The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-02
HERALD DISCUSSES
THE AMHERST AFFAIR.
Says Judge campbeIrs Course
lacked Common Decency.
UNMANLy AND OUTRAGEOUS
Reviews the Case, and Declares That
People ofAmherst Owe it to Them
selves to Change the Charac>
ter of Their Court.

The Religious Herald of this week.
which comes from the press to-day. will
devote a column or more of editorial
space to spicy discussion of the recent
sensational Crawford Campbell affair at
Amherst Courthouse.
The Herald will say in part:
las the Crawford Campbell case is like
" to become celebrated in the annals OF
Virginia Jurisprudence Cor jurisimpru-
de,ce. if the word may be coined and
The pun is not in contempt Of courD, 1t
seems fit to set it forth in order.
DIR. c. H. Crawford, editor of the
Christian Federation. abiding to a de-
cision of Hon. Clarence j. Campbell, judge
of the county curt Of Amherst (and
member of the Constitutional Conven-
tion), in which it had been held lawful
to sell medicated whiskey in a local-op-
ton district, said that it was doubtful
whether the judge was not more doc
tored than the whiskey. This remark
was printed after the case had closed
and the court had adjourned. The pre-
else significance of 1t Is in doubt, but
W.. understand that it was. in any event.
intended to be disrespectful to Judge
Cl,npbell We know nothing Of the evil
arce on which the Federation based its
criticism of the Judge. and have nothing
to say on that point The Judge mad
his legal remedy, if DR.. Crawford had
wrGnged him The courts were open to
him. as to any other citizen. The libel
laws Of Virginia are very stringent. But
instead Of taking legal steps to Vlndlcate
himself from what he charges was
slanderous and injurious public accusa-
ton, he attempts to use the eXtraorol-
nary power of contempt proceedings
lodged in his court to punish his critic
He in the face Of what he himself after
wards decides to be the plain law, drass
d., Crawford to Amherst twice, subjects
him to the indignity and Illumination OIL
arrest to the expense and inconvenience
of two long journeys, of employing coun-
sci, etc. etc. To crafty his spleen ne
summons reporters from the Richmond
daily papers. for no useful purpose. as
far as we can judge. Then. when the
trial comes on, when he sees that he
cannot commit DR.. Crawford Tor con-
tempt without flying in the face OF law
and precedent and subJecting himself TO
vet more general and severe criticism.
he discharges him. adiudging him not
in contempt and declaring that he would
have been justified in refusing to obey
n rule which ought never to have
been issued.
"Tf the case had ended here. it would
have still been one of the most singular
in the history Of the State: But a few
moments after the case was concluded,
a,d while the man whom he had pur-
sued by the tyrannous misuse of his jul
dicjal power was standing i'll front of the
courthouse, Judge Campbell approached
him, and, without warning, struck him
violently in the face and over the neck
and shoulders with d cowhide.
This performance was a fit. though
startling, climax to- the course which this
Judge had adopted from the first When
he found that ne could not, without eN-
citing universal condemnation. use his
iuGfcial power to crafty his personal
spleen. he undertook TO gratlfy 1t by
personal violence Meanwhile, what be-
comes of his repeated statement that he
was only seeking to protect the dignity
of his court? Starting out to punish
another for what he professed to regard
as contempt Of court, he winds up by
bringing his court and himself into
urspeakable reproach. His course was
lacking in common decency. Even among
men who settle difficulties by fisticuffs
there is some sense of fair play. Some
opportunity for defense is given. Some
account is taken of differences In age,
calling, etc But in this case we have
y Young, athletic man. sworn guardian
of the peace, striking. without notice, an
aged minister. Could there be anything
more unmanly, more outrageous!
1T has been gratifying to note that
the daily papers are speaking out in
no uncertain tones.
Then follow extracts from two Rich
mond papers. from the Newport News
Press and from the Charlottesville
Progress, the latter being exceedingly
vigorous. The Herald concludes as fol-
lows:
1T would be easy to FL many issues
of the Religious Herald with the indis-
nant comments of the press and the peo-
pie on the unprecedented outrage in Am
herst The people of that soodly coun-
ty owe it TO themselves to change the
character of their court.
1t is understood that one or two of
the other religious papers of the city VIII
also take the matter up. though possibly
not this week The Christian Advocate
is almost certain to contain some sort
of reference to the affair