The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-27
Record Of Man Who
Has Charge OF. the
GoebeI Murder Case
Condensed from the Louisville News.

Condensed from the Louisville News.
= AwYER THOMAS G. CAMPBELL,
who has been engaged to manage
- the prosecution Of the Goebel assas-
sination case In Kentucky, has q
Cincinnati record as a criminal lawyer
that reads like a dime novel. 1t includes
among other things a connection with
the Cincinnati riot of 1854, In which fifty
one people were killed and zoo wounded,
and 100000 court house burned; his In
dictment and trial for an alleged attempt
to brige Michael Zabe, who was sum-
moned as a Juror In the Berner case,
which caused the riot, and his arraign-
ment before the Bar association on mo-
ton to disbar him from practice.
The state of things In the criminal
courts in 1884 In Cincinnati was shock
Ing It was openly talked Of by the peo-
pie OF that city and OF all Hamilton
county. The criminal code had been so
fixed as to give the defense the right to
challenge proposed Jurors until 1t was
almost impossible to get jury disposed
| to anyone but the murderer Indictments
| were held up for q consideration, and
| regular system of blackmail prevailed in
| the administration of justice. Just when
people were beginning to be aroused,
peculiarly atrocious murder was COM
mitted. William Kirk, "a stableman in
Cincinnati, was murdered by two em-
ployes, William Berner, a young German,
and Joseph Palmer. a mulatto. Up bobbed
| Tom Campbell. Berner's father had
| money and could afford to employ a
| great criminal lawyer" The trial pro-
! ceeded. Campbell succeeded in getting
separation Of the indictment. The pecu-
liar atrociousness of the crime was made
plain as day by the commonwealth. On
| Monday, March 25, 1884, the jury brought
in the verdict of manslaughter. So dis
| gusted was Judge s. r. Matthews at this
miscarriage of justice that he forgot the
dignity of the bench and audibly said II
| was "a id outrage" He did the best
thing he could under the law, giving Ber-
ner twenty years in the penitentiary.
| %
| Excitement quickly ran to the danger
point mass meeting was called to
meet at Music Hall on Friday night,
March %, 1884. Eight thousand deter
mined citizens crowded their way into
that big building. Those who could not
get in swarmed on the outside. The best
citizens of the town were in charge Of the
Injecting. Speeches vigorous and impas-
stoned were delivered by men Of the
highest standing, and after the meeting
had adopted resolutions strongly con-
demning thd Berner verdict and ad-
Journed. the thought came to hundreds
why not go to the jail and hang the
murderers, especially Berner?" The line
of march was started in that direction.
The mob increased in numbers rapidly.
and soon they were battering down the
doors of the Jail. In few minutes they
had possession of the place. but having
no leaders and not knowing how to break
the cell doors, were quickly persuaded by
a moderate number of police to leave the
place. Afterward they returned to the
attack, were met by a force of deputy
sheriffs, policemen and militia, and the
first blood was shed, the militiamen fir
ing volley into the crowd and driving
them from the building. In the mean
time the young murderer. Berner. In
charge of a deputy sheriff, was on his
way to the Columbus penitentiary.
| %
But the mob had forgotten about him
by that time. They wished to avenge
themselves for the death Of their COM
rade. They attempted to smoke the mill
tamen out of the jail by setting fire to
the building. 1t was now after midnight.
Two small offices attached to the rear of
the Jail were fired. Coal oil was poured
in at the window. The militiamen had
the prospect of being burned alive. Vol
ley after volley was sent into the mob.
Finally about 3 o'clock the mob dispersed.
The hospitals and the morgue were filled
\
of horror was over. Governor Hoadly Of
fered Sheriff Hawkins the aid Of all the
troops in the state. 1t was found that
the First regiment Of Cincinnati, with
the police and deputy sheriffs, would have
all 1t could do to protect the Jail. The
offer of assistance was accepted. The Jail
was strongly barricaded and men put on
guard. Saturday night the mob grew IN
numbers and confidence. The jail barri-
cades looked ugly, so the thousands gath
cred about the court house. A storming
party battered down the iron doors in
the court house front in a few minutes.
A crowd broke into the county treasur-
er's Office In the northwest corner of the
basement. The idea came to them to
burn the building which had witnessed
such miscarriages Of justice. Soon fires
were started in all the basement rooms.
Then the crowd went into the South
Court street side Of the building. intend
ing to fire the offices there. They were
met by a volley from a company of MI
litia. They still advanced and another
deadly volley checked them. BY this
time the Fourteenth regiment had ar
rived there from Columbus and, in clear
ing the streets In the vicinity of the court
house. killed a number of men and
wounded many others. But in the mean.
time the court house was practically de.
stroyed.
Sunday was the third and last day OF
the terrorf The city was filled with
troops by this time. There were attacks
made on the barricade in broad daylight
At night this was continued. Volley fir.
ing and the Calling guns did deadly
work. By o'clock Monday morning the
mob was conquered. Fifty-one men had
been killed, about two hundred wounded
and observation-disclosures dollar
court house had been destroyed, as a re-
suit of the Indignation over a verdict OBJ
tained by Tom Campbell. the man who Is
now in charge of the Democratic plot rc
fasten the killing of Senator Goebel or
the Republican office holders Of Ken
tucky.
Amid all the mourning for the dead ant
for the lost honor of the city. Campbell
was not forgotten. Reputable attorney.
became very much alive to the necessit,
of investigating his practices. People
who had kept silent about him began t
talk. He was indicted by the grand jur,
who had been summoned to appear as {
juror In the Berner case. Campbell wa!
arraigned before Judge Johnston June
1884. Tho trial was hot and interesting
On June IA the jury reported that i
could not agree-seven stood one way ant
five another; although how the sever
stood, whether for conviction or &C
quittal, was never learned.
But Campbell's trials before the publi
and the courts did not cease there. Earl.
In April at a regular meeting of the Gin
cinnati Bar association. a committee wa
appointed to investigate the professiona
conduct Of the great criminal lawyer.
After an investigation lasting for SOM
time the committee prepared an informa
tion against Campbell and presented I
to the district court June Z. 1884. ant
asked that 1t be filed. 1t was filed late
and hearing set for July Is, 1884. !
, finally came to trial Nov. 20. Evidenc