Advertisement

COL Alexander B. “A.B.” Campbell

Advertisement

COL Alexander B. “A.B.” Campbell Veteran

Birth
Oxford, Butler County, Ohio, USA
Death
20 Dec 1897 (aged 51–52)
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA
Burial
Rushville, Rush County, Indiana, USA Add to Map
Plot
Section 4
Memorial ID
View Source
Kansas Ex-Adjutant General A. B.
Campbell's Sad End.

HE TOOK MORPHINE LAST NIGHT

Chicago, Dec. 22. Gen. A. B. Camp-bell, ex-adjutant general and ex-chap-lain of the state's prison of Kansas, for years one of the most noted republican orators and lawyers of that state, committed suicide in a Clark street hotel last night by taking morphine. He left a letter to the coroner and a will bequeathing his few valuables to relatives. He had been in the hotel for a week, having registered there as from Santa Monica, Cal., where he went for health last year and where he recently attempted suicide.

General Campbell's letter to the coroner follows:

"I, Alexander B. Campbell, make this statement of the cause of my death to release the coroner of the necessity of an inquest, and also to let my friends know the motive that led me to take my life. My death will be caused by morphine, which I have deliberately taken with suicidal intent. This purpose was fully formed when I left Rushville, Ind., and came to this city.

"The reason I take my life is because I want to go to my wife and boy. My usefulness in this world is at an end. I cannot be satisfied in any business and cannot be without their companionship. I have never been able to devote myself to business since my wife died, and lost all interest in life. In Los Angeles, Cal., I tried to commit suicide, but did not take enough of the drug.

"I then went home to Rushville, but found no comfort there. My friends regarded me as a man of unsound mind because I held the view that my wife was with me in spirit always. I have lived with her spirit guiding every day and she is with me now as I write this letter and helps me to do as I am now doing. I wAl be with her before another day goes by and I die with pleasure. I am glad to go with my wife and baby boy. I have not one single doubt or fear about my future life with them. I believe in God and immortality.

"Now, if I go among strangers the story of my insanity soon follows and I do not care to live such a life when I can in a few hours go to my wife and boy. I have not one single doubt or fear about my future life with them. I believe in God and immortality.

"Now, if I go among strangers the story of my insanity soon follows and I do not care to live such a life when I can in a few hours go to my wife and boy. I do not want any funeral services over my body, and where I am buried is of no consequence to me.

"I hope and trust the infinite, the eternal, the merciful and loving God. I worship Him and feel no guilt in my heart before Him for what I am going to do. Next to God I worship my wife and boy and will soon be with them and with my father and mother, who are waiting for my coming. In the other life I will be better able to establish my sanity and hope to meet all my friends there when they come."

---------------------

General Campbell was the son of a minister of the Christian Church which was founded by his uncle, the celebrated Alexander Campbell, and was himself a minister, lawyer, public man and popular speaker.

He was born near Rushville, Ind., fifty-six years ago, and on attaining his majority he became a minister of the Christian church.

In 1866 he became an attorney, and in 1870 was elected county attorney of Rush county, Indiana.

This led to conviviality, and for a time he seemed lost to good. Then he met Luther Benson, the temperance apostle, and was reformed by him.

In 1874 he went to Bloomington, Ill., and for six years was a leading lawyer there. Several times he fell from temperance but as often reformed and finally returned to the Christian ministry.

In 1880 he went to Kansas, settling at Manhattan as pastor of the Christian Church there. Tiring of the ministry, he was admitted to the bar of Riley county, Kansas, as a practicing attorney.

In 1881 General Campbell was appointed chaplain of the state penitentiary by Governor St. John and served until 1883, when Governor Glick was inaugurated. From 1885 until 1889 he was adjutant general by appointment of Governor Martin. This office was given to him on account of his work for the Republican party in 1884 as president of the State Temperance Union.

In 1893 and 1894 he was adjutant general of the Kansas department of the G. A. R.

The killing of his son, aged 9, by a street car in Topeka caused him intense grief, and soon after his retirement from the position of G. A. R. adjutant general he went to Los Angeles, Cal., where he undertook to practice law. His wife died there of a lingering illness early in last year and he took her body to Indiana for burial.

On his return to California General Campbell was deeply affected by his wife's death, and soon brain fever developed. He broke down completely during a public speech, and soon afterward was found, ragged and disheveled, in a suburb of Los Angeles. He was examined, declared a maniac, and confined for a time in an asylum. On his release, as cured, he went to his old home at Rushville, Ind., and resumed the practice of law. Last fall he made many speeches in Indiana for McKinley. He then became an ardent Spiritualist, and had lately neglected his business and devoted himself to spiritualism.

