Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-10-30

JOlleC, VII, OCl. ES.-JCSCEu CdHpp.
bell, the colored convict accused, Of
the murder June 20 of Mrs. Allen,
wife of Edmund M. ALLEN, who was at
that time warden OF the state pri-
son here, was placed on trial today
before Judge Hobar,
Joliet, Ill.,, Oct. 29.-Mrs. Allen was
found murdered in her bed in the
warden's suite of the prison between
five and six O'Clock in the morning OF
June 20. 1918. Her skull was crushed
in and her body burned. Fire., by
which the slayer evidently sought to
destroy evidences of the crime, led to
its discovery.
Joseph Campbell, better known as
Chicken joe" a negro trusty. an
honor man favored by the warden
and his wife. was Immediately arrest
ed and his conflicting stories led the
authorities to formally charge him
with the crime. '@s "a
Campbell, who was serving a term
of from n year 70 life for tle killing
of Henry Stephens, a negro ~janitor;
in Chicago, November 10, 1913, was
said to be the last man to have seen
the murdered woman alive. Accord
ing to his own testimony at the in
quest he brought Mrs. Allen. the
morning papers less than All hour. be-
fore she was found slain and then
took her pet dog for a walk as was
his custom.
At $40 .ton the morning -0f the muir
der, nearly an hour beforesthe usual
rising time, the gong, iung,f by push
tuttOn at the bedside Of Mrs. Allen,
set up a clamor. Usually such a sum
mons was answered by Campbell,
whose station was in a den opening
off the bedroom. The DELL continued
to ring steadily, as ii an impatient
finger were pressing against the bed
room button.
James L-arkin, a keeper, was at
breakfast in the buffers pantry
around a. bend in the corridor. He
ran into the hall and meG George
Simpson, another negro house ser.
want who had been across the corridor
in another suite. ne HI
1.-THE lady's ringing" said IJarkMn:
"Why don't you answer ?91.s AT
"ltHain't my ibelf,' protested theme,
gro. .'Where's Campbelle' a.
There was no reply from tbs. negro,
Tut Larkin's call and the scOntalhed
ringing Of the gong brought Harry
Rogers, a night turnkey, from his
post on the lower floor.
II smell smoke,"tRogers said. Get
the fire WHISTLE sfs
The volunteer fire squad, at break
fast at the time; responded to the
alarm and found the oharred body Of
Mrs. Allen, after having broken down
the door leading to her apartment.
Had it not been for a freak Of the
flames, the whole building might, have
been burned out and all evidence OF
a crime destroyed, it was established
at the inquest. The continued ringing
Of the bell operated .ihy the push but
ton in Mrs. ALIENS apartment was
begun automatically when the wonden
covering was burned OFF and the wires
short Circnited.
Dr.& v. T.GBerson, former prison ply
stefan and an old friend of Mrs. Al
len, examined the body and announc.
ed that the wound in her head had
not caused her death. 1t was the
fire, he said, that killed her. The
murderer, the physician thought. lad
poured alcohol upon the bedding after
he, had attacked Mrs. Allen, then
touched a" match to the sheets. An
amply jug that smelled of wool alco-
hol was found near the bed.
1t was at first announced that rob-
berry was not the motive for tn. crime,
but several valuable articles OF Jewell
ry were found to be missing. Several
days later, however, these were found
hidden in a pillow slip in an adjoin-
ing room. At the time. of Campbeli's
arrest only these two facts We're alb
solutely established: -. ...-~
The murder was the work OF some
one inside tle penitentiaryM
'3It> was the! act of one ,ofsteni ndivid-