Asheville, July 28—Guilty of murder in the first degree was the verdict returned by the superior court jury against William W. Campbell, last yesterday afternoon. Campbell was convicted of slaying Mrs. Annie Smathers, young widow who was telephone operator at Oteen hospital, where Campbell was chief of police, on May 6, 1922.
Judge Henry P. Lane, presiding over the trial, announced that he would pronounce sentence today.
C.D. Herrin, acting as foreman of the jury, announced the verdict before a crowd that had completely filled the courtroom. The jury had deliberated over the case for about two hours and 40 minutes. Campbell, whose defense had been based upon alleged insanity, listened with apparent absolute indifference as the jurors canvassed by the clerk each repeated that first degree murder had been his verdict.
Following the brief but impressive ceremony, Campbell was returned to jail to await sentence. His trial opened Monday morning. He shot and killed Mrs. Smathers on the Fairview road where the two were driving in Campbell’s automobile, supposedly because Mrs. Smathers had refused to marry him.
This crime following so shortly after a similar tragedy in which two lives were snuffed out, created a sensation and a large crowd had witnessed the trial, including a large number of young girls.v Campbell has been a puzzle. He has refused to assist his attorneys appointed by the judge, and has remained indifferent throughout the entire trial. He has never given any reason for the shooting.
From The Western Sentinel, Winston-Salem, N.C., Aug. 1, 1922.
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