The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-11-01
so GAVE WIFE STRYcHNlNE.

Rev. G.. Z. Morrison was hanged a
12,o'clock Friday at Vernon, Tex, for
wife murder. He met his death ret
sig ncdlv. On the scaffold he said to the
select party of 90: witnesses permitted
at the execution: Il am innocent.
Circumstances over which l had no
Control have placed me in this position.
l have taken my trouble in private to
my God. l admit that I have acted in
discretely. 1 have done no worse,
however, than hundreds Of meG who
stanl high in the religious, social, busi-
ness and official circles Of your State.
l have done nothing to confess. l am
in the hands Of my Maker. He knows
that am innocent. Morrison's neck
was broken and death appeared to be
painless.
The crime for which Rev. G.. E. Nor
rison paid the death penalty was the
poisoning Of his wife in October, 1897.
The motive for the crime was 10 rid
himself Of a pretty, amiable, loving
wife, in order to marry a lady possessed
of means, $4,000 Of which was in
cash.
Morrison married his deceased wife
about II 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 Carbondale. There he be-
came acquainted with Miss Anna
Whittlesey, who subsequently moved
with her parents to Topeka, Kan. In
August previous to the poisoning Of
his wife in Oct, 1897, Morrison met
Miss Whittlesey, his school days
sweetheart, ascertained her financial
condition and made offer Of marriage.
He pretended that his wife had been
dead II years, that he had quit preach.
ing, had been successfully engaged in
the cattle business for eight years and
owned ranch near Higgins, Tex. On
MS return to Texas he began a CORES
pordence with Miss Whittelesey, urg-
ing his proposition Of marriage, stating
| that he had for a number Of years in
tended to come to her when he could
do SO honorably, and he believed he
could now see the time. This state
ment was made one month before the
death of his wife.
He procured strychnine for the os-
tensible purpose OF poisoning animals
which he said we're catching his chick
ems. On the day previous he had pro-
cured box Of quinine with empty
capsules. On Friday night before her
death Mrs. Morrison went to the Swiss
Bell ringers, leaving Morrison at home,
who said he had to prepare his Sunday
serman. The next morning he took
the strychoine back to the druggist,
telling him that he was afraid to use
it for fear he would poison his neigh
boris chickens. The package had been
opened. Sunday night ne preached and
alluded in pathetic manner to, the
parting with loved ones at death.
About 10 o'clock that night he called
upon his neighbors for assistance, au-
nouncirg the serious illness of his wife.
She was found in paroxysms and
spasms. He delayed sending for a
doctor, who arrived after the wife's
death. n the meantime he had kept
up his correspondence with Miss Whit
telesey, writing her 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 lat
ter letter he announced the death Of
his brothers wife and notified her CT his
early visit to Topeka.
On his return from Topeka he was
arrested, held few days, was released
on bond and fed About three months
thereafter he was arrested in San Fran
cisco, returned to Texas, tried with
| Miss Whittclsey as the main prosecut-
ing witness, and given the death penal
! ty.