Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-22
THE CAMPBELL CASE.

pose it is ended. The enemies of
Judge Campbell have, at the expense
of the State, succeeded in Ousting him
from bis seat, and discrediting him in
the eyes of many people. Campbelps
small financial means have been ex-
hausted, and be will probably be COM
PEELED to quit, he has large family of
children whom he must support and
for whose reputation more than his
own his defense was made. 1t is safe
to say that had the attack been made
in such way as that those making it
would have been held personally res
ponsible for the cost In the event of
failure, it would meyer have been
made. Shielded as his enemies were,
for every man interested was his per-
sonal or political enemy, behind the
power and money of the common
wealth, it was still no easy task to
down their enemy, showing that, while
one side may claim all the respectable
ity, the other certainly claims the
larger number of the citizens of Am
herst county.
In looking over the case we regret
that we see no one specific charge
sufficient to remove this judge well
sustained. The cowhiding of the
preacher might have been, but the
prosecutors do not claim this as the
cause, nor as affordiDg sufficient
ground. Apart from this there is no
single charge that would have stood
alone. But the massing then a number
of smaller charges not confined to the
term of Campbell's office against him,
he is decreed to be unfit for county
judge. The case is one which has not
appealed strongly to US. The preacher
never had our sympathy. He was a
vexatious, lntermeddIing person, I'M
worthy of confidence. commisseration
or Endorsement, he is said to be man
of great physical strength, fully able
to cope with Judge Campbell, and
had he been gifted with what we call
manhood, would have done so. He did
not choose to defend himself, but
covered and whined, and gave an op-
portunity to those who havs long
sought Campbell's downfall, but who
were unable before to accomplish it.,
an opportunity which they seized, and
yet strangely abandoned when they
got the backing Of the commonwealth.
We admit that the man Crawford,
who was cowhided by Campbell had
not said enough to really warrant
Campbell in calling him to account for
contempt of his court, and that Camp.
BELLS fatal error was in noticing it at
all. 1t was said way down at Norfolk
in little paper that only few people
ever saw, and had Campbell passed it
unnoticed, as he should have done, he
would today be on the bench unmolest-
ed. He made the second error, of
course, in hitting this man Crawford
with a whip. This showed lack of
poise, and judicial dignity, and this
made greatly against him, and but for
this he would still be on the bench un-
molested. The other matters about
which so much has been said and
which those who look upon the horse
whipping as the real crime, offered
excuses for action against Campbell
yet no enemy OF even opponent can
pick out any other single act that is
clearly and specifically proven against
him with sufficient certainty to re-
move him. The proof is circumstan-
tial, Indirect, vague often, one wit
ness testifying one way, another the
other way to each particular act, leav-
ing each charge outside the horsewhlp-
ping unsettled. The trial of Campbell
for the horsewhipping is looked on by
some as farce, by others as as fair and
impartial trial as could have been
had in the county. Thus all the way
through does every act but the horse
whipping admit of doubt, and this the
prosecutors lay aside.
Take the trial from It's inception, we
must say that it has been a costly
affair. Costly from monied point of
view, costly to the reputation of the
county judiciary, costly to the reputa
tlon both of Campbell and his prose-
cutOrs.
lt is needless to call attention here
to the manner in which those who
for the public good'' took upon them
selves to compass their enemy. They
may feel proud of their achievement.
but the malice which showed all the
way through did not leave them in
that high niche in public opinion
which they would carve who wish their
actions long to be remembered and an
plauded. They introduced very doubt
fol testimony, in many instances tes-
tlmony more or less shaped for the
occasion. The negro and the ing for
instance, though this was by no means
their worst offense nor most lamenta-
BILE attempt to force a conviction.
Their magnanimity now Is astonisb.
ing. They say they do not wish
wholly to destroy, they stand begging
mercy for Campbell. They did not
want him Inundated by another Judge
being elected in his stead. All this is
very funny, and shows that while thew
have removed him from his functions
Us judge they haye by no means rid
den themselves or the county of Am
herst of him. but that he is still a DOW
erful, if not a dangerous adversary. It
"a fact that the great mass of the
&eople of that county are with Camp
E4ell and profess to believe be has been
ut only prosecuted, but prosecuted,
Eandered, maligned and grossly out