The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-03

& convict me again after all these years
When escaped from jail at Hamilton
x : was held there pending an appeal"
4 II believed all along that would
have been acquitted had secured "a
new trial. but I'll be free before long
and I'll come back to my family"
While he tried to build up courage
on this point, the fact remains that
Morris, they Will call him Stripping
hereafter. was convicted Of murder in
the first degree and recommended to
the mercy Of the court, which saved
him from the gallows. lie was SEN
fenced 20 the pentcntiary Tor .the rest
OF his natural life
G Life Sentence still Stands.
That sentence still stands Hls
brother-in-law. Terrell! Hough, con-
ricted st the same time got the same
punishment, though he has since been
pardoned But many people who hea ri
Morriss stat Tonight could not
understand why le should have been
sent up FOR life II he was really pro
tecting his sisters honor,
They don't send men up for life in
Georgia for that" they said
Detective Smith, who has been on the
case tor the past three weeks. looked
UP the Harris county record and found
that Morris. or Stripping. and Hough
shot Cornett one night In his home as
he was taking off his shoes They shot
MIN through the window, one using a
shotgun and the other a rifle. The
murder was committed on the night OF
SePtenloee 4. 1897 Arrests We're made
the next day. and The two men were
convicted on October l6. 1897. which
was rather swift justice even for Geor-
Eia It is lair 10 assume that Morris
was really In jail trying for an appeal.
Tor he did not escape until March go.
1s9S. Without that appeal plea he
Wo0ld have been sent forthwith TO the
atlanta penitcntiary
While not trying TO convict him here
IN the newspapers. his political enemies
remarked that man who believed hs
had q right TO shoot man and who
was SO certain OF acquittal had no
reason to break Jail and start life elsa.
~HeIe asoln under new name He
was married ct the time. Some TINA
after he disappeared his wife left
tiarris county mysteriougly, and while
we search was unremitting nobody
ever got track of them until thar ~.
1umbus man returned home With nsn,s
That he had seen the SLAYER or Cornott
In Virginia I .~s - m :.
Io-hlGnt. Tor the first time the pro
hioidon Chief OF Police discarded Tho
name OF Norris. He has notified some
OF MS relatives that he is OH his way
70 Georgla, and It is likely that rcia-
tlves Will come here to look after his
family until he can return The I'M
outstanding is that he will endeavoI
to give bail, while he is working TO
have the verdict set aside His LAST
hope is In a pardon Although most
OF those who suffered when Cornett
was killed have since died, there is
still strong feeling In Harris county
against the murderer. and 1t was this
demand for justice which led 10 the
raising OF funds to bring Stripping
back.
Excitement Spreads over City.
The suppressed excitement around
the courthouse when the arrest was
made spread far. The thing put Dan
Vile UP in the air. Half an hour later.
II was all over the streets And vet
Morris, moving about In his uniform,
which he WAS wearing for the last
time. was by far the coolest man about
the place. He shook hands with his
friends. The scene was not unlike
that when people call TO express sym