The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-28
PREACHER DIES ON sCAFFoLD.
REV. C. e. MORRISON EXECUTED
FOR MURDER OF HIS WIFE.


wanted Her Out of the Way So That
He Could Marry "A Woman Worth
n FOrtune-Gnve His Wife strych-
nine in Place of Quinine-Woman
He Wanted to Marry Became the
Chief Prosecuting witness Before
the Court.
Dallas. Tex Oct. 27.-Rev. G. 2. Morri-
son was hanged at u o'clock to-day at
Vernon, Tex, for wife-murder. He met his
death resignedly. on the scaffold he said
to the select party of twenty witnesses
permitted at the execution:
Il am innocent Circumstances over
which had no control have paced me in
this position. I have taken my trouble in
private TO my God. I admit that 1 have
acted indiscreetly. have done no worse,
however, than hundreds of men who stand
high in the religious, social. business and
official circles of your state. have done
nothing to confess. am in the hands of
my Maker He knows am innocent"
Morrison's neck was broken and his
death appeared to be painless.
The crime for which Rev. G. Il. Morri-
son pad the death penalty was the poi
soning of his wife in October, 1897. The
motive for the crime was to rid himself
of pretty, amiable, loving wife in order
TO marry a lady possessed of means, $780,
900 of which was in cash.
Morrison married his deceased wife
about seventeen years ago. AT one time
they lived in California, then in Oklaho-
ma territory, from which place they mov-
ed to Panhandle. Tex, where the crime
was committed.
He Wanted Her Fortune.
He was born and raised in Illinois and
went to school at Carbondale. There he
became acquainted with Miss Anna Whit
telesey, who subsequently, moved with
her parents, to Topeka, Kan. In August
previous to the poisoning of his wife, in
October, 1897, Morrison met Miss Whit
telesey, his school-days sweetheart ascer-
tanned her financial condition and made
offer of marriage. He pretended that his
wife had been dead eleven years, that he
had quit preaching, had been successfully
engaged in the cattle business for eight
years and owned ranch near Higgins,
Tex. On his return to Texas he began a
correspondence with Miss Whittelesey, ,urg-
ing his proposition of marriage, stating
that he had intended for number of years
to come to her when he could do so hon
oraby, and he believed he could now see
the time. This statement was made one
month before the death of his wife.
He procured strychnine for the ostensi-
bic purpose of poisoning animals, which
he said were catching his chickens. On
the day previous he had procured a box
of quinine with empty capsules On Fri
day night before her death Mrs. Morrison
went to the Swiss Bell Ringers entertain-
ment, leaving Morrison at home, who said
he had to prepare his Sunday sermon.
Death of His Wife.
The next morning he took the strychnlne
back to the druggist, telling him that he
was afraid to use it, for fear he would
poison his neighbor's chickens. The pack
age had been opened Sunday night he
preached and alluded in a patheic manner
to the parting with loved ones at death.
About 10 o'clock that night he called
upon his neighbors for assistance, an
nouncing the serious illness of his Wife.
She was found in paroKysms and spasms.
He delayed sending for u doctor who ar
rived after the wife's death. In the mean
time he had kept up his correspondence
with Miss Whittlesey writing her a letter
Two days before the death of his wife,
and the day after her burial, asserting his
love in the most lavish terms.
In the letter he announced the death of
his brothers wife and notified her of his
early visit to Topeka.
on his return from Topeka he was ar
rested, held a few days, was released on
bond and fed. About three months there
after he was arrested in San Francisco,
returned to Texas, tried, with Miss Whit
telesey as the main prosecuting witness,
and given the death penalty.