The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-28
TEXAS MINISTER HANGED
REV. G. f. MORRISON EXECUTED FOR
POISONING HIS WIFE.
Put Her Out of the Way I'm Order to
ed Innocence ON the ScanOId.

DALLAS, Tex. Oct. 27.-Rev. G. z. Nor
rison was hanged at u o'clock. noon to-
dag at Vernon, Tex, for wife murder. He
met his death resignedly On the scaffold
he said to the twenty witnesses permitted
at the execution: Il am innocent. Circum-
stances over which had no control have
placed me in this position. / have taken
my trouble in private to my God i admit
that / have acted indscreetly. have done
no worse. however. than hundreds of men
who stand high in the religious, social, bus
mess and official circles of your State.
have dore nothing to confess. / am in the
hands of my Maker. He knows I am inno-
cent" Morrisons neck was broken by the
fall and his death appeared to be painless.
Morrison's crime was the poisoning of his
wife in October 1897. The facts show that
for deliberate iendshness they are almost
without parallel in the annals of GRIM
mai Jurisprudence. The motive for the pois-
oning was a desire TO rid himself of a
pretty. amiable. loving wife in order to
marry woman possessed of large means,
100000 of which was In cash. Morrison mar
ried his dead wife about seventeen years
ago. At one time they lived In California,
then in Oklahoma Territory from which
place they moved TO Panhandle, Tex. where
the crime was committed He was born and
raised in Illinois and went to school at
Carbonate. There he became acquainted
with Miss Anna Whittelesey, who subse-
quently moved with her parents TO Topeka,
Kan.
In August. previous to the poisoning of
Miss whittelesey, his scb&ol days sweet
heart. ascertained her financial condition
tended 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 a ranch near
Higgins. Tex. On his return to Texas he
began correspondence with Miss Whit
telesey, urging his proposition of marriage,
stating that he had for number of years
intended to come to her when he could do
so honorably and he believed he could now
see the time. This statement was made one
month before the death of his wife
Morrison procured strychnine for the os-
& ssible purpose of poisoning ''varmints"
WI ch, he said. were catching his chickens.
On the day previous he had procured a
box OF quinine with empty capsules On
Friday night before her death Mrs Nor
leaving Morrison al home. who said he had
to prepare his Sunday sermon. The next
morning he took the strychnine back to
10 use II for fear he would poison his
neighbors' chickens The package had been
opened.
Sunday night he preached and alluded in
pathetic manner TO the parting with
loved ones at death. About 10 o'clock that
night ne called on his neighbors for assist
wife. She was found in paroxysms and
spasms. He delayed sending for a DOCTOR
who arrived after the wife's death In the
meantime he kept up his correspondence
with Miss Whittelesey, writing her a let
ter two days before the death of his wife
and the day after her burial asserting his
love in the most lavish terms. In the latter
letter he announced the death OF his BROTH
er's wife and notified her OF his early visit
to Topeka On his return from Topeka he
was arrested. held a few days was re-
leased on bond and fed About three
months thereafter he was rearrested I'm
San Francisco, returned to Texas, tried
with Miss Whittelesey as the main prose-
cutting witness and given the death penalty
Two "Straight-fo-Heave Murderers
DALLAS. Tex. Oct. 27.-walter Ford.
who cruelty murdered his sweetheart Lu-
cinda Moore. at Waco. In June. 1885, was
hanged in that city to-day. He died without
faltering. saying he was going straight to
heaven.
AUSTIN. Tex. Oct. 27.-Samuel watrous.
one OF the murderers of G.. W. Engberg and
his wife. was hanged In the jailyard here
to-day. Before dying Watrous said he was
going 70 heaven. James Davidson con-
victed or the sane crime, win be hanged
on Nov "a.
John Goosby KILLED by Judge Lynch
MACON, Ga. Oct. A.-John COSBY a
negro. was iynched at Reagan's Mill. about
six miles from here late last night by
mob from Twiggs county. Goosby a few
days ago provoked difficulty with his en-