The Springfield herald., 1900-07-27
MAYOR WAS ORIGINAL
KEPT AN OHIO TOWN GUESSING
Chief Executive Campbell, of Rowling
Green, Ohio, Displayed His Originality
In Many Ways.


EX-Mayor Campbell of Bowling
Green, Ohio, was II unique officer. He
made one of the best all-around off
cials that the city ever had, though his
eccentricities have made him famed far
and wide.
Among the first acts by the mayor
was the punishment of himself Some
time after he had been elected TO the
office and had taken his seat he got
out with some friends one day and BIZ
fore he was aware of the fact disgraced
the dignity of the office. So soon as he
recovered sufficiently to know what he
had done he issued Il warrant for HIM
self, had himself arrested and fined u
self-imposed fine, which he paid.
1t was not long after this that the
official had to exercise his ingenuity in
the punishment of Il youngster about
fourteen years of age, who played
hockey from school, committed petty
thefts and terrorized the neighborhood.
Finally after the mayor had had his
patience tried time and again, and after
he had lectured the youngster on many
occasions. he hit upon II new sort of
punishment. Jimmy Firsden, the boy,
was to take his choice of ten Sundays
hat Sunday school or ten days in jail
for stealing fruit from n neighborS
school sentence, and the mayor rigged
him out in n new suit of clothes that
he might appear rs well as the rest of
the youngsters.
This seemed to work well, at least
in the mind of the mayor. and he had
half a dozen boys attending Sunday
school who had never before set foot
inside a church. Finally this became Il
chestnut with the boys, as they formed
a b, IN Of sln = h,
vices. Mayor Campbell then racked
his brain for some other method of pun
ishing the pests of the town. Jimmy
stole peaches and other fruit with the
same hard-heartedness and with the
same skill as of yorc.
The next time Jimmy failed to cvade
the officers he was brought up beioie
his honor and heard the stern eNecu-
tive say:
Jimmy, have tried to make Il good
boy of you. l have bought you neT
clothes, rugged you out like other boys
and sent you to Sunday school. but it
does not seem TO have done you any
good. You shall 20 TO Jail for ten days
or be logged by your father" Jimmy
had been hogged great many times
by his father and remembered that the
rod was laid on rather lightly. so he
chose the whipping. Jimmy supposed
tlul ne WUutl 10 70 10 Ills
father to get the administration of jus
tice, but the mayor had another idea;
he sent for the father, had him dof his
coat and lay on the birch vigorously
till his honor announced that justice
had been satisfied.
1t was not long before Jimmy was
again before the tribunal for carrying
Off n bushel of peaches. The peaches
Dcould not be returned. us the lad, with
what help he invited to assist. had de
voured the entire bushel. The mayor
concluded that since peaches were so
good more would be better. He bought
bushel and sat Jimmy down Before
them with orders to eat every one of
them within two days or stay in Jail
till he did. Jimmy became sick before
he had the bushel disposed of, but the
punishment proved effectual, and JIM
my has not had any craving for
peaches since.
Another perpleXing problem which
racked the brain of the mayor was
what to do with man who was
brought before him every week or Two
on the charge of drunkenness. He
fined him time and again and then sus-
pended the same that the wife would
not have to pay it. Finally he SEN
fenced him to Il years total abstinence.
agreeing to fine himself 500 providing
the offender did not violate the condi-
tions of the sentence. He gave the
mans wife n check for $50 payable in
one year, provided the husband re-
mained sober that long. and if the
man perscveres he will cor,pel the Of
dcial to pay the fine. He has been so
ber three months and VOWS lie will
continue nine months longer.
Lately the mayor successfully carried
out n style of punishment on tramps
that drop into town that promises to
rid this section of the alleged work
hunters" He makes every one who
asks assistance about town 20 to the
city building and work for an hour
carrying 4 ton of coal from one side
of the basement to the other. The coal
has been worn smooth by frequent
Dlandlings, but it still answers the pur-
pose. AS Il result of one of his latest
eccentricities he settled n hotel bill of
$50. He owns farm in the southern
: end of the county and willie the farm
crs in that neighborhood posted mo
hunting allowed signs, he put up no
tees requesting everybody 10 hunt on
his place and then get their dinner ut
n hotel in North Baltimore. charging
the same to him.