Campbell - John - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Yesterday Governor Ira J. Chase issued a parole to John Campbell, who on the 11th day of February 1874, was sentenced by Judge Thomas F. Davidson to life imprisonment for the murder of John Little. Dr. Irwin received a telegram from the Governor announcing the grant of the parole and immediately forwarded it to Campbell at the Michigan City Prison. This history of the case is a most interesting one:

On the 13th day of August, 1873, John Campbell, then a man about 30 years of age, came into Alamo near which town he resided and proceeded to load up on whisky. Campbell when not drunk was a kindly. Industrious man, but when drunk was a wild beast. He when sober, would always repair any injury done while he was intoxicated and really had considerable esteem in the neighborhood. On the day above mentioned, he met his friend, John Little, a man of about 40 years of age, a son-in-law of Landlord Fishero, and the father of about six children. The two old cronies were soon drunk and began quarreling over politics. A fight ensued and Little went to the Fishero Hotel. Campbell took a few more drinks and sticking an open knife in his waistband marched up to the hotel and called Little and George Fishero out. They came and Little carried a large stone in his hand. About a block south of the Fishero Hotel the fight began and Campbell was struck in the face with a stone. The men then clinched and George Fishero with a stone struck Campbell on the head while Campbell plunged his knife into Little’s heart three times. “I want peace,” called Little, and staggered a few feet down the road, fell, and died in ten minutes.

Campbell was arrested at once and lodged in the Crawfordsville jail. On becoming sober he had no recollection of the affray and wept bitterly to think of having killed his friend. He was bound over and indicted and in November, 1873, his case came up for trial. The State was represented by Prosecutor R. B. F. Pierce, Kennedy & Brush, and Benjamin Harrison, now President of the United States. The defense was represented by Hon. M. D. White, Judge Cowan and Senator Dan Voohees. Judge A. D. Thomas was on the bench but the plaintiff swore him off and the late Thomas F. Davidson of this city, then judge of the Fountain Circuit Court, was called to try the case which came to trial on February 8, 1874. The following were the members of the jury, some of whom are now dead: Geo. W. Warbinton, Laban Holland, James Wasson, Charles Allen, Peter Byrd, Joseph Snyder, Henry A. Foster, John A. Burgess, George Gott and Wm. Vance.

The trial came to an end on February 11. the excitement was intense and during the latter part of the trial Judge Davidson found it expedient to adjourn to McClellan Hall, the old study court room being too small to accommodate the crowd. Upon the stage were seated 50 ladies to hear the arguments of counsel.

Regarding these arguments there was one peculiar thing. Senator Voorhees and Mr. Harrison, both famous then as lawyers, had been many times before in similar cases and Mr. Voorhees had hitherto had the advantage of the closing speech which under the old law was accorded the defense. The new law which gave the State the last speech had gone into effect and this was the first murder trial tried in the State under the new conditions.

Mr. Voohees spoke in the morning and the old files of The Journal say that “he lacked his usual force.” He was followed by Mr. Harrison who spoke two hours and a half and made one of the most magnificent speeches in the history of the county breaking down the defense completely. It was a master effort and is still quoted in the county by those who heard it. The jury was instructed, retired, and in half an hour returned with a verdict of murder in the second degree with life imprisonment. Joe Snyder was foreman.

Judge Davidson overruled the motion for a new trial and on Monday, Feb. 15, Capt. Jack Ross took Campbell to the penitentiary to begin a “life imprisonment at hard labor.”

After a few years the efforts to secure a pardon were begun. Hon. M. D. White, Miss Edna Campbell, the prisoner’s sister, and Dr. Irwin being particularly interested. The petition was first presented to Governor Williams. The instrument was a strong one and Governor Williams promised that his last official act should be the granting of the pardon. However, he took sick and died in office and Governor Gray refused to grant it. Governor Porter was giving it favorable consideration but the Fisheros presented a protest, bearing 200 names and he withheld his signature. When Governor Hovey went in, Miss Campbell, whose perseverance and devotion have been remarkable, took to him a petition signed by hundreds of citizens, the judge, the witnesses, President Harrison, and all the jury, except Joseph Warbinton who now resides west of the college. Mr. Warbinton had written, declaring that he saw no reason to change his mind, and Miss Campbell insisted on putting his letter in with the rest declaring that she wished to express the sentiments of all. Governor Hovey would have granted the pardon, had he lived, but dying as he did, it devolved upon his successor, Mr. Chase. Campbell is now 50 years old and his intellect is not so strong as it once was. He is past all harm, and no one can be injured by letting pass his few remaining years outside the gloomy prison walls. He comes back to a world of which he knows nothing—a world which has gone by and left him. He comes back like Rip Van Winkle to old places but to new scenes. He left in the vigor of lusty manhood; he returns in decrepit old age. Poor John Campbell! He has suffered enough, surely, to satisfy the demands of justice and the wrong his morally irresponsible act wrought.

Notes

R. B. F. Pierce would never sign the petition for the pardon

Hon. M. D. White, who defended Campbell, declares that 10 years would have been a severe penalty in the first place.

Campbell’s wife secured a divorce soon after his sentence and came to town to live. She finally drifted away. No one knows where.  Miss Laura Ream reported the murder for the Cincinnati Gazette. She is one of the lady pioneers in journalism, and is now a white haired, old lady, in Indianapolis.

Campbell’s father and mother are both alive. The old gentleman lives in Alamo and Mrs. Campbell is keeping house for Miss Edna, who is teaching school at Shannondale.

To Miss Edna Campbell is especial credit due for securing her brother’s release. Through long, long years of disappointment, her devotion never flagged, and it has its fitting reward.

John Campbell had two sons living at the time of his trial and a third was born after his imprisonment. George is dead, but John and Ed are living in Ripley Township and are estimable young men.