Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1903-01-28
The Campbel1-Crawfor Inquiry


AT IL o'clock Friday the prose
cution announced that it hdC
exhausted it's supply of witnesses
Major Conrad speaking for Judg,
Campbell, said his client would b,
compelled to return to Amhers
and spend several days in sum
monsing witnesses which tn,
prosecutions testimony had shown
he required.
After an intermission of foul
days the investigation in tn,
Campbell Crawford affair was re-
sumed in the Hall of the House OF
Delegates, Richmond, Thursday
morning before the Committee TO:
Courts of Justice. A number OF
witnesses were examined for the
prosecution and some Of the test.
mony was sensational and startling
to a degree. In several of its
features the first day of the re-
opening forged far ahead of any
thing that had preceded it in start
ling revelations and spectacular
effect.
One of these features was the
evidence that when Judge Camp
bell horse-whipped DR.. Crawford
he did it as presiding judge of the
Amherst court, as court had not
been formally adjourned before the
assault. This was testified to by
Rev. A. p. Gray, an Episcopal
clergyman of Amherst, and by
Clerk Sandidge, who said that no
entry of adjournment had bsen
made on the record book of that
session. Several other witnesses
testified to the same.
The testimony by Mr.. George
+. Bowen was most sensational.
He said that he was lying out on
the court green and heard thror gh
an open window the conversations
between the jurors in the Campbell
court trial, when they were en-
deavoring to reach their verdict.
II heard them after Mr.. Wood
ruff" said the witness, "who
wanted to bring in a verdict of
common assault. They said they
had all promised Judge Campbell!
to bring in verdict of Not guilty,
and that resolutions Lad been
drawn up to that effect. They
told Mr.. Woodruff that Judg
Campbell expected a verdict ac-
quitting him. Woodruff said he
would never carry In IA verdict
which would be a disgrace to the
county. l heard them tell Wood
ruff that if they did not carry in
a verdict of not guilty they would
be lynched by the crowd in the
court room"
Another star witness Of Thurs
day was Msrcellus Rose, negro.
He said that while in the employ
nent of Judge Campbell, about
three years ago, after the county
had gone dry, and it was unlawful
70 sell liquor in Amherst, he had
been sent by Judge Campbell to
1uy whiskey from s. A. Day, the |
selling druggist whose
lame has figured so prominently in
he inquiry. More astounding
han ali was the statement of the |
negro that the day upon which
his happened was Sunday. Several
,ther witnesses confirmed Roses
testimony.
In commenting on the investi-
cation the Richmond Times of
saturday says:
That one may get some idea of
low strenuous life is in Amherst
Ounty in certain districts, it is
quite remarkable that Judge
campbell has figured in an assault
Ipon the father of Commonwealth
Attorney Evans, of the same
ounty; that he has shot Evans
imself that Mr.. Beard,a witness
n the investigation for the prose
ution, once assaulted kinsman
t Judge Campbell, and that Mr..
ack Lee, an attorney Of promi
ence in Lynchburg, who appeared
S witness yesterday for the
rosecution, some years ago killed
Judge Campbell's father in Ann
erst during local option contes,
nd, it is understood, was requested
} defend Judge Campbell in the
resent trial.