a forgery that was not
known and never would be known He
offered to take the officers to the place
where he had passed a forged check. He
thought at the time that he could get the
other case dismissed on the strength of his
confession to greater crime. but IL turned
out that the forged check had been given
i'm an illegal transaction and the woman
w N cd CT
loss and said nothing. He could not be
convicted for giving the check To this
woman for the purpose for which 1T was
given and he was sent TO the workhouse to
serve the other sentence.
While that case seemed very peculiar at
the time the explanation was so soon APP
parent that comment ceased. In the case
of Campbell there is an explanation of his
willingness To take his punishment for a
crime that was not known and might never
have been known. for there we're not more
than twenty stockholders and they all be
lieved anything Campbell told them. He
said yesterday in his conversation with Mr..
Powell that he talked the matter over at
home with his wife and son and all had
agreed that the course he had taken was
the best thing that he could do. His wife
went blind in childbirth ten years ago and
since that time Campbell has been drinking
all the time. although his appearance does
not indicate that he was ever intoxicated.
He realized that he could not break from
the habit of drinking. He thought of going
to Kelley institute. but rejected the idea.
Finally he concluded that his stealings had
been partly the result OF his drinking. and
that his drinking had been partly the re-
suit Of his stealings. lie talked the matter
over with his wife and son and all con
Guided that the best way to cure him OF
drinking would be to allow him 10 confess
to the crime and go to the penetentiary.
During the talk with Mr.. Powell yester-
day Campbell was asked TO write 10 Mr..
Powell after being In prison about three
months and Mr.. Powell would then circu-
late a petition for his pardon. 1t seems
certain now that every member of the
grand jury and the court officials would
sign such petition. Campbell simply re-
piled that three months would not cure him
of drinking but that two years would and
he would stay the entire time out. He was
anxious To start for Michigan city. for he
said he understood that a great deal of
building was 10 begin at the penitentiary
soon and his ability carpenter and
builder would be a valuable aid in the
work
~ few months ago. he said. II made
UP my mind TO throw everything aside and
go TO Cuba and join the Cuban army,
where hoped'l might be lucky enough To
meet a Spanish bullet. ! made all arrange
nents accordingly and was ready To start
My family then knew nothing of my trou-