The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-07-15
CAMPBELL DEFENDS
JUDGE TEAT'S RULINGS
DISTINGUISHED ATTORNEY AND
JUDGE SAYS ATTACK is Ut
TERLY UNWARRANTED.

Jackson, Miss, July 15.-Judge ]. A.
P. Campbell, recognized as the highest
individual legal authority in the state
of Mississippi, and who for eighteen
years was a member of the supreme
court, most of the time chief justice,
today made voluntary statement that
he believed the rulings of Judge ]. A.
Teat, during the trial Of Lieut.. Gov.
Theo. G. Bilbo, were absolutely fair,
impartial and beyond criticism. He
expressed himself as being astonish-
ed" at some Of the utterances of at
torneys connected with counsel for the
defendant who have been saying bit
ter things about Judge Teat, and says
he cannot "see how any fair minded
man can take such a position
Judge Campbell, by the way, is the
only surviving member of the Confed-
crate Congress that met in Montgom-
cry, Ala, in 1861 to frame and sign
the constitution of the Confederate
States of America, is looked upon by
Mississippi lawyers with the utmost
respect, and his opinions of legal mat
tiers are eagerly sought by members
of the bar. In word Judge Camp
bells opinion regarding courts, judges
trials and legal questions is placed
above that of any other dozen men in
the state put together.
Asked for his frank and candid opin
ion of Judge Teat's rulings in the Bilbo
case Judge Campbell said:
81 kept up pretty well with the case
as it proceeded and followed the rul
ings of Judge Teat with considerable
interest. So far as | know Or learned
Judge Teat conducted himself will
sreat fairness and ability. He gave
the most liberal set of instructions TO
the defendant that | ever saw, ant
some of them might well have beef
refused.
when | was at the bar | defended
persons charged with murder in si
different counties of the state, and il
some of them several times, and ney
ed succeeded in getting such a fin
and favorable set of instructions TO
my clients as those allowed by Judg
Teat for the defendant in the trial @
7 ;n,,k 7 or v,td
several times while he was here, an
talked to him, and he never evince
the slightest antagonism to Lieut.. Coy
Bilbo. To me he seemed to be perfec
ly fair, just and impartial, and I learI
ed to respect and honor him as sue
a man and Judge. 1t certainly SCENE
to me that all of his rulings were co
rect.
Fair, Just and Impartial.
"All this clamor against Judge Tea
after the trial is utterly hnwarrante
and out of place. I had hoped that tn
attorneys for the defendant in the Bi
DO case would refrain from any a
verse criticism. Of Judge Teat aft
they triursquito chases TJy as r
suit of the extremely liberal iDs;ru
tions for the defendant allowed
Judge Teat.
IT am surprised, shocked and grie
ed at the bitterness manifested
some of the attorneys who defend'
Bilbo after they succeeded so fine
in getting to the jury that set Of
structions. All of them should fe'
like Judge w. J. Groom, who help'
defend him, and who has stated open
in justice to Judge Teat that he WI
fair, just and impartial.
my son, r. B. Campbell. of Gree
Vile, was here part of the time and
the court room. He had no interest
the case and he tells me that all
Judge Teat's rulings while he was pre-
ent he concurred in,, and that he pr
sided with much dignity and judici
proprfety, and was as fair as any mi
he ever saw ON the bench. | am 9
tonished at some of the utterances.