The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1911-03-15
NOT WITHOUT ITS PARALLEL
CASE SIMILAR TO THAT OF DAN
VILE POLICE CHIEF.
South Georgia Boy Who Fled Many
Years Ago Returned and Sought
Pardon of GOV. Gambler.

ATT,ANTA.-The remarkable case
.ef Thomas Edgar SJribbHng, chief
of police of Danyilie, Va, who mas
inst been brought back to Georgia
tn serve a life sentence imposed up
ON him for murder in Harris county
fourteen years ago, recalls to mind
a very similar case that occurred
under the administration Of the late
Allen d. Gambler.
Much sympathy has been aroused
in StribbIings case, and there IS no
question that strenuous efforts wall
be made to secure him a pardon. All
Danyille, his present home cOmmu-
qitv. believes in him firmly, and the
yeneral comment here is that after
laying lived down his crime as he
has and made good citizen he
should receive full Clemency
The case comparable TO that Of
SuiUbIings is in brief, as follows:
Just forty years ago a 13-year-old
boy living in q south Georgia county
decided to run away from home be-
cause of bad treatment at the hands
OF his parents.
Where to get the money he didn
know. Finally he hit upon the theft
Of a mule Which he drove to a
ueighboring town and sold for SIS.
Instead of going on he turned back
home, drawn by his desire to see
sister. the only member of the fam
lily for whom he had any love and
Who knew nothing OF his purpose to
fee
Coming back his crime was de-
tected, but he turned the money over
to the owner of the mule who Tefus-
ed to prosecute. Nevertheless the
grand jury took up the case and in
dicred him. He was convicted and
sentenced to serve five years in the
penitentiary Scarcely had he land
ed in a penitentiary camp when the
opportunity came to him and he es-
capped.
A quarter Of a century after these
incidents a stranger walked into the
Office of Gov. Gambler one day and
related that he had come from a
town in Mississippi. He first told
the story of the boys crime, his
conviction and his escape.
That boy" he said. is now a
prosperous member of his home
town and light in the church He
went into business here, married
his employers daughter and became
his business partner. He joined the
church and was finally elected one
Of its deacOns. 1t was only then
that he told the story of his early
life, hesitating to take the deaconate
because Of his bOyhOod blot The
congregation insisted, asserting that
it could not then in any wise be held
against him. Later Ahis same boy
that once stole the mule felt aclled
to preach the gospel. That was
different matter; the church then
thought his record and character
should first be cleared
Il have come all the way to Geor-
gia to ask you, Governor, to give
that boy pardon of his offense
against this state" the visitor con-
alluded.
Gov. Gambler said he could grant
no one a pardon who was not with
in his Jurisdiction, and the boy, now
the man, would first have to come
10 Georgia and surrender himself.
This he did with sad misgiving. al
most fearing that on his arrival he
would be returned to the penitenti-
airy TO serve at least a part of that
sentence for his boyish escapade.
However, when he had finished
telling Governor Gambler the story
OF his life pardon was promptly
written out for him. and he thanked
che governor with tears in his eyes.