Iditarod pioneer., 1915-07-17
MANY EXPRESS DOUBT
 AS TO JOE CAMPBELL'S GULL I

Did Joseph Campbell who was sentenced in IditarOd in 1912 to life imprisonment for the murder of the Nelson brothers in the Kuskokwim district in the year 1911, really commit those murders or IS he enduring the misery of penal servitude wrongfully, and for crime which he never committed?
 These inquiries are raised by reason of the fact that Campbell, who is serving a life sentence at the Leavenworth, Kan, penl- tentiary, has succeeded in arousng the in terest of District Attorney Roth in his pro testations of innocence, and the latter has commenced an inquiry into the facts sur rounding the murders for which Campbell was sentenced.
 Some months ago Campbell wrote from his prison cell to all the newspapers of Alaska, and to the United States officials, making inquiry for one Billy Barnhart. He claimed that with the aid of this man he might be able to prove his innocence. Barn hart was last seen by Campbell, according to his story, at Russian Mission, on the Yu- kon, on July 10, 1911. The Nelson brothers are believed to have been killed on the kus- kokwim in June or July, 1911.
 Campbell was convicted largely upon the testimony of natives, and this testimony IS said to be disputed by reliable white men, among them being two missionaries on the lower kuskokwim The natives testified at the trial that the men were murdered on the left limit of the kuskokwim, whereas the crime tock place on an island above the mouth of the Tuluksak Details were given of the witnessing of the crime by native, but the inquest developed that these were at variance with the facts, it is said. The bodies were found wrapped in their blankets through which the bullets had penetrated, they evidently having been murdered while sleeping, according to report.
 On Monday last District Attorney Roth held a conference with E. Coke Hl., Henry Roden and Duke E. Stubbs Mes8rS. RoGen and Iiil were counsel in the case, Mir. H!li representing Campbell and Mir. Roden the prosecution. MT. Stubbs while not d wit ness in the case, was acquainted with the stories toll by the natives, and states that the belief is general among the whites ln the Kuskokwim region that the testimony given by the natives should not have been relied upon.
 there are two men named Barnhart who are known to have been on the lover ukon and kuskokwim rivers and che e; thee lS said to be on the lower Yukon at the present time. It Is believed that if an eticrt were made this man could be located.
 It is rather inexplicahle that the residents of the Kuskokwm region, knowing of Campbelrs persistent denials ci guilt, and of the fact that he had made an effort to locate witnesses to prove his innocence, and believing as they are said to believe, that the natives gave false testimony, should not have malc an effort to have aided the cen victad man in securing the benefit of what evidence ttey had in their possession The district attorneys office in all probability will set in motion thorough inquiry into the facts in the case, with the view of see ing that a possibly innocent man may be given chance to clear himself
 District Attorney Roth is known to have but little faith in the alleged doojl:ty of the Interior Alaska natives and believes that many of the mysterious disappearances and murders of white men in the past few years may be chargeable to them.