CAMPBELL, William Massillon (1805 - 1849)
From Gauss and his Children
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Biographical Information
From Reminiscences of the Bench and Bar of Missouri: With an Appendix, By William Van Ness Bay, 1878.
WILLIAM M. CAMPBELL. The people of Missouri will better recognize Mr. Campbell by the name of " Billy Campbell," for by that name he was universally called. He was a native of Virginia, and born in Lexington, Rockbridge County, June 19, 1805. He was a graduate of Washington College, now known as Washington and Lee University. He finished his legal studies in his native place, and in the fall of 1829 came to Missouri, and in the spring following opened a law-office in the town of St. Charles. He made no effort to obtain business, but his ability soon became known, and from that time he was able to command any practice he wished. The next year he was sent to the General Assembly, and finally chosen to represent his district in the State Senate, where he was retained until he removed to St. Louis, about 1844. The change of residence was occasioned by his being invited to take charge of the editorial department of The New Era, a Whig daily evening paper published in St. Louis by Charles Ramsey, Esq.
He was shortly afterwards again sent to the State Senate from St. Louis, and remained in that body until his death, which occurred December 30, 1849. He was also a member of the State Constitutional Convention held at Jefferson City in 1845. We are not aware of his holding any other office, except the presidency of the State Historical Society. During his editorial career he practiced but little at his profession, though he continued to attend the courts of St. Charles and Warren. Mr. Campbell was recognized as one of the ablest lawyers in the West, having, indeed, very few superiors at any bar; and as a political writer was unsurpassed. He was a fine classical scholar, and spoke both French and Spanish. His retentive memory and fondness for reading enabled him to gather a store-house of information, which he called into requisition whenever he had a demand for it. His style of speaking was bold, logical, and fluent, and before a jury he was almost invincible. His personal popularity was so great that no party discipline could defeat him before the people. Though a very decided Whig, the Democrats of St. Charles would vote for him as cordially as his own party. It was a popularity acquired without any effort on his part, for he was as indifferent to his own personal advancement as it was possible for any man to be. He would not turn on his heel to be president of the United States. Everybody liked him, and he loved everybody. No one ever saw his temper ruffled in the slightest degree. Nothing could disturb his equanimity; nor any misfortune, his happiness. He never borrowed or anticipated trouble, but accepted everything as though it was intended for his good. Upon one occasion, while attending the Legislature, the sheriff of St. Charles County went up to Jefferson City to pay into the state treasury some revenue. He called to see Mr. Campbell, who asked about the news from St. Charles. The sheriff replied, " Nothing new, Mr. Campbell; but I am sorry to say that I had to sell out, last week, your house and lot for the debt you owed as security for Hill." "Oh, that is nothing," said Campbell, " the property is not lost — it has only changed hands." Mentally he was one of the most industrious men in the state; physically, the most indolent. Put him in an armchair, with a table near him upon which he could hoist his feet, and he could write more in one hour than most men can in three. His mind moved as if driven by steam-power, while the least physical exertion was painful to him. More than half of the members of the Legislature got him to write their bills, reports, resolutions, etc.; and we have heard the enrolling clerk say that half of the bills that came into his hand for enrollment were in the handwriting of Mr. Campbell. When the House adjourned at noon-time for dinner, he would frequently remain in his seat writing, rather than undergo the labor of walking two squares. While writing he had the appearance of being half asleep, but he would throw off editorial after editorial for his paper, The NfM Era, a statement of the proceedings of both Houses for that day, ready for the night's mail, and probably a dozen bills, and as many reports, for members who were sitting around him. He wrote with great rapidity and ease, and scarcely ever had occasion to make a correction. But his most extraordinary faculty was his wonderful memory. The following incident was related to us by Mr. Ramsey, proprietor of The New Era :
- Bishop Soule, an eminent Methodist divine, visited St. Louis, and delivered a sermon on a subject of great interest, and it was the desire of some of the friends of the bishop that it should be reported, and one of them called upon Mr. Ramsey for that purpose. Mr. Ramsey said he had no shorthand reporter, but he thought Mr. Campbell might be induced to report it; and Campbell, upon being requested, consented to do so. He took a seat in front of the pulpit, and to all appearances slept during the whole sermon. The next day, to the astonishment of the bishop and his friends, The New Era came out with a full report of the discussion, embracing three long columns. The bishop said it was a verbatim copy of his sermon, the only mistake being the substitution of the figure "8" for "3," which probably was a typographical error. Mr. Campbell, on returning to his office, had written it out from memory.
Upon another occasion Mr. Campbell was lying on a bench one night in the Senate chamber when the Democratic members came in to hold a caucus, with closed doors. They concluded not to disturb Campbell, who appeared to be asleep. In a few days a complete report of the proceedings, with a copy of the resolutions adopted, appeared in the St. Louis Republican. How their proceedings were divulged was a mystery to all, and the secretary of the meeting was charged with being bribed, etc. But when the excitement of the exposure blew over, Mr. Campbell admitted that he had reported them.
