The Washington times., 1920-09-22
NEGROES FATE
. IS UP TO JUDGE
Two Convicts Await Action on
Story Of William Campbell,
Who Confessed Their Crimes.

Did william Henry Campbell. con
WINGED by the police that he was
doomed TO die by hanging on the gal
lows OF the District jail for the
brutal staying and robbery of Mrs.
Gertrude Harrison Mann. music
teacher, make desperate EFFORT 10
obtain the release from prison OF two
other negt oes convicted of crimes
against women by confesslng that he,
and not the convicted men, had com
mitted the outragss?
This question will be decided within
a few days by Justice Wendell +.
stafford al the District Supreme
Court, who has before him Campbelfs
confession OF guilt of the series OF
attacks on women, with report from
Assistant Cnittd states District At
torney Paul L.. Cromelin. who prose-
cuted Louis Randall. one of the ne
goes convicted Of attacks on two
Washington women.
BELIEVE CAMPBELL's STORY.
Inspector clifford l.. Grant, chief OF
and Detectives Sergts. A.
h. Scrlvener and Edward j. Kelly,
who arrested Randall. have stated
they believe Randall was the victim
of mistaken identity and that Camp
bell has confessed to the truth.
Randall was convicted OF assaults
ui. Mrs, BE ,sie cl,l$'a. or Nicholson
place, and Miss Louise Simmons.
colored. a teacher at Reno School.
Justice Stafford presided at the ne
gro's trial and sentenced him to hang
on the District gallows after jury
l. .alE
the women. President Wilson com
years Imprisonment in the Federal
prison 1T Atlanta.
Not only did Campbell confess to
having been the assailant OF Mrs.
Gleason and Miss Simmons. but ad-
mitted. following his arrest by De-
tective Geoge Darnall. OF Tenth pre-
cinct. that IL WAS he who had as
saulted July 5, 1919, Miss Mary b.
formerly employed In the
Military Intelligence.
ANOTHER NEGRO SENTENCED.
In the case Of Miss Saunders. How
ard Eaglin colored caddie at the
Chevy Chase Club, was convicted for
the crime and sentenced to twenty
years Imprisonment in the Maryland
penitentiary.
Because OF the minute details given
by Campbell in his confession of the
attacks on the four women, Inspector
Grant stated he believed the negro
was guilty OF the series OF crimes
a nd that Randall End Eaglin were in
rocent. having been victims of mis-
taken identity.
Campbell was arrested by Detec-
tive Darnell after he had caused a
reign of terror among women In the
section of the city. He
confessed to. having burglarized at
least twenty houses and to having
snatched at least ten handbags from
women. Most of the jewelry he stole
was recovered by Lieutenant Stoll. of
the Tenth precinct, and Detective
Darnell.
CAMPBELL'S CONFESSION.
1t was not until the detectives re-
covered in Baltimore from woman
friend OF Campbell a diamond ring
and a wrist watch which had been
taken from Mrs. Mann after she had
been slain. that the negro admitted
that he had killed the music teacher.
Campbell took the officers to the
scene Of the crime. detailing how he
had layed in wait for her as she came
from the home of Samuel Gompers,
president OF the American Federation
of Labor, where she had been giving
a music lesson to Mr.. Gomper's grand
daughter.
Later on. when taken to police head
quarters, Campbell confessed to In
spector Grant and other detectives
that he had attacked Mrs. Gleason,
Miss Simmons, and Miss Saunders. de-
claring that Randall and Eaglin were
innocent. His confession rang true to
Inspector Grant, because he is said not
to have been victim of any third
degree or other severe police methods,
having been told he could voluntarily
tell anything about himself and that
anything he said might be used
against him.
As soon as Campbelrs confession
was made public and forwarded to
United States District Attorney John
e. Laskey. James f. Pugh, former
Judge of Police Court, and counsel for
Eaglin, appealed to the Maryland
State board of parole. urging that
Eaglin be released from the Maryland
penitentiary.
Samuel V. Gusack and Thomas
Beckett, counsel for Randall, also be-
gan action to attempt to obtain the
release of their client. Attorney Cen
eral Palmer was petitioned. as well
as District Attorney Laskey, to
Of President Wilson the
pardon of Randall. The Attorney
General referred the case to Laskey.
Before making any recommends
tion. Laskey presented the confession
and the report or G,e police to his as
sistant. Mr.. Cromelin. who has just
his report for Justice Stat
ford Mr.. Cromelin today refused to
comment on the contents OF his re-
port to Justice Stafford. suggesting it
probably would be made public after
the court had given II consideration.
Both Randall and Eaglin protested
their innocence not only following
thier arrests. but when they were
brought into court for trial. In the
case OF the attack on Miss Saunders.
told in detail how he seized
the war worker, leaving her un-
conscious in a clump of woodland
near Somerset. Montgomery county.
and the route he took I'm fleeing
across the Chevy Chase Golf links.