GLASGOW LAWYER STABS A YOU WOMAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10813, 23 July 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

GLASGOW LAWYER STABS A YOU WOMAN.

Mn. Angus Cami'ukix, a well-known Glasgow lawyer, was on his own confession arrested on a. charge of having murderously assaulted a young woman in a house at 14, Westmoreland-street, Crossbill.

Mr. Campbell himself was the first to convey information to the police. Between ten and eleven o'clock ill the morning he called at the Queen's Park Police Office and informed Superintendent Strachau, who was waiting in the courtroom, where ho acts as fiscal, that "ho had stabbed his sweetheart." As Campbell was greatly excited, and as the superintendent knovj him very well, he thought it might be merely a case of aberration of intellect. Dctcctivc Johnstone was despatched to the house at West-moreland-street, and on arrival there he found that Campbell's self-accusation was unfortunately only too well founded. Mr. Campbell was thereupon locked up in one of. the cells with a constable in attendance to watch him. The police inquiries show that Mr. Campbell, who has for some time been under voluntary treatment as a patient at Gartnavel Asylum for the insano, called at the house at 14, Westmoreland-street, which is occupied by Mr. James Caldwell, a clerk, and bis wife, and r,sked to see Miss Edith Blanche Raynor Hamilton Campbell, a voting woman who lodged with the Caldwells. lie was to go into the parlour and lake a seal while Miss Campbell completed her dressing. Mr. Campbell while waiting asked for writing paper, and requested Mr. Caldwell tii write out a document, the purport of which was the revocation of some previously written agreement, under which Mr. Campbell's means were willed m favour of Miss Campbell. Shortly afterwards Miss Campbell entered the parlour, and when file had greeted Mr. Campbell and had taken a seat he asked her to sign the document which he had asked Mr. Caldwell to prepare. Site refused to sign it. Mr. Campbell then left Hie room and went into the bathroom. Returning into the parlour he again asked Miss Campbell to sign the document, and again she refused. -All'. Campbell then raised his right hand, and without any warning stabbed the young woman on the left breast with a pocket knife which lie had concealed in his right hand. Miss Campbell ran screaming into the kitchen, followed by ill'. Caldwell, who had been a witness to the whole affair. She fell on the floor evidently grievously wounded, while her assailant, after throwing the knife from him, loft tho house. It was seen that Miss Campbell was in a dangerous condition, necessitating an immediate operation if her life was to be saved. About noon she was removed to the Victoria Infirmary, Meanwhile Mr. Campbell had given himself up at the Queen's Park Police Station. He was labouring under the most intense excitement, and, pending the inquiry by the detective, lie had the utmost difficulty in controlling himself. When the officer returned lie asked as to the condition of Miss Campbell, and on being told that she was not dead he exclaimed with evident relief, and holding up his hands—" Thank Hod she is alive!" Miss Campbell is a well-dressed, good-look-ing, and ladylike young woman of 27 years, She is understood to have resided formerly at Greenlaw Avenue, Paisley, but that latterly her place of residence was at Tunbridge Wells, whence, in response to a letter from Mr. Campbell stating that lie was unwell, she came the other day to lodge with the Caldwells at Crossbill. It is said that she informed them that she intended to return South that afternoon at two o'clock. By some her acquaintance with Mr. Campbell is said to date back' seven or eight years. Mr. Angus Campbell was formerly an active public man, a member of the Town Council, and a clever criminal lawyer in large practice. On one occasion, in the middle of a hard day's pleading, he fainted while in the act of presenting a case to the Court. On Mr. Campbell's retiral from the Town Council in 1896 he gradually relinquished his practice, and left his firm and the city. Two months ago lie came back to Glasgow impaired in health both of mind and body, and of his own initiative placed himself in Gartuavcl for treatment.