Murderer Philosophical About Life Sentence, Sept. 6, 1926

Life in Prison About as it Was in Army. . . “Any Situation Is Only as Bad as You Make It,” Says Campbell

Raleigh, Sept. 6 (AP)—Will Campbell has a lifetime in prison before him, but he is making the best of it.

“Any situation is only as bad as ou make it,” he declared. “I was in the army seven years, and life in the state prison isn’t much different. In either case you can get along all right if you work with the people over you.”

Campbell came to the prison four years ago from Buncombe county for murder. He was first sentenced to death but gained a reprieve that carried with it life imprisonment whe it was determined that he was not mentally responsible at the time of his crime.

He killed a nurse while he was acting as police officer at Oteen hospital. The woman is said to have spurned him, and he slew her in a blind rage.

Now he is paying society for his disagreement from his strict code—and because he is physically unable to pay the debt in the hard labor ordinarily exacted from state prisoners, he is devoting his time to service of his fellow prisoners.

Visitors to the penitentiary find him either at work on the flower beds in the rear of the enclosure or behind the counter of a little store, built under the back porch of the central prison building.

The store is a unique enterprise. It was started with the permission of Supt. George Ross Pou when it developed that the life-termer was suffering with disorders that made him unfit for routine prison duty.

Its stock is composed of a great variety of fancy groceries, confections and cold drinks. The goods are sold to prisoners and visitors at the proson at a profit of only five per cent—just enough, the storekeeper said, to protect him from losses and mistakes. He doesn’t wany any profit—just the privilege of operating the one place where delicacies can be bought inside prison walls.

Superintendent Pou said that Campbell’s store was very popular, and that he was one of the best prisoners he had. He said that his health was mending rapidly.

From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-6/

System Sent Pastor to Do Jailer's Job, Sept. 6,1926

The System Partially at Fault

The minister who was sent to Spartanburg to get J. B. Vickers, an escaped prisoner and later shot his man as the latter attempted to escape again, is not wholly responsible for the tragedy. While it is true that he fired the shot which killed Vickers, the system under which he was operating is partially to blame.

Apparently the minister was not familiar with prisoners, and he was sent for the man because, it is said, there was a scarcity of officers about the prison at the time. He may have asked for the assignment, as a matter of fact, since he is interested in a society organized for the benefit of prisoners. He may have felt that he could handle Vickers as the society thinks prisoners should be handled.

That he didn’t know his business is demonstrated by the fact that he didn’t have Vickers handcuffed, according to eye witnesses to the shooting. Here he was bringin back to the State prison a man desperate enough to run away from one guard who also failed to handcuff him. That theory may sound all right but it is hard to make it work, for the man who makes one break for liberty will make another.

The minister-guard denies that he shot Vickers, offering the alibi that the gun exploded or something. That demonstrates further our contention that he should not have been allowed to handle prisoners. A man who knows no more about firearms than that should not have them. He took the pistol from his pocket for some purpose, and it is going to be hard to convince a jury that he did not intend to use it to stop Vickers. If that wasn’t his purpose, why carry the gun? We do not know all about the society—created to aid prisoners—in which he was interested, but we would venture the guess that it bitterly opposes the practice of guards shooting at prisoners. And here we have the spectacle of one of the members brandishing a gun, if not for the purpose of threat then for what?

Officials of the State prison should know the kind of persons they send out after desperate characters. If this guard had used ordinary precaution and a certain amount of common sense, the shooting would not have occurred, for he would have had Vickers handcuffed to himself and there would have been no dash for liberty.

From the editorial page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-4/

If Klan Does No Harm, Why Not Test it Out, Sept. 6,1926

Why Not Test It Out

Greensboro News

Rev. H. R. Williams of Kannapolis, listed as the grand titan of the Ku Klux Klan, speaking at Asheboro, is reported as denying that “any acts of violence have been committed by the klan.” Newspaper reports of such incidents he pronounced false. But he admitted tht it is customary to “give words of warning or advice to undesirable citizens.” Without stopping to ask who makes the klan a judge or ruler competent to decide, without a hearing, on its own initiative, who is desirable and who is undesirable; or whether all members of the klan are so desirable that they are competent to sit in judgment and issue secret decrees, giving the accused no opportunity to face his accusers—leaving these mattes out of the discussion for the present, liberty is taken to make a suggestion to the grand titan.

A few days ago a report dates at Troy, Montgomery county, published in some of the newspapers, set out that a number of men, garbed in the manner of klansmen, appeared in Troy and later went into the country, called a man from his bed, took him out and beat him to their satisfaction. A man and a woman in another house were warned to leave, which they did. One warning with sufficient force to make it effective, another without force. This published report set out considerable detail of the proceedings and left the impression that the disguised party was composed of Troy people, or residents of the vicinity. It was not asserted that they were Ku Klux Klan but that they wore the klan regalia.

The identity of the writer of that report can no doubt be easily ascertained. The grand titan asserts that the klan does not engage in acts of violence. If he knows what he is talking about, and he seems to have made the assertion with reservation, the incident in the vicinity of Troy was put on by person masquerading in the garb of the klan. If that be true, it is reasonable that those of the true faith are discrediting the righteous. The Troy incident offers an opportunity. That the objects of correction in the Troy case may have deserved what they received is beside the question. The regulators were acting with the law, judging without a hearing and executing judgment. It is denied that the klan does that. A show-down in the case mentioned might close the debate on that point.