He was a bachelor, had but few wants, and they were readily supplied. He placed no estimate upon the value of money, never asked a client for his fee, kept no account of his services, and if a client called to pay him, was most likely to tell him that he had no charge against him. Upon one occasion he was appointed by the court in St. Charles to defend a man indicted for horse-stealing. His client had no money, but Campbell gave more than usual attention to his case, and produced his acquittal. The fellow seemed to be grateful, and said, " Mr. Campbell, I will pay you one of these days." About a year afterwards, while Campbell was writing an editorial at The A'ew Era office, the man came in and approached him, with the remark, " Don't you recollect me? I am the man you defended in St. Charles for horse-stealing. You got me off, Mr. Campbell, but I stole the horse, nevertheless ; and now I want to pay you for your services." " I have no charge against you," said Campbell. "Well, I intend to pay you anyhow," said his client, and laid a bank- bill on the table and walked out. Campbell did not appear to notice it, when Mr. Ramsey called his attention to it. It was a 100 bill on the State Bank of Missouri.
At another time a client called in and handed him a $50 bill, which he laid on the table; and when he went out, Ramsey found it among some loose, scattering papers. Campbell would never have missed it had not Mr. Ramsey reminded him of it.
At one time he had a handsome property in St. Charles, but it was soon frittered away, for he indorsed for everybody. He would give something to every beggar he met; and if he went out in the street with a pocketful of change, he was certain to come back without a cent. He was noted all over the state for being slovenly and dirty in his apparel, and the anecdotes related of him in that respect are innumerable. During one of the terms of the St. Charles court, Henry S. Geyer, who was attending the court, and whose love for fun was proverbial, saw Campbell come in with a clean shirt on and his beard newly shaved — an event that only occurred once in a month — and immediately rose and introduced him to the court, with the request that the name of the stranger might be entered upon the roll of attorneys.
With a grave and solemn look, Mr. Campbell, with pen in hand, approached the clerk and signed the roll, amid the tumultuous laughter of the bar and audience.
Upon another occasion, Hamilton R. Gamble and John F. Darby were attending court in St. Charles, and went together to Mr. Campbell's office to consult some law-books. An old sow was standing at the door of the office, eating watermelon rinds which Campbell had thrown out. Campbell had gone to the court-house. When the old sow had finished her repast, she poked her nose into the office and gave a loud grunt. Gamble gave her a kick, and told her to clear out — " for " said he, " Campbell is not here."
Upon still another occasion, as he was about leaving for Jefferson City to attend a session of the Legislature, his good sister, who was devotedly attached to him, bought him a dozen new shirts and packed them carefully in his trunk. " Now," said she, " brother, do be more particular about your dress, and don't forget to put on a clean shirt at least twice a week; for you don't know how mortifying it is to me to have you go about looking so dirty." When he returned home at the close of the session, she congratulated him upon looking so hearty. " Why," said she, " you have grown as fat as a pig; they must have fed you well at the capital!" "Yes," said he, "they take good care of us, for they are always in want of some appropriations." She then took a look at his trunk, and found but two shirts in it. " Where under heavens, brother," said she, " are all those new shirts I gave you?" "Don't you find them in the trunk?" said he. " No, brother, I see but two here." " Well," said he, " possibly I have some on me." Whereupon she commenced examining his breast, and found six shirts on him. The cause of his great improvement in flesh became at once apparent.
The late Henry S. Geyer was retained in a case pending in the St. Charles Circuit Court, involving a considerable amount of property, and Mr. Campbell was engaged on the opposite side, and knowing Mr. Campbell's great popularity with a St. Charles jury, he resorted to a little stratagem to gain the favor and good-will of the jury. Knowing that Mr. Campbell's slovenliness in dress was well understood, he- remarked in his opening speech to the jury that he came: into the case with the purest motives, and expected to be- met by the opposing counsel with a like fairness and candor, but was greatly surprised to find that Mr. Campbell had been guilty of offering a bribe to the jury. In an instant Mr. Campbell sprang to his feet, seemingly much astonished,1, and demanded to know in what manner and by what means he had attempted to bribe a jury composed of the most respectable citizens of St. Charles County. Mr. Geyer stated that he made the charge with a full knowledge of what he was saying, and was responsible for what he said. In a loud and threatening voice Mr. Campbell demanded an explanation of the charge, and said, " How, sir, did I attempt to bribe them?" When Mr. Geyer, during the most intense excitement in the court-room, replied, "By coining into court this morning with a clean shirt on." In an instant the whole audience was convulsed with laughter, and with a significant smile Mr. Campbell thanked him for the compliment. Mr. Campbell remained a bachelor through life..
