The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-04-25
GOV. BROWN REFUSES PARDON.
After Fourteen Years. Liberty, Geor-
gia Man Sentenced to Lie for
Murder Begin Service.

Atlanta, Ca, April PIN denying
the application for pardon fled by
Thomas Edgar Stripping, former po-
lice chief of Danville, Va, under SEN
tence of life Imprisonment for the
murder OF William J. Cornett, Cover
nor Brown, in a review of the case,
made public tonight, excoriates the
"unwritten law" which Stripping
: pleaded in justification Of his act, as
a euphemism presenting, when un-
masked, "tho nideous feature of an
y, archy."
Danger of LaWlessness.
Zone of the most dangerous evils
menacing our institutions is lawless-
ness" declared the governor; the
mob executing in wild disorder it's VIC
tim and the individual wreahing his
own revenge for wrongs, real or ina
gina1y, the man or interest treating
with contempt the laws of the land
and trusting to gold or Influence for
safety, are striking manifestations of
this spirit of lawlessness."
While expressing profound SYM
pathy for Stripling's family and high
respect for the impulses which
prompted his friends to apply for a
pardon for him, Governor Brown says
that sympathy and personal friend
ship have no right to supplant an
oath-bound duty to execute the laws
Of Georgia
Convicted by His Peers. !
"Above the rolling tide and obscur-
ing fog Of sympathy and emotions,
we can not fail to see the rock of the
record which shows that Thomas
Edgar STRIPPING, by a jury of his peers,
was convicted of the murder of fel-
low man." continued the governor;
"that he afterward violated a second
law Of Georgia, by breaking jail and
enmeshed in the complications of his
crime, his own brother-in-law, Terrell
HUFF, was sent to the prison, within
which he was confined at hard labor,
until through doubts as to his guilt, !
he was set free on recommendation of
the prison commission. I greatly re-
gret, therefore, that under the condi-
tions, I do not feel justified in inter-
rupting in this case the due process
of law"
Reviews Record After Escape.
Governor Brown discusses Strip
aling's life after he broke Jail, in 1897,
and does not find it sufficiently spot
less to entitle him to a pardon and
continued liberty, as his friends had
hoped. Not one man in several hun
dred kills one man," says the goyer-
nor. 'Not one man in five thousand
kills two men and Intentionally
wounds another and, while an officer
Of the law, is fined once for oppro-
brious language, (profanity) and once
for violence toward yet other men.
But this is Stripling's record since he
killed Cornet. I do not say that he
was not within the scope of his duty
in each of the tragic incidents mark
ing his career since he fed from this !
State, but I submit that they impair
the power to claim that his life in Viz
ginia is above suspicion and per sc en-
titles him to pardon in Georgia."
Stripping Coolly Receives News.
Columbus, Ga., April 22.-Thomas !
Edgar Stripping, former chief Of police
of Danville. Va, who is confined III
the county jail here, awaiting the out
come Of his petition for pardon for the
killing of VIM J. Cornett, was inform
ed tonight that the governor had de-
clined to approve the accommodation
for pardon. Stripping displayed nc
emotion, and when asked if he had
any comment, merely replied:
ssI have nothing to say
Mrs. Stripping interviewed.
Danville, Va, April 22.-When seen
tonight by a representative of the AS
sociated Jress, Mrs. Stripping was in
clined to be reticent.
What are your plans for the fu-
ture?" i
We'll, don't know that I care to
make them public at present"
DO YOU expect to continue to reside
in Danville?"
"I do not see where that concerns
you," she replied.
"Were you surprised at the COVER