The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-05
THE TRIAL OF
JUDGE Campbell
Remarkable Scenes Which Ac-
companied 1t.
MATTER DISCUSSED HERE
DISCUSSED HERE
Preachers Say Acquittal is Lasting
Disgrace to the State-Resolutions
Adopted by the Judges Friends.
Put All Blame on Preacher.

acouittai OF Judge Clarence J. Campbell
In The Amherst County Court last week
distinguish that affair as one of the most
remarkable in the history Of Virginia
The hercuiean labors OF the Common
ealth against adverse conditions. the 81
gan;ic efforts OF the defense 10 prove
that the prisoner OF the bar fourished
his whip and struck the minister in the
heat OF passion and only when that min
lister had forced himself forward and
sneered at him; the hot words USED
against Mr. Crawford and many others
as well; all these things and more went
to distinguish the case as remarkable
ore. But even these faded into ins'gnin-
canoe before the verdict and what fol-
lowed the verdict The jury had barely
announced its acquittal of the accused
when the little town was thrown into
the throes Of the widest excitement Ihe
court bell was rung at mldnlght ana
Judge Campbell's friends. yelling hur-
rahs until their threats wore out, heio
a meeting which lasted half hour or
more Then the crowd poured out and
paraded the place and the calm night
air was htdeous with the reports OF fire
crackers. dynamite torpcdoes, and even
pistols There had been threats OF v1o-
lence before and it looked now as II
they were to be carried out. Many ladies
were too frightened to sleep and crept
to front windows to watch and see what
would happen. No trouble ensued. how
over though at one time the Sltuatlon
looked extremely ugly.
A number of men not only threatened
70 20 after the Commonwealth Attor-
nev, but did. Mr.. Evans him.
self says that about / A. M. or there
abouts several filed up to his front gate
and started in. much to the alarm of his
family. IIe himself was afraid OF tro.s-
BILE: so much so that he loaded shot-
gun and sailed forth. The visitors nm
ally went on their way without Goihs
any damage.
Somewhere along about two or three
o'clock things got quieter and people went
to sleep again. Sunday morning broke
fair and peaceful. Many expected local
pastors to say something about the ac-
ou.ttal. but they did not. Nothing arose
to disturb the Sabbath and late N the
afternoon it looked as If harmony would
reign again Many people went 10
church; some did not. A few OF Judge
they never will go again until the pres
ent Amherst preachers, who are anu
Campbellites are ''off the EARTH. one
of these men refused to let his wife and
children have his horse and buggy when
they wanted to drive OF to the Episco-
MUCH DISCUSSED HERE
Wide discussion Is being given here on
all sides to the trial and acquittal or
Judge Clarence J. Campbell in the Conn
~ Court of Amherst last week. Many
different views are expressed by many
different people
In ministerial circles there appears 10
be but one opinion. In every case yes
,erday local clergymen deplored the oc-
currence and the majority OIL them
made no effort to mince words and de-
Str1 a
lgrace to the State.
! One or two of the ministers took the
matter ND in their Sunday sermons. Dr.
=. B. Hawthorne preached in the morn
Ing at Grove-Avenue Baptist Church on
.fMoral Heroes a Spectacle Unto Men
and Heroes" Incidentally he referred to
the trial. using the following language:
.The public indignation recently
visited upon a county judge for his COW
ardly and cruel conduct in whipping
an aged and feeble minister of the Cos
nel indicates that such forms of prose
cution will never again be tolerated. The
sham trial which that disreputable official
has passed indicated nothing bat the
presence Of a mob The spirit OF prose-
cution, where there is the Christian zeal
70 provoke 1t. is just as manifest as it
ever was 1t has changed only in the
forms OF its manifestation. 1t reveals it
self in social and political ostracism and
in ten thousand acts Of moral assassi-
nation.
THE METHODISTS.
At the meeting of the Methodist min
listers at Centenary yesterday there
was no formal session. but the Amherst
proceedings were discussed incidentally.
No full report could be obtained. but not
one had good to say concerning the YER
Dict They all thought 1T, to- say the
least great mistake, and one or two
Of them declared personally afterwards
that in their judgment it was lasting
disgrace to Amherst county and to Vir
cinia.
Several Of the local UNCONVENTIONAL
ueeklies purpose coming out on the ques-
,tion The Religious Herald and the
lChrisuan Advocate will certainly have
WORD to say. ard the others may do like
wise.
The Herald. for its part, will sound d
call TO arms to the secular press. 1t will
ret forth that recent events have eiiminat-
ed any question of antf-saloon against
saloon. Of Crawford against Campbell. and
that the alignment now will be justice
against injustice, right against wrong.
II will not be a question of having the
religious press taking sides with a preach