The Washington times., 1909-07-20
PLEA
ENTERED BY PLACE
Man Who Shot Alexander
Morrison Tells Story of
Encounter.

Il had to shoot Morrison to protect
myself. / only did it after 1 had begged
him to halt and locked my door to
keep him out Of the house. His mother
tried to keep. him from me, but she
could not hold him back"
This was the statement made by Will
liam P. Place. who, this morning, was
released from the Rockville jail on 81, 600
bond pending hearing at Woodmont
this afternoon before Magistrate Wilson
on the charge OF shooting Alexander
Morrison.
Morrison lies in Georgetown Univer-
sity Hospital today. where he was
taken after the shooting last even
Ing. He is resting quietly and physi-
clans say he will recover. Repeated
attempts TO locate the bullet this morn
ing were unsuccessful, and the physi-
clans think it possible that the wad-
ding from one of the blank cartridges
may have hit Morrison, and the one
bullet, which the revolver is said to
contain, did not hit him at all An
x-ray viii be used this afternoon to
determine definitely whether a bullet
entered the body.
Two Stories Tally.
J ne dCCOunL OF the SnOOL4AE given ny
Place tallies In practically every detail
with that given by Mrs. A H. Morrison,
who followed her son to Places home,
pleading with him not to attack Place
and tripping him three Or four times to
give Place a chance to escape Mrs.
Morrison is better known as DR.. aNIry
Morrison, in Washington, where she
practiced medicine a number of years
before she moved to WOodmOnt
My son was intoxicated so badly that
he could hardly walk until he caught
sight of Place, and the effect of the
meeting was to anger him so that ne
braced up. I do not think he would
have attacked Place had he been sober.
He said he had heard that Place had
accused him and Mrs. Place Of indis-
cretions and he was going TO have 1t
out with him then. He broke away from
me as we were walking across the field
and started for Place. VINO was stand
ing IN yard adjoining his house.
4 tTipped MIN several times and
yelled to Place to run. Place jumped
through the barbed wire fence, rushed
around TO the back of the house, went
into the kitchen and slammed the door
after him My son followed him, and
when they stood face to face I pleaded
with Place not to fire. I stood between
them, but could not restrain my SON."
Miss Place Indignant.
Mrs. Place was indignant when she
learned that Norrison's name had been
linked with hers
Of my husband said I left home to
go with Morrison he told a deliberate
falsehOOd, but don't believe he said it.
1 have been at my sisters home since
Thursday and Mr.. Place knew where to
find me-"
Though AIrs. Place declared her hus-
band had told her to leave his house
and that she had done IL because he
threatened 70 Kill her, she was not bit
ter. She declared Mr.. Place had never
demonstrated with her regarding Nor
rison.
Morrison and my husband have been
friends for years she said There has
been nothing TO disturb theiT friendship,
and only two DAYS ago they were work
ing together on a house Morrison
came to our house frequently, but never
stayed when Mr.. Place was not there.
The Pair spent many evenings playing
cards together
''The cuIy reason for my leaving Mr..
Place because Of his violent bursts Of
temper. Often when in q Mt Of rage
he has threatened to kill me. The small
est annoyance was enough TO excite
him.
Once he struck me, because Of a dis
pute that arose over a game of parlor
croquet, and I was bruised so badly
that ! had TO so to a doctor. On Wed
nesday he struck me again, and told
me to leave the house. and 1 went di-
rectly to the home of my sister, Mrs.
John Hutson, where 1 have been since
that day.
My husband has been subject TO
these violent Outbursts since we We're
married, but he has been much worse
since ne had an operation performed
about eighteen months ago for an alb
cess near his brain. I believe this has
affected his brain and that he is not
responsible for his actions when in one
Of his fits of anger"
Place declared this morning that his
temper had gotten the better OF him
several time and he had slapped his
wife
I never beat my Wife" ne said, I
did slap her several times"
nnN'T re TAIN