Campbell was too genial to have bitter enemies, and his death will be re gretted throughout the state. He naturally resembled Alexander Campbell, as that great sectarian resembled Andrew Jackson.

The Kansas City Gazette, Page 1
22 Dec 1897
Kansas Ex-Adjutant General A. B.
Campbell's Sad End.

HE TOOK MORPHINE LAST NIGHT

Chicago, Dec. 22. Gen. A. B. Camp-bell, ex-adjutant general and ex-chap-lain of the state's prison of Kansas, for years one of the most noted republican orators and lawyers of that state, committed suicide in a Clark street hotel last night by taking morphine. He left a letter to the coroner and a will bequeathing his few valuables to relatives. He had been in the hotel for a week, having registered there as from Santa Monica, Cal., where he went for health last year and where he recently attempted suicide.

General Campbell's letter to the coroner follows:

"I, Alexander B. Campbell, make this statement of the cause of my death to release the coroner of the necessity of an inquest, and also to let my friends know the motive that led me to take my life. My death will be caused by morphine, which I have deliberately taken with suicidal intent. This purpose was fully formed when I left Rushville, Ind., and came to this city.

"The reason I take my life is because I want to go to my wife and boy. My usefulness in this world is at an end. I cannot be satisfied in any business and cannot be without their companionship. I have never been able to devote myself to business since my wife died, and lost all interest in life. In Los Angeles, Cal., I tried to commit suicide, but did not take enough of the drug.

"I then went home to Rushville, but found no comfort there. My friends regarded me as a man of unsound mind because I held the view that my wife was with me in spirit always. I have lived with her spirit guiding every day and she is with me now as I write this letter and helps me to do as I am now doing. I wAl be with her before another day goes by and I die with pleasure. I am glad to go with my wife and baby boy. I have not one single doubt or fear about my future life with them. I believe in God and immortality.

"Now, if I go among strangers the story of my insanity soon follows and I do not care to live such a life when I can in a few hours go to my wife and boy. I have not one single doubt or fear about my future life with them. I believe in God and immortality.

"Now, if I go among strangers the story of my insanity soon follows and I do not care to live such a life when I can in a few hours go to my wife and boy. I do not want any funeral services over my body, and where I am buried is of no consequence to me.

"I hope and trust the infinite, the eternal, the merciful and loving God. I worship Him and feel no guilt in my heart before Him for what I am going to do. Next to God I worship my wife and boy and will soon be with them and with my father and mother, who are waiting for my coming. In the other life I will be better able to establish my sanity and hope to meet all my friends there when they come."

---------------------

General Campbell was the son of a minister of the Christian Church which was founded by his uncle, the celebrated Alexander Campbell, and was himself a minister, lawyer, public man and popular speaker.

He was born near Rushville, Ind., fifty-six years ago, and on attaining his majority he became a minister of the Christian church.

In 1866 he became an attorney, and in 1870 was elected county attorney of Rush county, Indiana.

This led to conviviality, and for a time he seemed lost to good. Then he met Luther Benson, the temperance apostle, and was reformed by him.

In 1874 he went to Bloomington, Ill., and for six years was a leading lawyer there. Several times he fell from temperance but as often reformed and finally returned to the Christian ministry.

In 1880 he went to Kansas, settling at Manhattan as pastor of the Christian Church there. Tiring of the ministry, he was admitted to the bar of Riley county, Kansas, as a practicing attorney.

In 1881 General Campbell was appointed chaplain of the state penitentiary by Governor St. John and served until 1883, when Governor Glick was inaugurated. From 1885 until 1889 he was adjutant general by appointment of Governor Martin. This office was given to him on account of his work for the Republican party in 1884 as president of the State Temperance Union.

In 1893 and 1894 he was adjutant general of the Kansas department of the G. A. R.

The killing of his son, aged 9, by a street car in Topeka caused him intense grief, and soon after his retirement from the position of G. A. R. adjutant general he went to Los Angeles, Cal., where he undertook to practice law. His wife died there of a lingering illness early in last year and he took her body to Indiana for burial.

On his return to California General Campbell was deeply affected by his wife's death, and soon brain fever developed. He broke down completely during a public speech, and soon afterward was found, ragged and disheveled, in a suburb of Los Angeles. He was examined, declared a maniac, and confined for a time in an asylum. On his release, as cured, he went to his old home at Rushville, Ind., and resumed the practice of law. Last fall he made many speeches in Indiana for McKinley. He then became an ardent Spiritualist, and had lately neglected his business and devoted himself to spiritualism.

Campbell was too genial to have bitter enemies, and his death will be re gretted throughout the state. He naturally resembled Alexander Campbell, as that great sectarian resembled Andrew Jackson.

The Kansas City Gazette, Page 1
22 Dec 1897

Inscription

Co. E 16th Ind. Inf.



Advertisement