Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-14

1 against LuCES &SldIeucS y. SdIupDSll, VI
!! the County Court of Amherst, before the
Committee for Courts Of Justice of the
! House OF Delegates, will be commenced
| in the hall Of the House at 10 o'clock this
! morning. Chairman Robert G. southall.
| of the committee. presiding. The hearing
will continue until or 2 p. NJ, when a
recess will be taken. either to some later
hour Of to-day or until tomorrow, a
| the committee may elect
! The subject Of the Investigation is a
charge Of conduct unbecoming a judge
| and warranting his removal from Office.
/ fled against Judge Campbell and con-
| tanned in memorial TO the General AS
! sembly from certain members of the bars
] of the counties Of Amherst and Nelson
| and the city of Lynchburg, reciting the
occurrences on the court green of Ana
| herst county early last summer. the cul-
| mination of which was an assault upon
| Rev. c. II. Crawford, of this city, by
Judge Campbell.
| Judge Campbell, it Is asserted, assaults
! ed Mr. Crawford with riding whip.
striking him several blows upon the face
| and neck and causing blood to- flow.
Judge Campbell at the time had. it is
| alleged, Just come from the courtroom,
| missing rule against Mr.. Crawford.
| who had been cited before the court to
show why he should not be fined for con-
tempt of court in failing to obey an or
der of the court. This charge is ernbod-
led in memorial. in the drawing of
which the implication is clear that the
assault was premeditated one, though
this is not specifically sta ted.
These members for the House OF Del
egates compose the Committee for Courts
Of Justice:v Chairman, Hon. Robert 6.
Southall. of Amelia; Hon. William r.
Duke. of Albe1narle; Hon. N. B. Early.
Jr.. Of Greene: Hon. w. D. Cardwell, of
Hanover; Hon. J. c.. Kent. of RUSSELL;
Hon r. B. Davis, of Petersburg; Hon.
R. e. Lee. Jr.,9 Of: Fairfax: Hon. Thomas
H. Lion. OF Prince William; Hon. r. S.
Blackburn Smith. bf Clarke; Hon. j. N.
Sebrell. Jr., of Southampton; Hon w r.
Allen. of Botetourt; Hon. George E.. Sipe
of Harrisonburg. and Hon. Charles w
Waddy, Of Rockbridge. The two last
named are Republicans. all of the others
Democrats. Every member of the COM
mittee is in the city. and will be in his
place to-day when the committee is
called to order. There are just thirteen
members. This committee is acting in the
matter by resolution of the House. re-
ferTing to it the memorial presented to
that body. 1t first reported to the House
4 recommendation that special COM
I1ittee be constituted to make the investi-
cation Of the charges filed. This was
Withdrawn and the committee itself au-
thorized to do the work
Room AIust Not BE Crowded.
The hearing IS to be held in the hall
Of the House. While no action has been
taken limiting admission to the hall,
Chairman Southall stated to a reporter
for the Dispatch last night that the COM
r1lttee intended to be comfortable. and
would not permit the hall to be SO crowd
eG as to be uncomfortable. A resolution
will probably be, offered instructing the
sergeant-at-a to admit no more after
the room has been comfortably filled.
Members of the two houses will be given
the preference in the matter of seats and
admission. AS the committee must report
on the Investigation to the House, and
as further procedure by the two houses
in the form of a joint resolution or of
impea chment proceedings may follow. q
stenosraplaic record of the testimony and
procedure before the committee will be .
kept. Mr.. Ben F.. Owen, Jr., an expert
enced court reporter, has been secured 4
to do this work. tAccomnn odations for the
representatives of the press will be re-
served, and everything that can be done
for the comfort of the committee, coup-
sci. witnesses, and spectators, will be
done.
The counsel on both SIDES Judge Camp
bell, the subject Of the investigation and
many OF the witnesses for the petitioners
and for the defendant are in the city. The
precise plan of procedure cannot be OUT
lined by any one. for the reason that it
is not yet settled. and neither side has
agreed upon its procedure with any de-
finiteness. Indeed, the petitioners or com
plainants in the case have not yet sum
moned all Of the ten witnesses, which they
were authorized to summon. for the open
ing day. More than that, the scope of the
inquiry has not yet been defined with sufti-
cient clearness to enable the defence to
state their procedure
Scope Of the Enquiry.
About all that is known at this time.
is that Immediately after the committee
IS called to order. and the resolution and
memorial referring the matter to t.,e COM
mittee have been read, the question of the |
scope of the inquiry will be precipitated. !
The original memorial. it will be remem-
bered. simply recites the encounter be
tween Judge Campbell and Mr. Crawford |
on The court green. and the circumstances
and surrounding conditions.
Last week the counsel for the petitioners
filed with the committee series Of sew
en- specifications. relating to matters ante-EI
cedent to the assault alleged, some of
these recitais going back as lar as 1881,
before Judge Campbell was elected to the |
bench. The committee has taken no ac-al
ion on these, and it is not officially known
whether they will be admitted or denied:
In brief. tie chairman of the committee