The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-06
.DANv|LLE P APER
ON MORRIS CASE
Time to Abandon Hysterical
Nonsense About Buying Home
for Former Chief.
NOT A MARTYR OR A HERO
The Bee, i'll Editorial, Reflects
Scntimentin City Where
He Lived.

panville, Va, March 5.-rhc uanvillo
Bee, In discussing tho case Of former
Chief OF Police "R, e. Morris" declares
that lit ia time for tho people to aban
don this hysterical nonsense about huv
ing the man home and treating him
like martyr or n hero" Published IN
tho home town Of Morris" the edi
torial In tho Bee reflects local sentt
nicnt to Il degree not heretofore cx-
pressed 1t says:
lille tho arrest and the sensa tionaI
disclosures concerning tho past OF tho
late Chief Of Police OF the CITY OF Dan
WIG are naturally amazing and even
shocking. thcrc is no occasion for
Glontlns over the downfall Of the man
nor Tor Charging his elevation to Once
90 iactional politics. nor for INDUCING
! III the unctuous. Il told Won so ,rhn
downfall OF man under any circ,,mo
stances is pathetic enough, but In IN.
casc IN question 1t Is nothing short
~, .rngic, However. the elevation Of II
man whose past was not an opcn book
~, ~ inc chief cause for criticism and
~ retention In responsible place
h ~. no nad conclusivclyF demonstrated
MS ,.telnperamenta! unfitness for such
place. - rcgrcttable. Candidly, It viii
De admitted now by all that 1t was
4 4, mIstake to make the man known as
eiorris Chief Of Police.
!, While this paper has never bcon
an admircr of the retiring polic, an
tiai, II Is because Of his dcnionstrate,j
! .etnperamental uniitness and his an
parent ovcreagerness TO uso hi; ~
Noiver and the fact that he had slain
-. iGast one man. albeit e negro al
.eseu 10 be burglar. We dcprecato IA
a, general proposition tho sclection .n nj
eieVation to responsible oificial no
~ H.',on OF any man Of whom 20 little
Who 9i had sp Hn9wn IN pirefersncG 70 men
| nl"nity or vicinity and whose career.
were an open book. Two years ago We
opposed the reelection Of the Ch.ct
OF Ponce because he uad killed two
men, one or them while the officer was
Daoged with the authority OF head OF
me, me ioiice DEPARTMENT. and should have
oeen an cXcmnlar of seif-control and
iorhearancc TO his subordinates Al
me same time. We confess we did moi
suspect the real nature OF thoN mans
career prior 70 coming here, nor did
any one know anything OF tho mans
past,
Mor rhe s eX;perienss Of the city with
prove a valuable Lesson, not alone to
the Police Com,nissi oners bu, TO the
Ely Eay government generally. to give
selections for flee If that lesson
mas been sufficiently impressed by the
will have been of value to the com
munity. We concede that no man
instrumental in the selection OF Nor
rvs rvs k i1S. nught against him when he
they are not Justly blamnblo further
IMAM Tor having CHI osen a mar whose
career they did not know. we arc
ueYed then, and we are sure now. that
mo commission had ample reason ii
. INC e mans demonstrated ternperamcntal
| tntitness two years ago not TO nrnil,
eieVatc him to such an important ami
responsible position. AS general
proposition II IS not only wise but
ercnce In selections for office.
Tn simple Justice 10 Morris, how
ever It must be said that his record
was against him. both as {, citizen ant,
as an official, and that he is not on.
,ltlcd to any great sympathy, certain
~ no more than any other man with
h has record n, We frankly confess we
that maudin sentiment and That
Species Of hysteria which prompt
some people In this city TO regard hin
tunte them In the absurd suggestion
or raising fund with which 10 buy
me the m man home after he may be re-
would not do anything to make the
lot, Of his unfortunate family harder.
and. ON the other hand. would con-
TO 90 TO Georgia and be near him. If
such assistance he necessary. we
nevertheless feel that it is misplaced
crate him from blame for his comics ed
aSsassina ton. or would unduIy tighten
the penalty Of his act. II must be re-
called that II is Morris's own state
ment by which it is sought to ,.alliate
his crime. and that a Georgia illry
would hardly sentence n white man to
such drastic punishment without ade-
duate justifcatlon. We know nothing
OF the record Of the case. but the YER.
dict coItradcts Morris and his own
act in running away is confession OF
his consciousness of guilt. Had nc had
any faith in the merits OF his appeal
then pending. he would not have taken
the desperate chances OF running
away.
ct is time for people to abandon
this hysterical nonsense about buying
the man home and treating him like
a martyr or hero"