From the editorial page of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-4/

Mecklenburg Sanatorium Opening Sept.9,1926

The Mecklenburg Sanatorium

Charlotte Observer

The date definitely fixed for the opening of the county’s proudest institution—the Mecklenburg Sanatorium—is fixed for next Tuesday at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, though visitors will be received from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be a great day for the county, but the people who should feel particularly happy over the event is Chairman Hood and the board of commissioners, Mrs. Chas. Platt, Julian Little, Doctors McPhaul and Allan, and J. B. McLaughlin, who constitute the board of directors. And all interests have particular cause for confidence in the proper administration of services at the hands of Doctor Donnelly, resident physician.

Maybe there are some citizens who at the moment are not sufficiently interested in this institution to be there for the opening day, but all of them will be looking it over in due time as they hear of its beneficent operations.

From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-6/

Fink Family Thanks People Who Are Helping Them Rebuild after Fire, Sept.6, 1926

A Card of Thanks

As our house has been burned with most of the contents thereof, we take this method to return thanks to the many good people who assisted us both by contributing money an labor to build us a new one. A number of our friends gave us from one to two weeks’ work, and the many who contributed money ranged from one dollar all the way to 50. Christ said, “Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of my brethren ye did it unto me.”

--R. M. Fink

From page 8 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-8/

Charlotte Insists Train Tracks be Lowers at Station, Sept. 6,1926

Charlotte Acts to Get Tracks Lowered. . . Having Ordinance Drawn to Force Southern to Lower Tracks at Station

Charlotte, Sept. 6—Acting upon the instructions of the Charlotte city commissioners, Claud A. Cochran, city attorney, is now prepariang an ordinance making it mandatory on the southern railway system to lower the tracks at the Southern passenger station, thereby eliminating existing grade crossings at Trade street and adjacent thoroughfares.

Through the provisions of the projected ordinance, traffic on Trade, Third and Fifth streets would pass over the tracks of the railroad on bridges, and changes would be made in a number of other thoroughfares.

The decision to pass an ordinance practically forcing the lowering of the tracks came on the heels of the announcement by the railroad officials that a $50,000 system of train sheds would be constructed immediately.

City officials refused to say whether or not they looked on the railway’s announcement as meaning that the railway is planning to sidestep the grade crossing question.

It was interpreted in some quarters, however, that the action by the city was taken as a reminder to the railway that the city will insist on action in the matter.

Mr. Cochran had a conference with high Southern officials early yesterday. Later, he conferred with the commissioners. What bearing his conference had on the action in regard to the ordinance requiring the railroad to lower its tracks could not be learned.

It is certain, nevertheless, that the instructions he received were sudden. There had been no previous intimation that such a course would be pursued.

Following a conference between the commissioners and railway officials early in July, the latter asked for time to survey the tracks with a view toward determining whether lowering or raising the tracks slightly—the latter alternative necessitating streets passing beneath the tracks—would be most feasible.

The date set for the conference following this survey was August 23. The railway announced that the survey had practically been completed several days before this date. The city attorney learned on the 23rd that the figures on the survey would not be ready for about five days. How soon the figures will be ready for the commissioners was not known.

From page 6 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-6/

Local Mention in Concord Tribune Sept. 6, 1926

Local Mention

G. J. Lippard has accepted a position with Efird’s. He began his new work this morning.

Three new cases of whooping cough were reported this morning to the county health department.

A new circle of lots has been completed in Oakwood cemetery, paved walks having been laid and the lots overwise improved.

The board of stewards of Central Methodist Church will meet at the church tonight at 7:30. The meeting is said to be an important one and all members are urged to be present.

Two hard showers fell in Concord Sunday afternoon, drenching a number of motorists who were caught out without wraps. The rains were general in the northern part of the county, it is said.

The congregation of the First Presbyterian Church Sunday morning was delighted with the rendition of “Lift Up your Heads” by Mrs. Paul Caldwell of Staten Island, N.Y., who is visiting here.

The Reid Motor Co. will give $300 in prizes to the Ford owners getting the most mileage from a gallon of gasoline. Friday and Saturday are the days to enter this contest. It costs you nothing to enter.

Cotton in the county made fine progress last week, according to reports brought here Saturday by farm people. The hot days caused the bolls to open, it was said, and before long a bale of staple will be picked in the county.

St. Louis defeated Cincinnati yesterday and still leads the National League. Pittsburg lost to Chicago both Saturday and Sunday. In the American league New York still has a six-game lead over Cleveland, with Philadelphia bout out of the race.

The September meeting of the county commissioners is being held at the courthouse today. No business of unusual interest was presented to the board this morning. It was reported that only routine matters are expected to be presented during the afternoon.

If you have not yet sent into The Tribune the name of your son or daughter who is going to college this fall, please do so at once. We want the names of all boys and girls in Cabarrus county who are going away to school so as to the publish the list in the paper.

Mrs. Alley Bost, who has been ill for several days, was carried to a Charlotte hospital yesterday morning.

The city plans to resume the work of repairing the asphalt streets of the city within the next day or two, material for the work having been secured.

Seven defendants are to be tried in recorder’s court this afternoon. Three are charged with being intoxicated, two with speeding, and one with operating a car while intoxicated and one with possessing liquor. Cases against other defendants were continued until Friday.

Labor Day is about like any other day so far as Concord is concerned. The library and banks are closed but otherwise business is being transacted throughout the city as usual. In some parts of the state the day is being observed as a business holiday, this being true in some manufacturing plants.

From page 8 of the Concord Daily Tribune, Monday, Sept. 6, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073201/1926-09-06/ed-1/seq-8/