Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-12-13
MURDER CASE AT GREENvILLE
An Old Man, Lewis Campbell, Murdered I'm
Cold Blood For small Amount
of Property.

der rubbish heap in barn about 40
rods north OF the city limits.
After Campbell's body was found,
Justice Gracy summoned the following
jury and held an inquest: G. M. Chit
tick, J. T.. Van Wormer, Royal IL.
Stevens, Charles f. Wright, Joseph
Rhoades and Alexander Cooper.
When the evidence OF several wit
nesses had been taken the jury returned
the following verdict charging Apln
with murder:
1--WE believe that one Samuel Aplin
did on or about the 18th day of August,
A. ID. 1900, at the city of Greenville,
with force and arms, in and upon Will
liam L. Campbell in the place OF the
people of Michigan, and then and there
feloniously, wilfully and with malice
aforethought, did make an assault on
him, the said William l.. Campbell,
did kill and murder in some manner
and by some means To them unknown"
The evidence connecting Aplin and
his son with the murder of Campbell is
simply circumstautial but 1T is consid-
cred to be so strong-especially against
the elder Aplin-that conviction is
considered to be certain. William i.
Campbell, the murdered man, was an
old soldier, drawing pension of Sl2 a
mouth. He had lived in Greenville
about ten years and was considered TO
be quiet and inoffensive citizen. A
few years ago be bought house and
lot on the contract plan, but had not
completed his payments, His wife died
about three years ago, after which his
son Guy and wife moved into the house
and the old gentleman made his home
with them.
Last spring the sou and wife moved
out and the old man lived in the house
alone He owned horse and wagon
and some other personal property,
Last summer he rented the little farm
upon which Apliu and his son and wife
lived. He planted corn and potatoes
and during the cultiyatiug season went
TO the farm every day to work: He
met Aplin frequently in this way.
About the first OF August Campbell
disappeared and no one appeared to
know anything about his whereabouts.
The old man Aplin had possession Of
his horse and wagon, a cutter and some
farming tools. He was also wearing
Campbel's clothing and exhibited a
bill of sale for the whole outfit signed
by Campbell. A little later Aplin ex.
hibited paper purporting to have eeen
signed by Campbell granting him the
power of attorney to do business for
! him. Armed with this authority APP
lin rented Campbell's house TO John
! Fleck and collected rent. He also Sc
cured Campbel's mail at the postoftice
in the same manner aud drew one pen
sion check He told his neighbors and
Campbell's son that the old man Camp
bell had gone to Kansas, and the mat
ter was passed over with but little com
ment or attention.
When Mr. Feck moved into the
Campbell house he found blood stains
on the bedroom floor and the walls
were bespattered with dried blood. He
al so found club in the back yard with
blood stains upon it. The appearance
OF the surroundings was suspicious ana
Fleck told some Of his neighbors about
il. he thought there had been mur-
der committed, and Detective Graham
and members OF the local Grand Army
post began an Investigation. Suspicion
pointed strongly to Aplin as the MUIR
derer and he was shadowed day and
night while the investigation was going
on. Their suspicious became greater
when Aplin said be had received let.
ter from physician in Kansas saying
Campbell was sick and could not live
longer than day or two, but he could
not exhibit the letter when requested
, to do so
1t became so warm for Aplin that hC
sou MS nurse ana WdBOn anu OInSl
property and left, but under-sherif
Winter kept track OF his every move
and when he wanted him, secured hin
without the least trouble.
Aplin's record is a bad one. II i
;. said that he has served q years of his
life in Jackson and Ionia prisons. HC
came to Greenville last spring upor
being released from five years tern
at Ionia, to where he was sentenced a
Flint for burglary He has also serve'
term at Jackson for arson. Tn
prison officials at Ionia say that hi
:. thieving propensities were so grea
: that he nearly ",tole them blind" In
side the prison walls. He gave them
great deal OF trouble during his teri
IN and since his residence in Greenvill
has gained the reputation of being
v common thief He is small inferio
appearing man and has the look of
- degenerate OF the dangerous type.
r Aplin took his arrest very cody an
M